The ACT government is being urged to abandon plans to double the number of its controversial nurse-led walk-in clinics, where a patient presentation has been costing around $155 each.

It comes after territory’s Chief Minister Andrew Barr pledged five more clinics run by nurse practitioners would be rolled out from next year if his government is returned to power in the October election.

He said the clinics will focus on prevention, early interventions and co-ordinate care for people with chronic illness, with nurse-led multi-disciplinary teams working with local GPs to help keep “patients out of hospital”.

However, the value of the existing clinics where nurses manage minor limb fractures, order X-rays for injuries and diagnose and prescribe for issues like female UTIs, sinusitis and tonsillitis, has been questioned for some time.