What is GPAC-N?

GPAC-N

GPAC-N (General Practice Aged Care Network) is a national mobile GP network transforming how healthcare is delivered in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs). It empowers General Practitioners to operate as independent micro-practices while being fully supported by a central service organisation that manages billing, compliance, admin, IT, and clinical governance.

Our innovative model restores GP autonomy, improves aged care outcomes, and enables sustainable, patient-focused care.

A healthcare professional, wearing a stethoscope around his neck, holding a smartphone and gesturing with his left hand in a conversation in a clinical setting.

Our values

1. Empowerment

We champion GP autonomy and capability.
GPAC-N exists to give doctors the tools, freedom, and support to deliver exceptional aged care on their own terms. We believe empowered clinicians provide the best care.

2. Respect

We honour the dignity of patients, practitioners, and partners.
We treat every individual—whether a resident, GP, nurse, or RACF staff member—with compassion, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity.

3. Trust

We build confidence through transparency and reliability.
Our model is built on clear communication, clinical accountability, and mutual trust between GPs, facilities, families, and our support team.

4. Resolute

We are unwavering in our commitment to better aged care.
We confront challenges with clarity and persistence, continually striving to improve the systems that support vulnerable people and the GPs who care for them.

Our Why

Two hands, one of an elderly person and one of a younger person, holding each other in a supportive gesture.

Deep within every culture, across race, creed, and faith, is a shared truth: we are called to honour our elders. It is more than tradition. It is a marker of a civilised, compassionate society. Yet in modern healthcare systems, particularly aged care, this sacred duty has often been lost to bureaucracy, burnout, and disconnection.

GPAC-N exists to reclaim that call.
We believe aged care deserves better, and so do the doctors who serve within it. That is why we are building something different. A national network that empowers GPs to care for older Australians with time, dignity, and clinical freedom.

By supporting independent GPs through a fully backed mobile model, we are restoring autonomy to clinicians and humanity to care. We are ensuring our elders are seen, respected, and nurtured in their later years.

Because honouring our elders is not optional. It is essential.

How We’re Different

  • We support GP and Practices by providing a comprehensive support infrastructure, team and resources so they can operate with full autonomy in supporting their patients.

  • You retain up to 100% of your MBS/DVA billings. Under an engagement with full billing retention, we capture funding through incentive payments that come from your work in aged care. This covers our costs in supporting you.

  • We are a network that supports you wherever you are, we coordinate support staff, nurses and allied health to work with you. While we support you like a practice with compliance and billing allowing you to focus on patients, not paperwork.

  • Work within a team-based care model with nurses, allied health, and other GPs for support, ensuring structured handling of your GPACI requirements and chronic care plans.

With changing technology, shifting workforce expectations, and an ageing population, the traditional model of general practice no longer meets the needs of today’s society, or today’s GPs.

At GPAC-N, we embrace a new way of working that values flexibility, autonomy, and meaningful connection. Our mobile, supported model allows GPs to step outside the four walls of a clinic and deliver high-quality care where it’s needed most, without the burden of running a practice alone. It’s time to rethink how and where we work.

Meet the Founders

A smiling man with a beard and brown hair, wearing a brown blazer and black shirt, standing in a modern office with glass walls.

Matt Mercer

MBA, MPM, BSocSci, CPM

Matt is a Certified Practice Manager with experience in general practice, business and management. He is the director of Silky Oaks Medical Practice and has been involved in a range of other practices, including Allied Health and a GPRC. Before his time in primary care, Matt worked in international development and community services. He is also the founder of MyDocPay, a healthcare fintech improving patient access and funding. Matt serves as an AGPAL co-surveyor. And he has advised on national primary care reform advisory groups and currently serves on AAPM’s Digital Health Community of Practice Working Group, bringing a practical, systems-focused approach to sustainable practice management.

Headshot of a smiling man with short dark hair and a dark suit

Dr Ash is a compassionate and globally trained GP with a strong focus on aged care, rehabilitation, and musculoskeletal health. Originally trained as an orthopaedic surgeon in India, Singapore, and the UK, he later transitioned into general practice and moved to Australia in 2016. Since then, he has become a Fellow of the RACGP and now cares for residents across 13 aged care facilities. Dr Kirpalani combines his surgical and geriatric expertise with a warm, patient-centred approach. He is also active in research and teaching and enjoys travel and building meaningful connections with patients and families.

