Labor announce funding for Tasmanian Medicare urgent care clinic

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese made the announcement on the second day of his campaign in the North of Tasmania.

He said the Medicare urgent care clinics would be located across Australia in every state and territory, including Tasmania.

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Over $135 million will be invested over four years to establish and trial the clinics, with a centre expected to be located in the North.

Mr Albanese said the clinics would relieve pressure on Northern Tasmanian's beleaguered hospital emergency department, providing alternative options for people needing urgent care.

Services will include treatment for sprains and broken bones, stitches and glue for cuts, wound care, insect bites, minor ear and eye problems and minor burns.

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Mr Albanese said the clinics were part of Labor's approach to improving hospital capacity by reducing the reliance on emergency departments.

"Under Labor, families will get the bulk billed urgent medical care they need, without having to wait hours at over-burdened hospital emergency departments,'' he said.

"These clinics are a key part of Labor's plan to strengthen Medicare by making it easier to see a doctor."

Newstead Medical Centre includes an after-hours urgent care centre, with practice partner Dr Toby Gardner saying the clinic could see over 35 patients on a weekend that would otherwise have presented at the Launceston General Hospital emergency department.

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He said any investment in general practice was welcome, but raised concerns over how the 50 clinics would manage the increased workload - and in particular how they would be staffed.

"I can tell you it's really difficult to get doctors to work on weekends," he said.

"I've been working every second weekend since we opened, there's another doctor who shares a load with me, and there's a few others who help pitch in, but essentially it's really difficult to get staff, so where they get their staff from that's the question."

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Similar questions were raised when Mr Albanese announced he would ensure every aged care home in Australia was staffed by a nurse 24-hours within his first term, with the opposition leader saying the shortfall would be made up by skilled migrants.

Dr Gardner said while nurses could enter and work in Australia, it was more difficult for doctors and general practitioners.

"That would be an issue because our doctors here are all part of the Australian training program and are Australian trained or certified. I don't think we'd be able to take doctors who didn't have that sort of formal qualification," he said.

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