Nurses working in Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are being held back from leading care, even as the clinics struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff, according to an independent evaluation.
The second interim evaluation of Urgent Care Clinics, released by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, reveals a stark gap between nursing and medical staff in how well they are supported to work to their full potential.
Only 63% of nursing staff say they work to the top of their scope in the Clinics, compared with 80% of medical staff. The disparity extends to professional development: 77% of medical staff can access the right learning and development opportunities, against 67% of nursing staff.
“This is yet another report confirming what we know: nurses need to be funded and supported to deliver care at the top of their scope,” said ACN Chief Nursing Officer, Frances Rice.
Nurses routinely perform procedures in hospitals and other settings – such as applying back slabs for fractures, dressing wounds, administering immunisations – that they are largely prevented from performing in Urgent Care Clinics, where the same tasks default to GPs.
This again highlights the problem identified by the government’s own Scope of Practice Review, which remains unresolved.
While the GP-led model of Urgent Care Clinics dominates, eleven nurse-led Urgent Care Clinics – five in the ACT and six in remote NT – demonstrate that a different model not only works but works well.
“The Clinics are failing to capitalise on Australia’s nurse practitioner workforce,” said Ms Rice.
Nurse practitioners face structural barriers to independent practice under the current model, limiting both their contribution and peoples’ access to timely care.
Meanwhile, just 52% of nursing staff say their workload is manageable, compared with 59% of medical staff.
“The government is pressing ahead with opening 50 more Clinics by June 2026, which will only intensify shortages in the health workforce.”
“In a health system already stretched for qualified staff, it makes no sense to prevent nurses from using the full range of their skills,” Ms Rice said. “This isn’t just about professional satisfaction – it is about delivering better care to Australians.”
The report provides further evidence that the Urgent Care Clinic model is delivering real results: wait times are down, patient satisfaction is high, and the program is generating significant annual net savings for the health system.
ACN supports the program’s continued growth – but that growth must be built on a nursing workforce that is properly supported, fairly remunerated, and empowered to lead.
ACN is also calling for action on staff safety. Reports of aggression towards healthcare workers in Urgent Care Clinics cannot be overlooked.
“There must be zero tolerance for aggression and violence towards healthcare workers, in all settings,” said Ms Rice. We need systems and safeguards in place now – not after someone is hurt.”
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