22 February 2019


Your specialist in life – Practice resources

RACGP members are invited to download support materials from the RACGP’s ongoing community awareness campaign and join us in highlighting the value of general practice and the importance of education and learning gained through membership and association with the RACGP.

Campaign materials available to RACGP members include posters, social media cover images, website tiles and downloadable, captioned videos to play in your practice.

The materials include:

  • practice posters – for your waiting area
  • social media cover images – for your personal and professional Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts
  • digital adverts – for your practice website
  • the RACGP Oath of Fellowship – to frame and display in your consultation room 
  • an RACGP Fellow and RACGP member logo – to include on your practice website, personal stationery or business cards.

 Visit the RACGP website to download supporting materials.


Everyone has the right to a healthy future – Close the Gap Day 2019

For over 10 years, many thousands of Australians have shown their support for Close the Gap by marking National Close the Gap Day each March.

This year, National Close the Gap Day is on Thursday 21 March 2019.

Close the Gap Day is an opportunity to send our governments a clear message that Australians value health equality as a fundamental right for all.

Support for the Close the Gap Campaign is partially measured through the number of events held throughout the week. On National Close the Gap Day, we encourage you to host an activity in your practice, workplace or community.

Visit the Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) website to register your event and for further information and resources.


Changes to rebates for services provided in residential aged care facilities, 1 March 2019

In the 2018–19 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), the Federal Government announced it would provide $98 million over four years from 2018–19 towards Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates for services provided by GPs attending a residential aged care facility (RACF). 

Currently, Medicare rebates for services provided in RACFs are calculated based on the number of patients the GP sees. This rebate structure, calculated by dividing an integrated call-out fee by the number of patients seen, results in patients receiving differing rebates. The RACGP has been advocating for changes to this structure, identifying it as a barrier for GPs supporting their patients in RACFs.

From 1 March 2019, the structure of these items will change, and items 20, 35, 43 and 51 will be deleted. These items will be replaced with new attendance items (90020, 90035, 90043, 90051), which will have a stable rebate value like attendances in consulting rooms.
A $55 Medicare flag-fall payment (90001) will be introduced to cover travel time and costs for GPs attending RACFs.

Further information on the new GP items and their descriptors is available on the RACGP website and the Department of Health website.

The RACGP is currently undertaking further analysis of the changes to assess the impact on GPs providing care to RACF patients.


Active learning module submissions for GP19 closing soon

GP19 provides an opportunity to deliver your active learning module (ALM) to a highly engaged audience, sharing knowledge with the professionals at the frontline of Australian healthcare.

ALM workshops are well-attended activities at the RACGP’s annual conference program.

If you have an ALM designed for GPs, then why not present at GP19, the largest event for GPs in Australia.

Submissions close Sunday 24 February 2019 11.59 pm (AEST).

Visit the GP19 conference website for more information on the submission process.


Community-acquired pneumonia and HIV infection

The Coroners Court of Victoria has provided considerations to the RACGP following the death of a patient from systemic cryptococcosis and a compromised immune system.

The Coroner would like to remind treating clinicians that community-acquired pneumonia is the most common presenting illness for HIV infection. HIV risk factors should be routinely asked about (or actively considered) in patients presenting with community-acquired pneumonia. 

Visit the RACGP website to for clinical resources relating to sexual health.


Seasonal influenza vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

Seasonal influenza vaccines will now be available at no cost through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents.

 

Children ages six months to 14 years of age will be eligible to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine.

 

The announcement follows a recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and contributes to the Government’s Close the Gap agenda.

 

Visit the NIP website for further information on immunisations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

 

Media enquiries

Journalists and media outlets seeking comment and information from the RACGP should contact:

John Ronan

Senior Media Advisor