Nurse-led clinics ‘another slap in the face’ The RACGP has strongly criticised the establishment of five new urgent care clinics in the ACT, saying they contradict Federal guidance.
New group looks to address urgent care needs A recently formed RACGP Specific Interest group aims to help raise the standard of urgent and emergency treatment in primary care.
Should an urgent care standard be established? With more urgent care centres on the way, one GP makes the case for introducing consistency across jurisdictions – but not all agree.
GPs to staff 50 ‘urgent care services’ in NSW and Victoria The bulk-billing clinics will be established near existing hospitals with the aim of easing pressure on overburdened emergency departments.
‘Cautious optimism’ for new state-funded GP-led clinics Plans for five priority care centres in Victoria are the latest in a series of nationwide developments to increase access to after-hours general practices with a mix of funding.
GPs ‘horrified’ at latest pharmacy proposal The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has suggested ‘non-urgent’ emergency department presentations be directed to community pharmacy.
EDs continue to be clogged with non-urgent presentations One-third of presentations classified as lower urgency could be managed by a GP – and the trend is persisting – a new report confirms.
New trial of GP-delivered urgent care set to launch in WA Western Australian patients thinking about going to emergency will next week have a new option – a GP.
Questions emerge regarding new SA bid to ease ED strain Ambulances have begun taking some patients to GP-led priority care centres in an effort to relieve Adelaide’s strained hospital network.
Why do patients go to emergency rather than to their GP? Experts say the reasons for the phenomenon are complex – but underfunding of general practice is a key issue.