Legislation signals CPD changes for GPs

The Bill, set to go before the Senate in coming weeks, is likely to bring continuing professional development requirements for GPs in line with other specialties.
 
The Health Insurance Amendment (General Practitioners And Quality Assurance) Bill 2020 is intended to make it easier for practitioners to register as a specialist in general practice by streamlining the administrative process for accessing higher Medicare rebates.
 
Existing legislation requires the RACGP and ACRRM to act as ‘middlemen’ between Services Australia and GPs looking to access A1 Medicare rebates. In order to be eligible, every three years the medical organisations must confirm fellows are compliant with their Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
 
However, the new legislation would bring GPs in line with other medical specialists by compelling them to make an annual declaration to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) that they are compliant with mandatory CPD requirements.
 
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon told newsGP CPD is still required under the legislation, regardless of who ensures compliance and that the college’s chief concern is patient safety, not who has control over the process.
 
‘While the legislation would result in a change in reporting, it does not equate to a change in CPD,’ he said.
 
‘GPs are professionals and the RACGP expects the current high level of CPD compliance among members to continue regardless of the outcome of this Bill.
 
‘In my opinion, the proposed introduction of a professional performance framework will likely be more significant to CPD and GPs than this legislation.’
 
The new Bill will not disadvantage grandfathered GPs who are not fellows of the RACGP or ACRRM, but are still entitled to higher Medicare rebates. However, they will need to submit an application form and be required to subsequently report CPD compliance to AHPRA in the same way as other GP specialists.
 
Dr Nespolon said the college takes ‘enormous pride’ in the consistently high levels of CPD compliance achieved by members and will continue to support GPs to ensure this standard continues.
 
‘An administrative change to the reporting requirements will not alter the RACGP’s commitment to provide quality CPD for our members that meets their evolving and emerging needs,’ he said.  
 
‘As shown with the introduction of the new simpler CPD program, the college continues to listen to its members and advocate for them on important issues, such as the MBA-proposed changes to CPD.   
 
‘Ninety-seven percent of our members are CPD compliant and eligible for the A1 Medicare rebate, and the college will work to maintain or improve this benchmark into the future.’
 
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