KEY POINTS
- Coalition accuses Labor of breaking election commitment.
- Labor had aimed to create 50 urgent care clinics within a year of taking office.
- Clinics would treat non-life threatening injuries to ease pressure on hospitals.
The Coalition has accused Labor of a "disastrous broken promise" after revelations its self-imposed deadline to create urgent care clinics will blow out.
The federal Department of Health has conceded some of Labor's promised 50 clinics may not be established until late 2024, despite Finance Minister Katy Gallagher saying it planned to have them operational by May this year.
The government says negotiations with states over its federal election commitment remain ongoing, with more information to become available "in the coming months".
, which would treat serious but non-life threatening injuries, in a bid to ease pressure on a hospital system already ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anne Ruston has accused Labor of breaching faith with the public. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGE
Health Minister Mark Butler later broadened the commitment to 2023 more generally, in August saying: "They'll be up and running next year."
But responding to queries from SBS News this week, more than halfway to Senator Gallagher’s deadline, the health department conceded some clinics may not open until the second half of 2024.
"Clinics will open progressively from the first half of 2023, with the majority being established in the 2023-24 financial year," it said.
'Not so urgent'
Coalition health spokesperson Anne Ruston told SBS News the revelation proved Labor views its commitment on urgent care clinics as "not so urgent".
Senator Ruston said Labor had repeatedly reiterated its commitment to building the clinics, without being able to say where they will be located.
“This is a disastrous broken promise not only to the Australian people, but to hard-working hospital staff who believed these urgent care clinics would provide them some relief and deliver health services to the broader community,” she said.
"The Labor government continues to prove that they were willing to make headline promises to get elected. The prime minister must stand up and explain why he has broken another promise."
The department also did not reveal how many clinics have been set up since the government changed hands.
Potentially complicating the plan, Victoria and NSW in August announced an intention to establish 50 urgent care clinics of their own - 25 in each state. It remains unclear whether these will be folded into the federal government's scheme.
"Discussions are underway between state and territory governments before the urgent care clinics are established. Further information on the clinics will be available in the coming months," a spokesperson for Mr Butler said.
SBS News approached Senator Gallagher's office for comment.
What are urgent care clinics?
Labor argues hospital queues are growing partly due to the number of patients presenting with serious but non-life threatening injuries - including burns, bone breaks and wounds requiring stitches.
Under its $135 million plan, those patients would be diverted away from emergency departments to nearby urgent care centres, which would be staffed by GPs between 8am and 10pm.
The centres would be located in each state and territory, with care able to be bulk billed.
Anthony Albanese says the clinics will ease pressure on hospitals. Source: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTS
“Labor’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will mean more families will get top quality care from a nurse or a doctor without having to wait in a hospital emergency department,” he said.
“These clinics are a key part of Labor’s plan to strengthen Medicare by making it easier to see a doctor.”
