GP practices to receive up to $50,000 each in funding boost

The federal government has moved to deliver grants of up to $50,000 to thousands of GP practices in its first major intervention to tackle the doctor accessibility crisis.

Health Minister Mark Butler. Picture: Getty Images

The federal government has moved to deliver grants of up to $50,000 to thousands of GP practices across the country in its first major intervention to tackle the doctor accessibility crisis.

The grants – paid from the $220m Strengthening Medicare fund – are designed to allow practices to expand patient access and improve their services.

Practices are being paid the grants in order for them to make investments in innovation, training, equipment and minor capital works in digital health, upgrading infection prevention and control procedures, and achieving accreditation on a raft of GP standards.

Smaller practices will receive $25,000-$35,000 and larger practices $50,000.

The grants, a Labor election promise, were funded in this year’s budget. General practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services that deliver general practice services and are not owned or operated by a state, territory or local government agency or body will be eligible to apply, with the grants designed to expand patient access and provide better, safe, and more accessible quality care.

The Australian Medical Association had pushed for the grants, arguing that many GP practices had to expend large amounts of funds to upgrade their environments to respond to the infection risk posed by Covid-19. Many practices also were dealing with ageing digital systems.

The grant funds can be used to enhance a practice’s digital health capability, to upgrade infection prevention and control arrangements in order to ensure infectious respiratory disease including Covid-19 and influenza patients can be safely seen face-to-face, and to maintain or achieve accreditation according to specified standards to promote quality and safety in general practice.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the grants would give general practices across the country a “much-needed boost” at a time when the primary care sector was under significant pressure.

“We understand the crucial importance of primary health care provided by GPs,” he said.

“This funding will help improve practices and make sure Australians can access safe, quality and affordable healthcare when and where they need it.”

Applications open on April 21.