Overview Aged Care GP Panels Initiative

Medicare services that are applicable for use in aged care facilities.

Aged Care GP Panels Initiative

The Department of Health & Ageing has provided funding for divisions to work with Aged Care Homes as part of this initiative and introduced a comprehensive medical assessment item (CMA) to the Medical Benefits Schedule for GPs to use in Aged Care Homes. The expected outcomes for the Aged Care GP Panels Initiative are as follows:

  • Residents of aged care homes have improved access to primary medical care
  • General practitioners have increased involvement in aged care homes' quality initiatives
  • Effective partnerships and collaboration is established and maintained between GPs, Divisions and aged care homes

Key components of the new aged care initiatives are:

  • Payment for divisions of general practice to support a panel of GPs who will work with Aged Care Homes on improving medical care for residents
  • Support for general practitioners to participate in aged care panels
  • Comprehensive Medical Assessment (CMA) Medicare item number for new and existing patients

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Resources:

Information about the Aged Care Panels Initiative is available for divisions and for Aged Care Homes from the Department's web page.
Click here to take you to the website.

Australian Divisions of General Practice
The Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) is the national body supporting divisions of general practice and state based organisations.  Debbie Bampton is the Principal Advisor - Aged Care dbampton@agpn.com.au.

AGPN is working closely with the Department of Health and Ageing and key stakeholders in the development and coordination of these initiatives at a national level. Visit the AGPN Aged Care webpages for a national overview.

General Practice/ Residential Aged Care Interface Sub-committee Report 2003
The Victorian Advisory Committee on General Practice (VACGP) established the GP Residential Aged Care Interface Sub-committee in August 2002. The Sub-committee developed a three-stage plan of information gathering, analysis and promotion of good practice. Four areas were chosen as priorities for the Sub-committee:

  • GP Access / Services
  • Medication Management
  • IMIT and
  • promotion of the uptake of the EPC items.

Report  (664KB)

For further information please contact Lee Stamford l.stamford@gpdv.com.au or (03) 9341 5200.