It's election time for the RACGP NSW&ACT Faculty Council again. The Faculty Council aims to represent all our regional GPs and advocate on the issues most important to you and your general practice community. If you don’t feel that the RACGP is currently representing your needs or concerns, then please put your hand up and
consider nominating. Nominations for the upcoming vacant regional electorates close, Friday 18 August 2023. Further information regarding voting commencing will be available in due course. Please feel free to contact me if your region is not up for election this year but you’re still keen to have a say in matters relevant to your GP journey.
After months of intense lobbying and a disallowance motion on
60-day dispensing being abandoned in the senate, we’ll be able to write scripts for 60 days with five repeats for medications for chronic stable conditions from 1 September 2023. This is a victory for patients across Australia who will save valuable money on the medications they need at a time of high cost of living pressures.
Payroll tax in NSW and ACT continues to be at the forefront of all our minds and is an ongoing issue. With decisions emerging around the country in other states, such as recently securing
payroll tax amnesty for practices across South Australia, your Executive Council members continue to seek further assurances for both NSW and ACT that general practices will not be subject to audits nor retrospective payments.
Last month we saw the introduction of
MyMedicare, a new voluntary patient registration program that aims to strengthen the relationship between patients, their usual general practice, GP and primary care team. Keep an eye out for further information and updates on what this will look like going forward, as this is still a work-in-progress federally.
Due to the low vaccination rates for influenza across all ages in NSW this year, we’ve been having discussions with NSW Health about other ways to identify patients who are under-vaccinated but eligible for a free vaccination. One possible idea is to send text messages to patients out of general practices along with a media campaign. Knowing how overworked GPs are at present, we’re keen to seek ideas and approaches that would not put a further strain on GP clinics, but at the same time, achieve higher vaccination rates. We’re keen to avoid any more deaths of young people due to poor vaccination rates.
On a happier note, we’ve completed fellowship ceremonies for new Fellows across NSW and ACT for 2023. I’d like to offer my congratulations to all new Fellows for choosing to train and be recognised as specialist GPs and invite everyone to connect with the New Fellows group. This enables you to meet up with other GPs at a similar stage of career progression and establish great social networking.
It’s hard to believe we’ve nearly reached the end of August and winter already. Remember to look after your health and well-being by doing activities that bring you joy and satisfaction!
See you next month.