About the GP Super Clinics Programme

GP Super Clinics are a key element in building a stronger national

primary health care system.
Page last updated: 28 November 2013

Introduction
Use of the GP Super Clinics Programme funding
Program objectives
Service delivery model
Primary Health Care Infrastructure Grants (Tasmania)
Primary Care Infrastructure Grants
Introduction
Australia needs a health care system that keeps people well, not just
one that looks after them when they are sick. This requires a primary
health care system that is efficient, lowers rates of avoidable hospital
admissions, reduces health inequalities and improves health
outcomes.

Around $650 million has been committed to:

build more than 60 GP Super Clinics around Australia and
for Primary Care Infrastructure Grants to upgrade and extend around
425 existing general practices, primary care and community health
services, and Aboriginal Medical Services.
GP Super Clinics are a key element of the strategy to build a stronger
primary health care system, including a greater focus on
management of chronic disease, health promotion and illness
prevention and better coordination between privately provided GP
services, community health and other state or territory government
services.
It is intended that each GP Super Clinic will bring together general
practitioners, practice nurses, allied health professionals, visiting
medical specialists and other health care providers to deliver primary
health care services aimed at addressing the health care needs and
priorities of their local communities. This multi-disciplinary, patient
centred model of care is attractive to many health care providers as
well as patients.

Use of GP Super Clinics Programme funding

The primary, and in many cases, sole use of the programme funding
is for capital infrastructure that provides an environment where the
operators of the GP Super Clinics are then required to provide
services to meet the ten objectives of the programme for a 20 year
period. The GP Super Clinics Programme does not fund the ongoing
service provision and the Australian Government does not own or
operate the GP Super Clinics.
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Program objectives

While there is not a prescriptive model for GP Super Clinics, there are
a number of core characteristics which the Commonwealth expects
each funded clinic to demonstrate:
GP Super Clinics will provide their patients with well integrated
multidisciplinary patient centred care.
GP Super Clinics will be responsive to local community needs and
priorities, including the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples and older Australians in Residential Aged Care
Facilities and community based settings.
GP Super Clinics will provide accessible, culturally appropriate
and affordable care to their patients.
GP Super Clinics will provide support for preventive care.
GP Super Clinics will demonstrate efficient and effective use of
Information Technology.
GP Super Clinics will provide a working environment and
conditions which attract and retain their workforce.
GP Super Clinics will be centres of high quality best practice care.
Post establishment, GP Super Clinics will operate with viable,
sustainable and efficient business models.
GP Super Clinics will support the future primary care workforce.
GP Super Clinics will integrate with local programs and initiatives.
More information on the program objectives is available through the
GP Super Clinics National Program Guide 2010.
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Service delivery model

There is no one model for GP Super Clinics. The potential range of

services and potential target populations for GP Super Clinics will be
determined in line with local community health care needs and
priorities to complement and enhance the range of existing health
services.

Within a GP Super Clinic a range of services will potentially be

delivered by multiple service providers and be facilitated through
agreed shared clinical service arrangements and through physical colocation. The types of health care services provided through a GP
Super Clinic could include, but are not limited to:
General practice (with practising GPs an essential element of each
GP Super Clinic)
Facilities for regular services provided by allied health professionals,
such as physiotherapists, dietitians, podiatrists, occupational
therapists, and specialist care for seniors
Psychology services and relevant mental health support programs,
including drug and alcohol counselling
Consulting rooms for visiting medical specialists
Facilities for practice nurses to provide comprehensive primary health
care (as part of a multidisciplinary team), including early identification
and intervention activities for chronic disease, risk modification
counselling, self-management support, care planning and
coordination
Facilities for running regular chronic disease management programs
and community education (e.g. weight management and smoking
cessation programs)
The provision of dental services both public and private
Linkages with key components of the local health system such as
hospitals, community health services, other allied and primary health
care services, health interpreting services, telephone triage services
(such as the National Call Centre Network or similar) and other
established telephone help lines (such as telephone counselling
services)
Community health services funded by state and territory governments
Co-located diagnostic services, provided that these are consistent
with relevant pathology and diagnostic imaging legislation. Co-

location of diagnostic imaging services may require consideration of

specific building standards and
A health resource library for patient education.Top of page
All of the GP Super Clinics announced as 2010-11 commitments will
offer hours of opening that extend beyond 8am-6pm weekdays and
9am-12 noon Saturdays.
Ideally, patients of GP Super Clinics will have ready access to
pharmacy services.
Services within a GP Super Clinic may be delivered by a range of
providers, including Commonwealth, state, territory or local
governments, private sector or non-profit organisations.
There is also the possibility that a GP Super Clinic could provide
outreach primary health care services to other primary care facilities
to further strengthen local general practice and the broader local
primary health care infrastructure. Alternatively, the GP Super Clinic
could provide facilities or services, which could be accessed by
existing health service providers in the surrounding area.
These "outreach" and "inreach" services could be provided as part of
a single clinic arrangement, or as part of a broader arrangement
which could be described as a "hub and spoke" arrangement.
More information is available through the GP Super Clinics National
Program Guide 2010.
Primary Health Care Infrastructure Grants (Tasmania)
In December 2011 funding was announced for one-off Primary Health
Care Infrastructure Grants up to $2 million (GST exclusive) for Sorell
and Brighton and the surrounding region.
The Primary Health Care Infrastructure Grants aim to develop or
enhance primary health care facilities which respond to local health
care needs and priorities, improve access to integrated,
multidisciplinary primary health care services and increase education
and training placements in multidisciplinary care settings for the
future primary care workforce.
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Primary Care Infrastructure Grants

The Primary Care Infrastructure Grants are for individuals and

organisations to expand or upgrade space for GPs, nurses and/or
allied health professionals; strengthen team based care services;
extend hours; extend or establish clinical training facilities and
provide integrated GP and primary health care.
Approximately $117 million was committed for up to 425 general
practices, primary health care and community health services and
Aboriginal Medical Services across Australia under two funding
rounds of Primary Care Infrastructure Grants in 2010-11 and 201112.
More information is available through the Primary Care Infrastructure
Grants web page.
Page last reviewed: 19 August 2014
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/pacdgpsuperclinic-about#intro