Doctors have slammed Labor’s $644million promise of 50 more urgent care clinics if it wins the coming election, saying there is no sign they provide ‘value for money’.
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) – the peak body for general practitioners – has again raised concerns about one of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese‘s major election ploys.
‘We are now seeing more than $1billion will be spent on setting up these clinics, and we still have no sign of an evaluation to show whether they are providing value for money, or helping people keep away from hospital,’ RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said on Sunday.
‘The urgent care clinic model that has been rolled out in Australia hasn’t been properly evaluated, and there have been concerning reports about costs being at least four times higher than GP services.’
Dr Wright added that ‘without an evaluation of the urgent care clinic model, there is no evidence that it is a solution’.
‘We do not support ongoing investment without the evidence that it works,’ he said.
The Labor government has already opened up 87 of the urgent care clinics during its first term in office, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the 50 extra clinics would take pressure off health costs.
‘If you provide more bulk billing doctors in more suburbs and towns, it means less stress for families, and it means less pressure on household budgets,’ he told Sky News on Sunday.
Doctors have slammed Labor’s $644million promise of 50 more urgent care clinics if it wins the coming election, saying there is no sign they provide ‘value for money’. Stock image
‘When we take that pressure off family budgets, we also take pressure off emergency departments.’
But Dr Wright disagreed.
‘The best solution to increase access to urgent care and ease pressure on our hospitals is funding existing general practices to expand their current services, including for more after-hours services,’ he said.
‘This will result in better health outcomes, as people will be able to access urgent care from their usual practice, which has their medical history, and supports their continuity of care.’
He said Labor’s plan did not make economic sense.
‘Spending millions setting up new clinics is not value for taxpayers’ money,’ he said.
‘There are reports that each visit to an urgent care clinic costs approximately $200 per head.’
Dr Wright added that, while ‘this is cheaper than a visit to a hospital emergency department, it’s far more expensive than if the patient is treated by a GP, which for a standard consult costs a little over $42.’
Of the 50 new clinics, 14 are expected to be built in NSW, 12 in Victoria, 10 in Queensland, six in Western Australia, three each in South Australia and Tasmania, with the ACT and the Northern Territory also getting an extra facility each.
‘This announcement of 50 additional urgent care clinics, if we are re-elected, will provide the urgent care people need – and all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card,’ Mr Albanese said.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) says ‘if we are re-elected, will provide the urgent care people need – and all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card’
Royal Australian College of GPs president Dr Michael Wright (picture) says ‘the best solution to increase access to urgent care … is funding existing general practices’
Dr Wright, though, questioned how the clinics would be staffed.
‘Workforce issues must be front of mind at all times,’ he said.
‘We know that some urgent care clinics are closing due to an inability to find staff. So, given the workforce pressures that already exist, I struggle to see how more urgent care clinics across every state and territory are going to find available and willing staff.
‘The RACGP remains concerned these new clinics will capture our limited general practice workforce away from regular GP clinics, where they are needed most.’
‘The concept sounds great in theory, but these clinics can create confusion for the public, and, concerningly, can disrupt the care people usually receive from a regular GP who knows them.
‘This means that care becomes fragmented, as the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.’
