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Collaborative Care Agreements

On 1 November 2010, the Commonwealth Government extended access to the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to nurse practitioners (NPs) who hold an endorsement as an NP with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, and have a Collaborative Care Agreement with an eligible medical practitioner.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has worked with key stakeholders nationally to ascertain the impact of these changes on Australian general practice, and to develop resources and a guide for general practices working with NPs in primary and ambulatory care.

The guide has been developed to answer questions health practitioners may have regarding collaborative arrangements, and how they may be structured, as well as to identify key issues that general practitioners (GPs) and NPs should take into account when entering into, or being part of, a Collaborative Care Agreement.

The Collaborative Care Agreements guide and the template for a written collaborative arrangement have been developed with three key aims:

• to offer Australian patients access to the safest, highest quality primary care
• to clearly identify roles and responsibilities, mutually agreeable processes for consultation, referral and transfer of a patient’s care, and to provide clarity between both parties before the commencement of a Collaborative Care Agreement
• to facilitate a continuum of care, and to minimise the potential litigation risk to medical practitioners, NPs and their staff.

For further information or feedback please contact the RACGP Policy and Practice Support Team on 03 8699 0596 or advocacy@racgp.org.au..

Last Modified: 16 June 2011