Dr Ash Kirpalani

FRACGP, MRCGP(UK), MS Ortho, MBBS

 FAQs

  • GPAC-N (GP Aged Care Network) is a new model of general practice designed to support GPs who want to work independently in aged care settings, without being tied to a traditional clinic. It offers practice-level infrastructure, administration, Medicare claiming, and clinical governance so you can operate a solo mobile RACF practice with autonomy while receiving the same support you'd expect from a full-service practice. If you are a practice we also offer our support to GPs empowering them in their RACF consulting work. Think of GPAC-N as your practice team, tailored specifically to the needs of aged care GPs.

  • GPAC-N is growing and aims to be national in scope, we are actively operating in areas including Brisbane South and expanding to other regions across Australia. The network connects GPs with residential aged care facilities (RACFs) that need regular visiting doctors. Whether you're in a metro, regional, or remote area, GPAC-N can support your mobile practice setup, systems, and partnerships with local RACFs.

  • GPAC-N provides comprehensive practice management and clinical support, allowing you to focus on patient care. Key support features include:

    ✅ Virtual & In-Person Practice Like Supports

    • Day-to-day admin (e.g., bookings, document handling)

    • Medicare compliance, billing, and rejection management

    • Leave coverage coordination

    • Assistance with RACGP or QPA accreditation

    • Ongoing logistical and IT support

    💸 Full MBS Claiming Assistance

    • Support with item selection and batching to Medicare/DVA

    • Correction of rejections and compliance reviews

    • Chronic disease planning and aged care item optimisation

    • GPACI and MyMedicare integration with tracking alerts

    📅 Continuity & Leave Cover

    • We coordinate locum or cross-cover while you’re on leave, so your RACF residents always have GP access.

    💉 Vaccine Management

    • Ordering, cold chain monitoring, and compliance with Strive for Five

    • Nurse immunisers supplied directly to RACFs

    📋 Accreditation & Quality Support

    • Pre-audit checks, policy templates, and QI frameworks

    • Accreditation project management (led by Matt Mercer, AGPAL co-surveyor)

    💻 Digital Infrastructure

    • Paperless systems: secure cloud backup, eFax, encrypted comms

    • Best Practice/Medical Director setup support for home or mobile use

    • Custom-built RACF patient management software in development

    🧾 MyMedicare Support

    • Scripts and workflows to gain NOK consent

    • Alerts to track eligibility criteria (2 visits/quarter, 2 care plans/year)

    • Admin team handles the MyMedicare legwork

    ⚰️ End-of-Life Coordination

    • Death certificate completion support when you’re away

    • Coordination with RACFs and family contacts

    🏡 GP–RACF Matchmaking

    • We connect you with RACFs seeking visiting GPs

    • Assist with onboarding and peer support

    🤝 Community & Collaboration

    • Invitations to CPD events and RACF-specific GP forums

    • RACF updates, peer sharing, and case discussions

  • You operate as an independent RACF GP, either full-time or part-time, visiting one or more aged care facilities. You don’t need a physical clinic. Some GPs work fully mobile; others set up a home office. GPAC-N helps configure your ideal setup with software, billing, registration, and secure communications all handled. You focus on patient care—we take care of the rest.

  • Item descriptionJoining GPAC-N is straightforward. Here's how:

    1. Register Interest
      Visit www.gpac.network/join-us and use the contact or "Join Us" form to express your interest.

    2. Introductory Call
      We’ll schedule a call to explore your goals and determine the best setup for your RACF practice.

    3. Credentialing & Onboarding
      Our team handles credential checks, Medicare registrations, and system setup. You’ll also receive training in clinical systems and documentation workflows.

    4. Facility Matching & Start Practicing
      You’ll be matched with aged care homes needing GP support. We can even link you in with GP mentors as part of your onboarding if you are new to Aged Care GP work. Once orientation is complete, you begin seeing patients, with full support from our virtual practice team.

  • We offer a number of engagement type some let you retain 100% of your Medicare/DVA billings. In these cases, GPAC-N’s support services are funded through existing incentive streams, so there’s no billing split or out-of-pocket service fee for you. This model is designed to be sustainable, transparent, and GP-focused. 

  • GPAC-N suits:

    • GPs looking for more flexibility and autonomy

    • GPs passionate about aged care, chronic disease, or palliative care

    • GPs seeking to reduce admin and overheads

    • Doctors wanting to scale down in-clinic work for better work life balance.

    • GPs in rural/regional areas needing support for RACF work

    • GPs with an interest in continuity of care and team-based models

  • Absolutely. GPAC-N is building a collaborative peer network. You’ll have access to:

    • Peer forums and CPD events

    • Support from experienced GPs in aged care

    • Clinical advice pathways and escalation options

    • Governance and performance review frameworks