A nudge letter is on the way to GPs who frequently use urgent after-hours items, as part of a new Department of Health and Aged Care crackdown on inappropriate and fraudulent claims. 

While the department has refused to disclose how many GPs will be targeted, it says the letter will be sent to a “small portion” of the 5000 GPs who provide urgent after-hours care during unsociable hours

“The vast majority of GPs who will receive a letter are located in metropolitan areas, with a handful located in regional or rural locations,” a spokesperson said, stressing that the focus will be on those with relatively high claims.

The doctors targeted will be asked to self-assess past claims for items 585, 588, 591, 599 and 600 and identify those where they did not fulfil all of the criteria.