South Australians will have more options for free primary health care as part of a new pilot program expanding the number of nurse practitioners working in GP clinics, also aimed to help ease pressure on hospital emergency departments.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler yesterday announced the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Pilot will fund six nurse practitioners (NPs) over the next year to diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions in the community, as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Nurse practitioners and targeted metropolitan primary care practices interested in applying only have until 21 March to do so via the Adelaide Primary Health Network’s website.

Expressions of interest will open for regional nurse practitioner placements during stage two of the pilot in the coming weeks.

The announcement forms part of a $10 million investment from the federal government to develop new ways to improve primary care in South Australia and reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments.

“For South Australia, building a greater role for nurse practitioners will mean more people can be treated in the primary care system … to keep emergency departments free for critically ill patients while ensuring all South Australians have ready access to primary health care,” said Minister Butler.

As part of this work, Adelaide PHN is partnering with the SA Health to deliver the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Pilot until June 2025. 

The pilot aims to enhance the availability and accessibility of comprehensive primary care to the metropolitan Adelaide community in areas of high need. The pilot will fund NPs to work in collaboration with other health practitioners in primary care, to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and refer patients within their approved scope of practice.   

The funding has been split between two key programs – $2.6 million towards the nurse practitioner pilot, and $7.5 million to expand the state’s Healthdirect services.

The nurse practitioner service will be free of charge for patients, giving people another avenue to receive care without needing to go to an emergency department.

“This will give South Australians more options to receive free primary health care when they need it, closer to home, said SA Premier Chris Picton.

“This program providing free nurse practitioner care in general practices will help more people get free access for their chronic and complex care needs.”

The locations for the new nurse practitioners will be decided after an Expression of Interest process and consultation, with four likely to be placed in metropolitan Adelaide and two based in key regional areas. Nurse practitioners and targeted metropolitan primary care practices are invited to lodge an EOI with the Adelaide PHN. Nurse practitioners can lodge an EOI here for locations within the Adelaide Metropolitan regions. A range of tutorials are available to help in the tender process.