Survey focuses on impact of ‘major reform’ to aged care

GPs are being urged to share their views on the impact of the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) as part of an evaluation of whether the initiative is working as planned.
 
A new survey aims ‘to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the incentive in improving primary care’ for residents of aged care homes.
 
Conducted by Nous Group, a consultancy contracted by the Government to evaluate and monitor the reform until 2027, the survey is running until 19 August.
 
‘As part of the evaluation, we are keen to understand your experiences, challenges, and views on the incentive to help us gauge its impact and identify areas for improvement,’ its authors state.
 
‘Your insights will contribute to shaping the future of aged care and primary care policies in Australia.’

Dr Anthony Marinucci, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Aged Care, is encouraging GPs to take part.
 
‘GPACI represented a genuine shift in how general practice in aged care is funded,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘This evaluation is the formal mechanism for getting GPs’ on-the-ground experience in front of the people who can actually inform change into the program.
 
‘GPs working in residential aged care know precisely where the incentive works and where it creates friction: registration and MyMedicare processes, whether the service requirements match how care is really delivered, and whether payments reflect the work involved.
 
‘This practical detail is exactly what an evaluation needs, and it can’t be captured by claiming data alone.’
 
Dr Marinucci particularly urged GPs who have reduced their aged care work or stepped away altogether to respond.
 
‘Understanding why GPs aren’t engaging with the incentive is just as important as hearing from those who are,’ he said.
 
A newsGP poll run shortly before the reforms began found 54% of respondents would not provide aged care services regardless of the incentive.
 
The GPACI came into effect on 1 August 2024, replacing the previous General Practitioner Aged Care Access Incentive.
 
The Federal Government described it as ‘a major reform in aged care health delivery’, supported by a $112 million investment over four years.
 
The incentive involves payments of $300 per patient per year to GPs who meet Government criteria, with $130 per patient going to the practice annually.
 
An early evaluation in November 2024 showed high uptake, with more than 82,000 aged care residents registered under MyMedicare, and a reported $14.3 million of incentives paid.
 
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