Doctors have made the promise of $ 644 million of $ 644 of 50 more urgent care clinics if it wins in the coming elections and say that there is no sign that they offer 'value for money'.
The Royal Australian College of GPS (RACGP) – the peak organ for general practitioners – has again expressed his concern about one of the most important elections of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“We now see that more than $ 1 billion will be spent on setting up these clinics, and we still have no signs of an evaluation to show whether they offer value for money, or help people stay away from the hospital,” said RACGP president Dr. Michael Wright Sunday.
“The urgent care clinic model rolled out in Australia has not been properly evaluated and there are reports about costs about costs that are at least four times higher than GPs.”
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 current investments without proof that it works,” he said.
During its first term of office, the Labor Government already opened 87 of the urgent care clinics, with treasurer Jim Chalmers said that the 50 extra clinics would decrease the pressure from the health costs.
“If you offer more bulk billing doctors in more suburbs and cities, this means less stress for families, and it means less pressure on household budgets,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
Doctors have made the promise of $ 644 million of $ 644 of 50 more urgent care clinics if it wins in the coming elections and say that there is no sign that they offer 'value for money'. Stock image
“When we take that pressure from the family budgets, we also take the pressure from emergency departments.”
But Dr. Wright did not agree.
“The best solution to increase access to urgent care and to facilitate pressure on our hospitals is to finance existing general practices to expand their current services, including for more services after hours,” he said.
“This will lead to better health results, because people have access to urgent care based on their usual practice, which has their medical history, and supports their continuity of care.”
He said that Labor's plan was not economically useful.
“Publishing millions of new clinics is no value for the money of the taxpayers,” he said.
“There are reports that every visit to an urgent care clinic costs around $ 200 per head.”
Dr. Wright added that, although “this is cheaper than a visit to a hospital's emergency department, it is much more expensive than when the patient is treated by a doctor, who costs just over $ 42 for a standard consultation.”
Of the 50 new clinics, 14 will be built in NSW, 12 in Victoria, 10 in Queensland, Six in West -Australia, each in South Australia and Tasmania, with the ACT and the Northern Territory also get an extra facility.
“This announcement of 50 extra urgent care clinics, if we are re -elected, will offer the urgent care that people need – and everything you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card,” said Mr Albanese.
Anthony Albanese (photo) says: 'If we are re -elected, the urgent care that people need – and everything you 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 financing existing general practices'
Dr. Wright, however, Wondered how the clinics would be manned.
“Employee issues must always be in mind,” he said.
'We know that some urgent care clinics close because of an inability to find staff. So, given the employee pressure that already exist, I have difficulty seeing how more urgent care clinics will find and prepared personnel available in every state and territory.
“The RACGP remains concerned that these new clinics conquer our limited general practitioners' works from regular general practitioner clinics, where they are most needed.”
'The concept sounds great in theory, but these clinics can create confusion for the public and can disturb the care that people usually receive, from an ordinary doctor she knows.
“This means that care is fragmented because the left hand does not know what the right hand does.”
