Unaccredited GP practices could be allowed to administer COVID-19 vaccinations but were excluded from the initial phases of the rollout for “purely logistical” reasons, the Department of Health says.

Some 1300 GP practices without RACGP accreditation have been blocked from joining phase 1B even though GPs are expected to oversee the vaccination of six million older patients and those with chronic conditions.

The AMA has questioned the ban and one Sydney GP, Dr Mark Fitzmaurice, whose practice is unaccredited, has argued his patients are being “punished and discriminated against”.

But a senior health department official says the decision was “in no way a reflection on unaccredited practices or [that] we think of one practice being better than the other”.