The current primary care after-hours system is complex, fragmented, and difficult to navigate, resulting in too many people seeking emergency care for non-emergency health needs. This report presents key findings from a comprehensive review of the system, outlines strategic themes and opportunities for reform and proposes next steps for Government.

The Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report found that Australia must improve access to after-hours primary care and reduce avoidable emergency department presentations. This review investigated the need for primary care after-hours services, the current state of after-hours service provision, and successful models of primary care after-hours service provision in order to make recommendations towards improving the system. 

Key findings

• Some of Australia’s most vulnerable consumers are overly burdened by the lack of a consistent, national approach to after-hours care.
• Incentives are insufficient, misaligned and act as a limiting factor for take up or entry by primary care services. These issues are exacerbated in rural and remote areas.
• Consumer pathways are fragmented, impacting continuity of care and with consequent safety and quality issues.
• The Australian Government spent approximately $689 million on after-hours primary care services in 2023-24. Potential reforms could be implemented by better targeting this funding.

Key opportunities for reform

• Improve value-for-money of after-hours primary care by better targeting incentives for after-hours primary care.
• Integrate after-hours primary care services by including after-hours care within a broader Urgent Care Framework.
• Improve the accessibility of after-hours primary care by improving consumer awareness of, and connectedness to, after-hours primary care services.
• Develop a roadmap to address issues affecting the delivery of after-hours primary care in non-metropolitan areas.
• Uplift and promote core quality and safety standards for consumers receiving after-hours care and the health workforce delivering that care.