Divisions of General Practice: will they transform, or die?

Abstract

Divisions of General Practice are a significant part of Australia's health care sector. The Australian Government intends to establish "Medicare Locals" (MLs), which will assume many of the roles currently undertaken by Divisions. MLs will, on average, be larger than Divisions and are likely to have different ownership, governance and accountability arrangements. While some Divisions may find transformation into an ML an appealing and relatively straightforward option, others may wish to follow alternative paths that allow them to maintain many of their current characteristics. Evidence suggests that the move to MLs might jeopardise the level of clinical involvement attained by Divisions.