General practices throughout Gippsland have used Gippsland Primary Health Network Strengthening Medicare grants of up to $50,000 to make positive changes to their clinics.
The initiatives include installing new digital technology, building a new infection control room, environmental initiatives and improving cyber security. To date, 71 general practices have received their grants with more expected to be approved over the coming weeks.
The Australian Government committed $220 million in funding to general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to make improvements to support quality primary care as part of its Strengthening Medicare commitment.
Gippsland Primary Health Network Acting Chief Executive, Angela Jacob, said general practice was the cornerstone of the primary healthcare system as well as the most accessed care for consumers.
“We are so pleased to get positive feedback from our general practices about how they used their grants for initiatives that make a difference to patients and their staff,” Mrs Jacob said. “We know the demand for GP services keeps growing, especially as our population ages and we are pleased to be working in partnership with the government to offer these grants for practices to expand patient access and provide better, safe, quality care.”
Clocktower Medical Centre Practice Manager, Caroline Driscoll, is pictured in the Sale clinic’s new isolation room, ensuring patients with potentially contagious medical conditions are kept separate from other people while they receive medical care. The new room was built with the clinic’s Strengthening Medicare grant.
