Clarence Health Access
for clinicians and practices
Clarence health access
Clarence Health Access is supporting new work to improve access to primary care in Grafton, Maclean and surrounding communities.
$2.3 million is available to support practical initiatives with local practices and services. The focus is on using local capacity well, improving access for patients and supporting approaches that deliver lasting benefits for the community.
Why this matters for local clinicians
Primary care access in the Clarence Valley is under pressure. Books are closed or limited, routine waits are long, same-day access is tight, and patients are often ringing around town trying to find care.
At the same time, practices are managing workforce shortages, an ageing workforce and increasing demand. When people cannot access care early, they may delay care, travel further, or present to ED for issues that could be managed in primary care.
Clarence Health Access is one way to respond to these pressures together. It is not about creating more work for busy general practices. It is about funding practical initiatives that help patients find the right care earlier and support local services to use the capacity that already exists.
What the funding is supporting
The funding supports a mix of workforce, access, navigation and prevention activity. The work will be shaped with local practices and services, rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all model.
This includes:
- supervision and placement incentives for practices hosting, or considering hosting, GP registrars or international medical graduates
- a GP navigation and liaison service to work with practices and services on capacity, referral issues and local access pressures
- work to help patients and services use what already exists, including telehealth, 1800 Medicare, mental health supports, Care Finder and local community services
- more local same-day access, including GP, nurse-led, pharmacy and weekend clinic models where services have capacity
- specialist in-reach education and practical clinical supports such as wound care, chronic disease, falls prevention and screening, ADHD care in community
- evaluation and transition planning so the work that is effective can continue beyond the first funding period
What's happening now
GP navigation and liaison service
We have gone to market for a provider to deliver the GP navigation and liaison service. Once established, this service will work with local practices and services to understand capacity, referral issues and access pressures. It will also help connect patients with care that already exists, rather than sending people back to practices when another local option may be more appropriate.
Evaluation
Evaluation has started. This will help show what is working, what needs to change and what should continue beyond the first funding period.
Workforce, supervision and IMG support
The EOI for workforce, supervision and IMG placement support has now closed. Practices that submitted an EOI will be contacted about next steps.
Rural Urgent Care and nurse-led models
Rural Urgent Care and nurse-led models are expected to go live in Clarence in October. These models are intended to support people with urgent but non-life-threatening health needs that can be safely managed outside hospital.
For practices, this may create another option for same-day care, help reduce pressure on routine appointments, and support better local pathways for patients who do not need the emergency department.
More detail will be shared with local clinicians before these models go live, including referral pathways, eligibility, operating hours and how practices can use or connect with the service.
Frequently asked questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Healthy North Coast PHN has announced more than $2.3 Million in Australian Government funding for a program to improve access and coordination of primary health care services in the Clarence Valley, with a particular focus on Grafton, Maclean and surrounding areas.
This funding has been provided by the Australian Government through the General Practice Incentive Fund (GPIF) program to support the development and implementation of solutions to local primary care access challenges. The funding will help improve the sustainability of primary health care services and ensure people in the Clarence Valley can continue to access the care they need, close to home.
Clarence Health Access initiatives will invest in local services and partnerships, working directly with local general practices to help people access the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Community consultation identified several health-related issues facing the Clarence Valley, including an ageing population, chronic and complex conditions and Aboriginal health needs.
Challenges seeing a GP in a timely manner, transport costs due to care not being available locally, and high non-urgent emergency department presentations were also identified.
To address these issues, key areas of Clarence Health Access initiatives will include:
- Working with primary care providers to provide same-day access, walk in appointments and extended hours services
- Enabling practice-based preventive health, chronic disease and follow-up clinics
- Working with community pharmacy, nurse-led and allied health services to improve coordination and navigation between services
The project also aims to embed care closer to home, strengthen general practice management, and improve awareness about the range of services available locally.
We listened to the community. People told us they want the right care at the right time, closer to home and fewer unnecessary trips to hospital. This project strengthens existing services, with general practice playing a central role in improving local access to care.
Approximately $2.3 million has been approved to support implementation through to 30 June 2027. The funding has only recently been awarded, so HNC is moving quickly to engage practices and partners, mobilise practical activities, measure impact and inform longer-term sustainability planning.
Key areas of the program will include:
- Working with General Practice and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to support same-day access, walk in and extended hours.
- Practice-based preventive health, chronic disease and follow-up clinic enablement.
- Working with community pharmacy, nurse-led and allied health services for greater coordination and service provision.
- Liaison roles embedded or linked with GP, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, pharmacy settings and community organisations to support referrals, coordination, and system navigation.
The project aims to offer care closer to home, strengthening general practice-led management, and improve awareness about the range of services available locally.
This is a partnership between local health services and the community. We heard from the community who want the right care closer to home and to avoid unnecessary trips to hospital.
By supporting general practice, strengthening the local workforce, improving care navigation for patients and expanding proven local models of care, the initiative aims to help people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
The program will deliver a 12-month package of health care access initiatives across the Clarence Valley, centred on Grafton and Maclean and reaching surrounding communities including Yamba, Iluka and other localities where transport and access barriers are significant.
Healthy North Coast is actively engaging with the health community locally. To stay in touch with the project, please contact Alissa Reeve, areeve@hnc.org.au or 0455 671 576
Yes, we consulted extensively and this feedback helped shape the project. People told us that access to general practice is becoming harder, including challenges with same-day appointments, the types of services available locally and the need for care closer to home. This program directly responds to those local concerns.
No, the aim is to avoid duplication and support existing local health providers where care is needed most. We are supporting general practices and the local workforce with same day care initiatives, chronic disease co-ordination and other sustainable initiatives to improve patient outcomes and take pressure of emergency departments.
The aim is to improve access for patients of participating general practices. This could mean shorter wait times for appointments, better information about local services, more support to manage ongoing health conditions and stronger links across the community. Together, these changes are designed to give people who need care more timely access to their GP and other local supports.
To get involved
For questions about Clarence Health Access, or to discuss how your practice or service can be involved, contact Alissa Reeve, Senior Manager Clarence Valley Primary Care Access.
Areeve@hnc.org.au or call 0455 671 576
Updates, referral information and resources will be added here as services are confirmed.
