October 2019

Join RACGP Rural in Adelaide next Friday 25 October 2019 from 4.00 – 5.30pm at its annual Member Meeting, featuring special guest Professor Paul Worley, National Rural Health Commissioner. Professor Worley will provide an update on the National Rural Generalist Pathway and the Government’s upcoming rural and remote health priorities. This event is free of charge to members and all RACGP members are welcome to attend. This meeting will also provide an overview of RACGP Rural’s key achievements over the past 12 months, recognise the annual RACGP Rura...

Recently there have been several moves to expand prescribing to non-medical professionals, including: the Pharmacy Board’s proposed models for pharmacist prescribing the trial in Queensland which would permit pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections and the contraceptive pill. Prescribing of medicines is not a role to be taken lightly. Some medications can pose a significant risk to patients and the wider community. This issue is an advocacy priority for the RACGP, and we continue to have ongoing discussions with policy ...

A number of changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) affecting GPs will be introduced on 1 November. The changes include: increasing the rebate percentage for heart health assessment items from 85% to 100% of the fee, bringing these items in line with other health assessment items the introduction of four new items for time-based telehealth consultations for eligible patients in rural and remote areas the introduction of a new suite of 64 items, including 11 items that can be claimed by GPs, to support patients with anorexia nervosa ...

The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) would like to invite all GPs to view the newly added Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section on their website : FAQs – Mental health education and training FAQs – Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) item numbers used for the provision of primary mental healthcare. Contact the GPMHSC Secretariat on 03 8699 0556 or email gpmhsc@racgp.org.au For additional information on the GPMHSC.

Referrals for Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) clients to allied health services are valid for up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first, from 1 October 2019. The new ‘treatment cycle’ has been introduced to promote quality clinical care for veterans so they have the best possible prospects for living a healthy life. The treatment cycle places the client at the centre of care and the GP as the care coordinator. It provides a framework for better coordination and communication between GPs, allied health providers and clients. These arra...

Applications for $40,000 of Commonwealth funding are now open to eligible rural GPs via the General Practitioner Procedural Training Support Program (GPPTSP). GPPTSP is a workforce support program designed to improve access to obstetric and anaesthetic services for women living in rural and remote communities by supporting rural GPs to attain procedural skills in obstetrics and anaesthetics. GPPTSP provides funding to complete Advanced Rural Skills in Anaesthesia or an Advanced Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician...

It is essential that GPs are able to access and use other primary mental health care services, if the needs of all Australians are to be met. This includes the appropriate use of Primary Health Network (PHN) stepped-care services, and ensuring that consumers and carers are able to access resources that will assist in recovery for individuals experiencing mental health issues. Working with the Stepped Care Model: Mental health services through general practice provides information on the stepped-care model and helps explain its implementation wit...

A reminder that the RACGP is currently seeking feedback from members on their experiences of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to help inform our submission to the review of the NDIS Act and the new Participant Service Guarantee. The review has been commissioned in a bid to cut red tape and reduce wait times for people seeking access to the NDIS. The Government has promised to develop and legislate an NDIS Participant Service Guarantee, which will outline timeframes for key steps in the NDIS process. A discussion paper outlining key...