MyMedicare is designed to create and maintain a link between patients and one preferred general practice location for ongoing care, where patients can also access their preferred GP.

Bulk billing incentive payments changes from 1 November 2025 will expand the eligibility of bulk billing incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card.

On the 7 August 2025, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO declared syphilis a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS) within Australia.

This article has been updated to reflect adjustments to the confirmed locations for the new Medicare UCCs.

Bulk billing incentive payments changes from 1 November 2025 will expand the eligibility of bulk billing incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card.

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aging (the department) has released a number of updated resources to support the correct administration of RSV vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has announced changes to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) childhood pneumococcal schedule, following advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

Following a recent increase in mpox cases in Victoria, the South East Public Health Unit (SEPHU) has provided information for general practitioners, highlighting the key updates and actions.

South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN) will soon seek to commission general practice providers to establish four new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics servicing residents in and around the following Local Government Areas (LGAs) and locations: Bayside Stonnington - with a focus on the eastern area and bordering suburbs Mornington Peninsula - with a focus on Hastings Cardinia - with a focus on Pakenham  Please note: locations are subject to change. The upcoming Request for Tender (RfT) will outline the final eligible locations. This tender opportunity is part of the Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's commitment to expand UCCs across the country, opening 50 new clinics nationwide, including 12 in Victoria. SEMPHN expects to open a RfT in mid-late August 2025. Background information Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) reduce demand on hospital emergency departments by providing a primary care service for urgent conditions that do not require an emergency response. UCCs are GP-led services that increase access to primary care, providing treatment to people with conditions such as mild infections, sprains, broken bones and minor burns. They also offer pathology and imaging services. UCCs are expected to be open for 14 hours a day, 7 days a week (including public holidays), and are free for people of all ages (with or without a Medicare card). Visit health.gov.au and refer to the Medicare UCC Operational Guidance for more information. Eligibility requirements Detailed eligibility criteria will be available in the RfT documentation. Tender documentation and process SEMPHN will use eProcure as its portal for this RfT opportunity. To apply, interested providers must be registered for eProcure. Once registered, you will receive email notifications when the tender is published. Additionally, we publish a commissioning newsletter that shares tender opportunities and announcements. You can sign up to receive SEMaphore here . Communication and enquiries Once the RfT opens, interested parties will be able to submit questions via eProcure .The team is currently unable to answer any questions about this opportunity. We look forward to sharing more details about this exciting opportunity in the coming weeks and expanding these critically important services within the south east Melbourne region.