The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has called for funding for South Australian patients' local practices to stay open later and on weekends to reduce the strain on hospitals and boost access to affordable care.
The proposal, originally in RACGP SA's 2025–26 pre-budget submission and backed by the SA Liberal Opposition, would see practices funded to stay open until 8.00 pm some weekdays and from 9.00 am – 1.00 pm on Sundays.
A trial of 80 general practices for two years would reduce pressure on hospitals by ensuring more patients get the care they need and meet a significant patient need at a cost of just $12 million per year to meet additional operating costs, including wages for practice team members and on-call allowances.
While South Australia's six Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) provide healthcare for some patients who might otherwise end up in hospital, they can only treat a select range of urgent health issues and are not intended or able to replace a patient's usual general practice.
RACGP SA Chair Dr Siân Goodson said practices being open for extended hours would meet an important patient need.
"After-hours options are popular because they allow people to access GP care without taking time off work," she said.
"While there's significant demand for after-hours general practice care among our patients, the funding simply isn't there to make it affordable.
"Some practices can offer this care by charging higher fees, but this limits who can access it. Patients shouldn't be put into the position of having to choose between missing a shift and missing out on healthcare.
"It's a low-cost, straightforward solution that would not just make it easier for patients to see their GP but reduce the strain on our hospitals by ensuring that fewer of our patients miss out on care."
The 2020 Australia's Health Panel survey conducted by the Consumers Health Forum of Australia found 67% of respondents had accessed after-hours primary care at least once in the previous five years.
But where patients see the same GP and can access the preventive care they need from their GP, they are significantly less likely to need hospitalisation and live longer and healthier lives.
Dr Goodson said improving access to preventive care is essential to reducing stress on South Australia's hospitals.
"When people cannot access preventive care with their GP, they get sicker and too often end up in hospital," she said.
"Studies consistently show patients who see the same GP are healthier and live longer, and that receiving preventive care reduces preventable hospitalisations. For patients who are time-poor or unable to take time off work, this would deliver enormous benefits.
"There's no substitute for the care a GP who knows you and your history."
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