Dear Mr Murphy

Thank you for your letter of 16 March 2011 regarding a petition seeking funding for a GP Super Clinic in Caboolture.

I note the petition was considered by the Committee on 21 February 2011 and under Standing Order 209(b), as the Minister responsible for the administration of the matter raised in the petition, I am responding within 90 days of its presentation.

In 2010-11, the Australian Government allocated $370.2 million for 28 new

GP Super Clinics, building on the Government ' s previous investment of $280.2 million to establish 36 GP Super Clinics across Australia.

It was announced on 12 August 2010, that the Australian Government would provide up to $15 million to establish a GP Super Clinic in Caboolture. A local consultation meeting was held at the Caboolture RSL on 16 March 2011, to ensure that the community and stakeholders had an opportunity to raise their issues regarding how best a GP Super Clinic could meet the needs of the local community.

At the consultation it was advised that a competitive Invitation to Apply (ITA) process for the established of a GP Super Clinic in Caboolture would be issued in approximately four weeks. The ITA was advertised in national, state and regional newspapers on 16 April 2011 and will be open for a period of six weeks. The ITA documentation, including application forms and the 2010 GP Super Clinic National Program Guide, is available for downloading at www.health.gov.au/gpsuperclinics

GP Super Clinics are a key element of the Australian Government ' s 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, visiting medical specialists, allied health professionals 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 centered model of care is attractive to many health care providers.

I would appreciate it if you could convey this information to the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Petitions.

I trust this information is of assistance.

from the Minister for Health and Ageing, Ms Roxon