After Hours

Nowra GP Weekend Clinic - Inviting Applications

ISML will shortly commence a 9 month trial of a GP run Weekend Clinic in Nowra. The Nowra GP Weekend Clinic will be situated at the Specialist Rooms of the Nowra Private Hospital in Werrona Place, Nowra and will operate in the following hours:

  • Saturdays - 2pm to 5pm
  • Sundays - 9am to 12 noon
  • Sundays - 2pm to 5pm

The Clinic will be supported by an onsite receptionist with ISML providing phone intake and setting appointments prior to and during the weekend sessions. ISML will also support the continued administration of the current Nowra Alliance on-call roster.

ISML invites suitably qualified GPs to register to practice at the Nowra GP Weekend Clinic. Qualifying GPs will form a Register of Qualifying General Practitioners to staff the Clinic on a roster basis. For further information please refer to the following documents:

After Hours Accreditation Subsidies

ISML is pleased to make available 20 After Hours Program Accreditation Subsidies for the 2012-2013 finanical year to practices in:

  • Berry/Shoalhaven Heads/Kangaroo Valley;
  • Milton/Ulladulla;
  • Coledale/Helensburgh;
  • Kiama/Gerringong/Gerroa;
  • Nowra 

The subsidies will be up to $5000 (ex GST) each to sustain and/or improve current practice based after hours models of care.

Applications will open Friday 1st February and close Monday 4th March 2013.

Practices in the listed priority areas are invited to apply.

 After Hours Resources

In an effort to address some of your questions about the Medicare Locals After Hours Program the following resources are now available:

  •  An open letter to general practice that provides information about the program and what the changes will mean for general practice.
  • The Key Messages document that provides a series of standard messages for a range of key stakeholders.
  • FAQs which are also available on the Your Health website.

Overview

As one part of the National Health Reform agenda, the Commonwealth is currently revising how it resources patient access to GP after-hours services. This program consists of three main elements:

  1. Establishing the national after-hours GP helpline - commenced July 1, 2011. This is coordinated with the Health Connect nurse-led phone triaging phone service launched last year. In turn, these services will draw on the major health information repository now being developed by the government, known as the National Health Services Directory.
  2. Resourcing telehealth initiatives to supplement the GP helpline (e.g. on-line triaging, consults via videoconferencing). This is projected to begin rolling out from July 2012.
  3. Devolving responsibility for the planning and funding of local face-to-face after hours services to Medicare Locals, as a mandatory contract requirement with government.

Staged Implementation

Stage One

  • ISML has been funded initially to conduct a needs assessment for access to GP after-hours services and develop an interim plan up to June 2013 that addresses any prioritised gaps identified for our region (Stage 1).
  • The Centre for Health Service Development (CHSD) at the University of Wollongong has been engaged to conduct this assessment and assist in drafting the Stage 1 plan.

Stage Two

From July 1, 2013 –

  • The Commonwealth will discontinue PIP after-hours incentives and its capital grants program for developing after-hours services.
  • Future funding will be directed to Medicare Locals to support and administer funding for after-hours providers across each region (Stage 2).

Deliverables

The Commonwealth’s expectations are:

  • Build upon existing after-hours arrangements where it is clear that needs identified in the Stage 1 assessment are being reasonably addressed. This includes supporting local working relationships between general practices and other services providers for after-hours care.
  • Develop and appropriately resource new after-hours services where gaps are identified and prioritised in the Stage 1 plan.

Compliance

The Commonwealth’s expectations are:

  • maintaining practice accreditation, or indicating a commitment to undergo the same;
  • linking after-hours providers with the after-hours GP helpline through the National Health Services Directory;
  • coordinating services with GP Super clinics, to ensure no duplication of services;
  • adoption of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR), when available, where patients consent to do so; and cooperating with the national assessment of the Commonwealth’s after-hours initiatives, which will include ongoing monitoring of activity and performance.