News
In Practice: Calls for business viability representatives
The RACGP is seeking members to help inform the development of its general practice business and financial viability work.
The RACGP’s new business viability working group is a sub-committee to the RACGP Expert Committee – Funding and Health System Reform.
This week’s In Practice also includes new details on the incoming General Practice in Aged Care Incentive, updates to WorkCover rules for Victorian GPs, and family violence and abuse training for GPs.
Business Viability Working Group nominations
Members are being asked to nominate for the new RACGP Working Group – Business Viability (RWG–BV), which provides expert advice informing the development of college resources and/or educational materials on general practice business and financial viability.
The group also supports RACGP advocacy and policy activities related to funding for general practice services by contributing to college position statements, submissions, guidelines, resources, and tools aimed at supporting the profession.
Reporting to the RACGP Expert Committee – Funding and Health System Reform (REC–FHSR), the new working group is an advisory group, with REC–FHSR having oversight of RWG–BV activity and decisions.
RACGP Fellows who are financial members as of 1 July 2023 are eligible to apply. Email healthreform@racgp.org.au for an Expressions of Interest form.
Nominations close at 5.00 pm (AEST), Monday 24 June, with successful nominees announced in July 2024.
Program update: General Practice in Aged Care Inventive
The Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) has released additional information on the incoming General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI). On 1 August the GPACI will replace the existing General Practitioner Aged Care Access Incentive (ACAI).
The ACAI will cease on 31 July, and final payments for this program will be made in August 2024 for the May–July period as per existing payment and qualifying arrangements.
GPs have three payment quarters from the date the ACAI ceases, to finalise outstanding payments. After this time, any outstanding payments are forfeited and will not be paid.
Practices and providers will be able to begin registering themselves and their patients for the GPACI and delivering eligible services from 1 July, as the first incentive assessment period is from July to September 2024.
The DoHAC has advised that practices and providers currently participating in the ACAI may be eligible to receive payments under both the ACAI and the GAPCI for services delivered while both programs are active if they meet the specific eligibility and servicing requirements of both programs.
More information on the GPACI is available on the new webpage and factsheet.
WorkCover changes for Victoria GPs and patients
Changes to Victoria’s WorkCover scheme came into effect on 31 March, impacting how GPs and other medical professionals are required to review and assess patient eligibility for WorkCover.
The changes aim to deliver a modern and sustainable scheme to address the increasing volume of workplace injuries across Victoria and workers staying in the system for longer.
Key changes to the scheme relevant to medical practitioners relate to mental injuries, and include:
- mental injury redefined
- amended eligibility criteria for mental injuries
- focus on employment contribution for compensation in mental injury claims
- exclusion for stress and burnout.
These changes will only apply to new mental injuries that occurred on, or after 31 March 2024.
New requirements for continued weekly payments after 130 weeks are also in place. Workers must have a whole-person impairment of 21% or more, in addition to the existing work capacity test.
This requirement only applies to claims that reached 130 weeks on, or after 31 March 2024
Full details on changes made to Victoria’s WorkCover scheme are
available online.
Addressing abuse of children and elders in general practice
The Safer Families Centre offers a suite of e-learning modules to help GPs and primary care nurses build the necessary confidence and practical skills to identify when abuse is occurring, as well as respond to help patients get the care and support they need, regardless of the issue they may be presenting with.
Children and older people are two of the most
vulnerable population groups when it comes to abuse and neglect, yet these two module topics are notably the least accessed by clinical staff.
All GPs are encouraged to enrol in the free modules, which are designed to strengthen confidence in responding safely and appropriately to children and their families, and determine when reporting is mandated. GPs can also enhance skills in responding to risk factors and warning signs of abuse that children and older patients might be presenting with.
More information is available on the
Safer Families Centre website.
Supporting practitioners in domestic family and sexual violence work
Webinar: Tuesday 18 June, 12.30 – 1.15 pm (AEST)
CPD: 1 EA hour
Family abuse and violence is common and survivors present frequently to GPs with health conditions that result from their trauma. GPs need to be equipped to respond to survivors in their clinics, and those who work with survivors
may be at increased risk of burnout and vicarious trauma.
Presented by Dr Jennifer Neil, GP and educator with the University of Melbourne and Monash University, and in partnership with the Safer Families Centre, this webinar will discuss how to appropriately respond to survivors in primary care and how to avoid burnout and vicarious trauma when working with survivors.
Learning outcomes include:
- appropriately responding to survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence in primary care
- applying trauma and violence-informed care for survivors
- describing the role of referral pathways in supporting both survivors and clinicians
- explaining the pathways of support to avoid burnout and vicarious trauma when working with survivors.
Register online.
Seeking input from rural and remote GPs on lung cancer screening
Starting in July next year, the
National Cancer Screening Register is expanding to include the
National Lung Cancer Screening Program, with the input of rural and remote GPs expected to be critical to its success.
Telstra Health is supporting the Department of Health and Aged Care by engaging rural and remote GPs to ensure the register meets the diverse needs of participants and providers.
Over the next 12 months, it will conduct several conversations with potential users. Each session will run for a maximum of one hour, scheduled at participants’ convenience, either in person or via video call. A compensation for time of $180 (+GST) per session will be provided.
Contact
julian.ludekens@health.telstra.com for further information or to register an interest to participate.
Log in below to join the conversation.
aged care incentive business of general practice business viability family abuse and violence In Practice lung cancer screening WorkCover Victoria
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