Medicare Locals will not be walk-in centres open to the public.
One of their first priorities will be to co-ordinate the expansion of after-hours access to general practitioners.
They will operate as service organisations for doctors nurses and allied health professionals.
They will be independent legal entities that would have “strong links to their local communities ([b]What is ‘local’?[/b]) health professionals service providers and consumer and patient groups.” They would “make it easier for patients and service providers to navigate the healthcare system”. They will support health professionals to provide more co-ordinated care and encourage greater integration between the primary healthcare hospital and aged-care sectors.
There are lots of unclear issues still.