Making it easier to see your doctor – Boost for GP After-Hours

View by date:

• April
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

• 2013
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004

PDF printable version of Making it easier to see your doctor – Boost for GP After-Hours (PDF 32 KB)

1 December 2010

After-hours support from local GPs will be boosted in communities around the country following two announcements today by the Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon.

101 local GP clinics will receive up to $100,000 each as part of the Gillard Government’s $10 million General Practice After-Hours Grants Program.

“For many Australians, GP clinics are their first port-of-call when they fall ill,” Ms Roxon said.

“But because people don’t just need GPs during business hours, the Gillard Government is investing in after-hours GP services.”

“The support we offer GPs in providing after-hours services means that more Australians can see and contact a doctor when they need to.”

Minister Roxon made the announcement from Street Health, an innovative mobile after-hours service that provides homeless and other disadvantaged people with access to GPs, and who will receive one of the grants.
PivotWest CEO, Ross Joyce, operator of the StreetHealth service, spoke about the practical difference the grant will make to the people of the western suburbs of Melbourne.

“This is great news. This funding will help us keep GPs on the ground and provide much-need primary healthcare for the homeless and other disadvantaged people,” Mr Joyce said.

The General Practice After-Hours Grants underwrite the Government’s commitment to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments and build on previously announced grant rounds, meaning that more than 300 communities will benefit during 2010-11 from after-hours GP services.

Successful organisations will receive a two-year grant of up to $100,000 to assist them with costs such as incentives for GPs, wages for support staff and other operating costs incurred after-hours.

Minister Roxon also announced the Australian Government will extend incentives to encourage general practices to provide after-hours care. The incentives, which had been due to finish on 1 July 2011, will be extended for two years under Tier 1 of the Government’s Practice Incentives Program (PIP) After-Hours Incentive.

As part of health reforms to modernise the health system, the Australian Government is working to provide a nationally consistent after-hours health service. From July 2011, Australians will have access to after-hours GP advice through the National Health Call Centre Network. This will be further enhanced by Medicare Locals coordinating face-to-face GP after-hours services from mid-2013 to provide all Australians with convenient and timely after-hours medical advice and care.

The General Practice After-Hours Grants Program and PIP incentives will continue until the Medicare Locals coordination of face-to-face GP after-hours services is operational in mid-2013.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220

For all inquiries about grant applications, please contact the Department of Health and Ageing on 02 6289 3836

Successful Grant Applicants under the General Practice After-Hours Program