The gap between those who can afford care and those who can't, if anything, seems to be growing. And it's those most vulnerable to poorer health outcomes who are being hit the hardest.

Following the closure of Invermay's Caledonian Medical Centre in April, there are now only two medical practices serving Launceston's northern suburbs - Mowbray Medical and the Northern Suburbs Medical Service. In an area with some of the poorest health outcomes in Northern Tasmania, it's not surprising the demand on these services is now greater than ever.

But, considering the northern suburbs is also one of the poorest areas in Northern Tasmania, it's also not surprising that many residents struggle to afford the costs associated with visiting a GP. As a result, many people turn to a hospital emergency department. Or, they just don't bother addressing their health concerns at all. Neither of these are good outcomes, for obvious reasons.

The link between economic and social disadvantage with poor health outcomes is not a coincidence. It is a complex issue with many forces at play. It includes factors such as bulk billing services, along with questions around access to healthy, nutritious food and whether there are safe places to exercise. If you threw all of these conditions at any person, it's likely even the healthiest human would start to experience poor outcomes.

Mowbray Medical offered mix billing services to its patients for five years before having to make some tough decisions around its future viability. While a health service, it's also a business, and like any business, if a practice isn't financially sustainable, then changes need to be made.

However, if a "persistent lack of government support" is truly to blame for these changes, then it's time the government stepped up and ensured everyone who needs to visit a GP can - regardless of where they live.