Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

The most recent information provided was current as at end September 2011.

The Department of Health and Ageing provides workforce data from GP Super Clinics at an aggregated level rather than releasing data at the individual Clinic level.

Please note that the numbers reported by the Clinics for the workforce providing services at operational clinics are presented as full time equivalents (FTE). The number of individuals comprising this workforce is substantially greater.

(a) As at end September 2011, there were a total of 93.8 FTE general practitioners providing services at the 15 operational clinics.

(b) and (c) As at end September 2011, the 15 operational clinics reported that a total of 108.0 FTE allied health professionals and nursing staff were providing a wide range of health care services for their local communities.

(d) The number of specialists providing services at the GP Super Clinics will fluctuate from time to time as the needs of the local community fluctuate. Information on specialist medical services available at operational GP Super Clinics is available on the Department's GP Super Clinics website at:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/pacd-gpsuperclinics

Information will be available for those GP Super Clinics that have been operational for a minimum of four months. The four month timeframe allows for a period of settling in by the Clinic.

(e) Clinical practice placements for GP Registrars are of limited duration and reporting at a point in time will underreport the total number of GP Registrar placements. Of the 15 GP Super Clinics operational at the end of September 2011, seven GP Super Clinics have already provided one or more placements for GP Registrars. Additional Clinics are in the process of obtaining the requisite accreditation to host GP Registrars.

(f) Clinical practice placements for undergraduate health students are of limited duration and have varying time spans and frequency. Reporting at a point in time will underreport the total number of placements at operational GP Super Clinics.

As at end September 2011, fourteen GP Super Clinics reported that they were providing or had provided placements for multiple undergraduate medical, nursing and/or allied health students and the remaining site was anticipating supervising students in the next rotation in early 2012.

(g) The latest presentation data available is at end September 2011, at which time the operational GP Super Clinics reported over 477,000 presentations to GPs.

(h), (i), (j) and (k) Information drawn from the Implementation Progress Sheets is available on the Department's GP Super Clinic website. The information on the website includes preventive health care activities, chronic disease management services, hours of operation and other information on progress related to Program objectives at these GP Super Clinics.

Information will be available for those GP Super Clinics that have been operational for a minimum of four months. The four month timeframe allows for a period of settling in by the Clinic.

The Department's GP Super Clinics website can be found at:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/pacd-gpsuperclinics

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