Nurse Practitioner and Team-Based Primary Care Pilot

The Department of Health WA and WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has implemented the placement of sixteen nurse practitioners with a primary care service across metropolitan and country locations. This has been based on an extensive expression of interest and matching process for the WA Nurse Practitioner and Team-Based Primary Care Pilot (Nurse Practitioner Pilot).

Placements began in March 2024 and were gradually rolled out as engagements were formalised. Ongoing evaluation will inform the 18-month Pilot to the end of 2025 as well as being used to inform future primary care policy.

The following practices currently have nurse practitioners placed within their team:

Practice name/location	Region
Clarkson Medicare Urgent Care Clinic	Perth Metropolitan
Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, East Perth	Perth Metropolitan
Family Garden Medical, Murdoch	Perth Metropolitan
Hollywood Medical Centre, Nedlands	Perth Metropolitan
Homeless Healthcare, Highgate	Perth Metropolitan
Lockridge Medical Centre, Kiara	Perth Metropolitan
Midland Medicare Urgent Care Clinic	Perth Metropolitan
Pramana Medical Centre, Gosnells	Perth Metropolitan
Skye Medical Armadale	Perth Metropolitan
Nidjalla Waangan Mia, Mandurah	Peel
Albany Medical Centre	Great Southern
Pioneer Health Albany	Great Southern
Quairading Medical Practice	Wheatbelt
Wongan Hills Medical Centre	Wheatbelt

Development of the Nurse Practitioner Pilot

The Nurse Practitioner Pilot has been funded for up to 20 nurse practitioners over 18 months, to work with other health practitioners at selected locations to diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions at no cost to patients, while collecting data to inform future primary care policy.

The Pilot aims to enhance the availability and accessibility of comprehensive primary care to the WA community, including supporting the delivery of care to vulnerable and underserved populations.

The Pilot model has been co-developed by the Australian and Western Australian governments and was announced by the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care in February 2023 (external site).

The Nurse Practitioner Pilot has been developed in collaboration with WAPHA (external site) and the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care (external site), in alignment with key recommendations of the:

• Commonwealth Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan, 2023 (external site)
• WA Nurse Practitioner Workforce Innovation Strategy (2023-2028)
• Commonwealth Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report, 2023 (external site)
• WA Sustainable Health Review Report (2019-2029).

General enquiries about the Nurse Practitioner Pilot can be sent to NPpilot@health.wa.gov.au.