Daily Liberal Facebook users are suggesting a shortage of GPs is to blame for a 71.6 per cent jump in non-urgent presentations at Dubbo Hospital's Emergency Department (ED) .
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The Bureau of Health Information's latest Healthcare Quarterly reveals 1383 non-urgent presentations at the ED in the July to September 2019 quarter.
There were 577 less or 806 presentations in the same period in 2018.
The Western NSW Local Health District reports of "increased ED presentations" at Dubbo across the past 12 months.
Facebook users have reacted to the data with accounts of their own struggles to access GPs in Dubbo.
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A post by Geoff Kiehne sums up the advice and opinions expressed after the Daily Liberal published the data.
"Well this is symbolic of the lack of GPs in rural locations and time required to gain an appointment," he wrote.
He asked what the state government and NSW Health were doing to correct the problem.
"The figures will only get worse without some rectification," Mr Kiehne warned.
Multiple people testified to not being able to get in to see a GP or having to wait a long time for an appointment.
Tara Weekes reported of "almost every place in Dubbo, whether it's a private practice or a medical centre, is impossible to get into within the week".
"My GP is booked up months in advance and when I went to change I found every other doctor service is the same," she wrote.
"... so what do you do when you have an ear infection and can't get into your doctor for another six days.
They need another couple of medical centres around town. More GPs.. Dubbo is a hub, it's time to act like one."
Rosie Coman, who moved to Dubbo two years ago, wrote "when I need to see a doctor they turn me away because their books are closed".
"I have health insurance and willing to pay yet they don't see me," she wrote. "What else are we meant to do?"
Sammantha Honeysett insisted most GPs were "booked out or not taking new patients".
Jane Burgess wrote "try as you may just can't get a GP appointment for weeks".
Shelley Burling believes people end up at the ED because of the unavailability of GPs.
"We need more GP doctors and places that take walk-ins needing emergency scripts or doctors certificates for work," she wrote.
April Hegarty suggested the city needed "more accessible GPs available and more after hours".
Debbie McLeod wrote "lack of GPs and not bulk-billing will contribute to this".
Cindy Riley thinks "if Dubbo has more bulk-billed doctors this wouldn't happen".