Aged Care


Overview

The Strengthening Medicare Aged Care GP Panels Initiative aims to ensure better access to primary medical care for residents of aged care homes and to enable GPs to work with aged care facilities on quality improvement strategies for the care of all residents.

In the 2007-2008 Federal Budget, an expansion of the Panels Initiative to include allied health providers was announced. The expanded Panels Initiative will support GP’s, allied health service providers and residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in accessing primary care options and multi disciplinary care services. This expansion will allow allied health providers to participate on GP Panels and be remunerated in line with the current funding arrangements available to GP’s under the initiative.

The Australian General Practice Network (AGPN), State Based Organisations (SBO) and Divisions of General Practice have been funded to undertake the local liaison, development, and administrative support work for this initiative. Panels will continue to supplement, not replace existing MBS arrangements.

In Queensland, General Practice Queensland, the designated State Based Organisation, is engaging with and supporting the Divisions through the Aged Care Coordinators Network, targeted support visits, workshops, information and resource sharing to foster the development and implementation of Best Practice Models in conjunction with the Panels Initiative.

Objectives

The Panels Initiative has four main aims:


1. To improve access to appropriate medical and primary care for all aged care residents through:

  • The provision of  comprehensive assessment of medical needs for new and existing residents as required;
  • General practice and allied health consultations for residents of RACFs;
  • Providing medical care and primary care for residents whose usual GP or other primary care arrangements have broken down; and
  • Ensuring access to emergency or after hours care.


2. To increase participation of GPs in aged care initiatives aimed at improving quality of care, including through:

  • Sourcing and adapting quality care protocols; and
  • GP participation in quality care activities.


3. To increase participation of allied health service providers in aged care initiatives aimed at improving quality of care though:

  • Sourcing and adapting quality care protocols: and
  • Allied health service provider participation in quality care activities


4. To ensure GPs, allied health service providers and Divisions are working more effectively with RACF’s to:

  • Identify key areas of concern;
  • Implement measures to address concerns raised; and
  • Reduce barriers to GP and allied health service provider involvement aged care homes.

Program Details

Participants


The key participants in the Panels Initiative include:

  • GPs
  • Allied health service providers
  • RACF’s
  • Divisions of General Practice
  • General Practice Queensland (GPQ)
  • Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)
  • Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
  • Other participants, including Geriatricians and other health and community services providers.
Funding


The Panels Initiative is being implemented via the Divisions of General Practice network.  The Initiative comprises three separate funding streams to support the establishment of local Panels.  These include:

  1. GP remuneration stream – this includes funding for GPs undertaking Panel activities
  2. Allied health service provider stream – which includes funding for allied health service providers undertaking Panel activities.
  3. Division support stream – this includes funding for Divisions to undertake activities to support panels.
Panel Activities


All Divisions must have at least one panel in operation.  Divisions are required to work with GPs, allied health service providers and RACFs to identify relevant activities to be undertaken by Panels.  GPs and allied health service providers do not need to be a member of a Division to participate in the panel arrangements. Activities must be aimed at improving both access to medical care and quality of care for residents of aged care facilities. Divisions, in partnership with GP’s, allied health service providers and RACFs should develop approaches that fall within the scope of the Panels Imitative.


The core arrangements for Panels to cover are:

  • Addressing issues of resident access to GPs and allied health service providers, including residents without a usual GP, or residents whose usual GP arrangements have broken down;
  • Participating in aged care homes’ quality improvement activities;
  • Sourcing or adapting protocols that assist in improving medical care for residents and streamlining GP and allied health service providers activities; and  
  • Addressing barriers to primary care service provision. 

Panel Involvement
  • GPs, allied health professionals and residential aged care facilities wishing to be involved in the initiative should contact their local Division of General Practice. The Australian General Practice website contains a Divisions Directory or alternatively, the General Practice Queensland website contains a list of Divisions which may assist you to locate your local Division of General Practice.

Fact Sheets
  • The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing have developed several Fact Sheets for the Strengthening Medicare Aged Care Initiatives and these can be accessed via the Department of Health and Ageing web site at: http://www.health.gov.au

Related Inititaves


The Panels Initiative was implemented as part of a broader set of changes being introduced to strengthen and protect Medicare including a number of new Medicare items that improve access to services for residents of aged care facilities. These include Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) items, in particular the Comprehensive Medical Assessment (CMA) and Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMR).  


Enhanced Primary Care (EPC)

The EPC items are intended to provide more preventive care for older Australians and improve care coordination between GPs and other health professions, by providing care for people of any age with chronic conditions and complex care needs.  

Comprehensive Medical Assessment (CMA)

The CMA Item provides for a full systems review of a patient, which provides important information for their care planning and medication management.  


Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR)

RMMRs were introduced for permanent residents of RACFs and support GPs working in collaboration with pharmacist to review the medication management needs of residents who are likely to benefit form such a review. This includes residents for whom quality use of medicines may be an issue or who are at risk of medication misadventure because of their medical condition or medication regimen.


For further details visit the Department of Health and Ageing website at: www.health.gov.au/epc

Program Acheivements

  • Residents of aged care facilities have improved access to medical care as demonstrated by Medicare Australia data which indicates an increase in the number of Comprehensive Medical Assessments (CMAs), Resident Medication Management Reviews and usual GP attendances.
  • Panel members are participating widely on Medication Advisory Committees (MACs), medication management education and training initiatives.
  • There has been a demonstrated increase in effective partnerships and collaborative activity between Panels and residential aged care facilities.  
  • Each Queensland Division has at least one Aged Care GP Panel.
  • Overall, the Panels Initiative has enabled Divisions to take on a much broader role in the aged care sector than undertaken previously.


Resources

Aged Care Resources

Aged Care Templates

Links

Aged Care External Links

Contact Us

Julie Chatwood              
Program Manager - Aged Care
Email: jchatwood@bsdgp.com.au
Phone: 07 3274 1886