The Morning Edition Our hospitals and GPs are struggling. Are Albanese’s fixes working?
Nov 5, 2025
Health reporter Angus Thomson joins the discussion on the impact of Prime Minister Albanese's $8.5 billion Medicare investment. He unpacks the purpose and challenges of urgent care clinics designed to relieve hospital pressure. Angus discusses the rise in assaults on healthcare staff amid a strained system, and shares his personal experience at a bulk-billing clinic after a surfing injury. He also addresses concerns from GPs about bulk-billing incentives and fragmented care, concluding that it remains too early to assess the effectiveness of these initiatives.
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Urgent Clinics Fill The Middle Ground
- Urgent care clinics handle semi-urgent problems that sit between GPs and hospitals, like minor fractures and stitches.
- More than 1.5 million Australians have used the new clinics, showing clear demand for this middle option.
Bulk Billing Rates Are Declining Fast
- Bulk billing rates have fallen sharply from about 89% in 2021 to just under 78% last year, increasing out-of-pocket costs for patients.
- The ABS found GP avoidance due to cost rose from 3.5% in 2022 to 8.8%, indicating growing access problems.
ED Pressure Isn’t Only From Non-Urgent Cases
- Emergency doctors say rising pressure comes from an increasing number of very sick patients, not only non-urgent cases.
- Therefore, urgent care clinics alone may not substantially improve hospital waiting times.