In a submission to the Australian National Audit Office , the AMA has called for a value-for-money assessment of Medicare urgent care clinics (UCCs).
UCCs are now an established part of Australia’s healthcare system. While the available evidence suggests they are diverting some urgent care-equivalent presentations from hospital emergency departments; our submission notes the evidence does not yet demonstrate a corresponding reduction in broader emergency department pressure, waiting times or hospital bed block.
The audit office is examining whether the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing appropriately established the UCC program and effectively developed, implemented and managed agreements with Primary Health Networks and state and territory governments. The audit office has stated that its performance audits assess the administration and implementation of government programs rather than the merits of government policy.
The AMA submission says the audit should examine whether funding decisions were transparent, needs-based and supported by clear evidence of local service gaps. Our submission also recommends assessing UCCs against a third comparator: urgent and after-hours care delivered through existing community general practice.
The submission emphasises that UCCs should complement, rather than displace, a patient’s usual general practice. It calls for stronger referral pathways, better communication between services, and measures to ensure patients are connected back to GP-led ongoing care.
We also recommended a national performance framework covering patient outcomes, workforce impacts, operating requirements, imaging and pathology capability, service integration and the full public cost of the program.
