ADGP was contracted by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to manage the After Hours Primary Medical Care (AHPMC) Program and to provide current, accurate and timely national, regional and local information on AHPMC services and service innovations across Australia.  The Program sought to assist Divisions of General Practice and GPs in analysing AHPMC issues and in developing innovative responses to issues raised. 

The AHPMC Program formed part of the Commonwealth After Hours Primary Medical Care Initiatives which are aimed at improving access to quality primary medical care for consumers during those out of hours periods of the day or week when their own general practitioner is not available. 

ADGP is committed to improving access to primary medical care in the after hours periods and to finding ways of supporting GPs in providing the care to their patients.  The program has identified and highlighted some of the major issues and barriers in confronting GPs and consumers in Australia to date and  provided the Department with advice on the impact of these barriers to AHPMC and what broad policy and system change should be implemented to address the issues. 

The ADGP After Hours Primary Medical Care Program has now drawn to a close. The SBO Policy Officer positions ceased mid-December 2003, and the Principal Adviser at ADGP, Elke Purnell finished in early 2004. 

For further information contact:

Liesel Wett
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Australian Divisions of General Practice
Ph   02 6228 0800
Fax 02 6228 0899