The Australian Medical Co-operative Limited (AMCL) is a member based, for profit, professional organisation owned by General Practitioners and run for the benefit of General Practitioners. The co-op was registered under the NSW Co-operatives Act (1992) in 1999, and since then has grown to around 500 members.

The AMCL’s vision statement is clear and assertive: To enhance the lifestyle and professional satisfaction of General Practitioners.

To achieve that, the organisation extends an offer to GPs promising:

• To deliver value to participating members and shareholders
• To enable General Practitioners to share in the downstream wealth created at their initiation
• To provide an undeniable political voice

AMCL provides allied health services through an ever-growing network of 15 multidisciplinary allied health centres. Coupled with providers of work conditioning and occupational rehabilitation, and a dedicated pain management service, the AMCL offers end-to-end care for all patients, whether they are compensable, private, veteran or pensioner.

Through strategic alliances with sponsors and providers, the AMCL offers fully accredited educational opportunities, including weekends away with partners, and innovative activities based on member needs. All these activities attract continuing professional development (CPD) points at the rate of five per hour.

It is through the vision of members we have joined with a range of practice support, allied health providers, diagnostic providers and lifestyle partners, to provide easy to access benefits in a wide range of areas.

According to the AMCL, a number of common interests and goals amongst GPs in Australia have emerged:

• Being part of a national GP network the sole aim of which is to look after it’s members
• Earning more without longer working hours, or working less without reduction in income
• Having health services available to them and their patients that they need, want and can afford
• Receiving in-practice, home and lifestyle support and special offers to members and their families.
• Easy access to education and CPD points
• Acquiring influence across the profession and the environment, in which it operates

The power of 500 AMCL members to date creates a vehicle to negotiate favourable conditions with a range of service partners both clinical and non-clinical. The AMCL also represents a platform, which is a true representation of the interests, thoughts and feelings of independent GPs.

AMCL membership can turn a member’s practice into a multidisciplinary health care business. The AMCL offers an end-to-end treatment process for patients from the acute phase through to chronic. GPs remain in control of the recovery process and are the driving force in their patient’s recovery.

Within an ethical and legal framework the co-op is able to legitimately distribute bonus dividends to members from profits generated by AMCL, and no extra effort is required on behalf of the GP to generate financial returns. The AMCL has returned around half a million dollars per annum to member GPs in each of the last three years, and is currently looking into property investment opportunities for members to further increase financial returns and security.

The AMCL has also simplified the clinical process, by introducing one allied health referral pad. In addition to that, the co-op has enlisted a wide range of discounted or free services to assist in the day-to-day operations of a medical practice, and a comprehensive suite of discounted lifestyle services to support doctors, their staff and families. It also offers fully accredited, and easy to access educational events, which attract maximum CPD points, on topics relevant to general practice. All members are supplied with a comprehensive reference guide of all services and contact details.

There are three main differences between the AMCL and a corporate medical centre, which represent also the reasons, why the co-op was formed.

1. Australian Medical Co-operative Limited is owned and controlled by General Practitioners for the benefit of General Practitioners. AMCL is 100% owned by its members, and each member has an equal vote. To secure a 75% voting majority for GPs, the AMCL is striving for a minimum of 80% medical practitioner membership.
2. Membership is open to all General Practitioners, whether they be in a solo practice, a medium or large practice, or working in corporate medical practices. Membership is also open to medical practitioners, who may currently be specialists, but have a particular interest in protecting the independent general practice in the health care system.
3. The AMCL’s vision, “to enhance the lifestyle and professional satisfaction of General Practitioners”, is not limited to the members of the co-operative. AMCL works to ensure that GPs can make the most out of being doctors and business people, in not only a legal but also ethical manner. It has implemented strict operational procedures, an open and transparent philosophy, and most importantly, a committee structure, which upholds ethics in all dealings of the Australian Medical Co-operative.