AMA submission to the Australian National Audit Office performance audit of the Award of Funding for Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

The AMA has called for greater transparency, accountability and a value-for-money assessment of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in its submission to the Australian National Audit Office. 

The submission argued Medicare Urgent Care Clinics should be assessed on how effectively they improve patient access, reduce pressure on hospitals and integrate with community general practice. The AMA submission emphasised that Medicare 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. 

It also recommended stronger reporting around transparent commissioning processes, a robust comparative assessment against urgent and after-hours care delivered through existing general practices and for clear standards for access to imaging and pathology services.