You could be waiting for up to three weeks to see a general practitioner doctor (GP) in the Northern Territory’s fourth-biggest town of Katherine. Compare Low Rate Home Loans Gorge Health owner Dr Peter Spafford says the town, with a local government area population of almost 10,000, should have a recommended “ideal staffing” of 9.1 doctors — but there are only two GPs. Katherine is known as the Crossroads of the North, located 270km southeast of Darwin and is key destination in the transport routes between Adelaide and Darwin. One of the problems is the Northern Territory cannot attract enough trainee GPs, so the situation is not looking bright as more health officials blame the medicare rebate freeze for the lack of GPs. Shortage of doctors in rural and regional towns is a problem plaguing regional Australia , but Dr Spafford fears for the future of his practice as […]