Medicare builds up in local areas

Fifty-eight organisations and consortia have applied to become Australia’s first Medicare Locals.

Acting Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler welcomed the interest from Divisions of General Practice and other primary health care groups in establishing Australia’s first network of primary health care organisations.

“Medicare Locals will help to provide primary care services which are more responsive to the needs of local communities,” Mr Butler said.

“They will make it easier for patients to access the health services they need by identifying service gaps in local communities, helping to keep Australians well and out of hospital.”

He said the Government’s primary healthcare approach recognised the fundamental importance of GPs as being the centre of primary care.

“Medicare Locals build on the important role already delivered by Divisions of General Practice, focusing on improving local health and medical services through better coordination and integration of frontline primary health care services,” Mr Butler said.

He said the first tranche of Medicare Locals would be drawn from high performing Divisions, preferably working in partnership with other organisations.

All 58 applications in the first round involved one or more Divisions, as well as other primary health care partners.

Mr Butler said the Government looked forward to the first tranche of Medicare Locals being up and running from 1 July 2011.

He said the Government had been planning for the first tranche to comprise about 15 Medicare Locals.

Mr Butler said applications would be assessed against a number of key areas such as demonstrated ability to respond to local health needs and emerging priorities; ability to form productive relationships with key stakeholders; ability to build on a sustained track record of driving improved outcomes and system change in general practice and primary health care through effective practice support; and strong governance and operational arrangements.

The second part of the application process to establish the next round of Medicare Locals, starting in 2012, would close on 19 July 2011.