Practice Nurse Incentive Program - January 2012
Medicare Australia and the Commonwealth Government have released the guidelines for the new Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP). This new incentive aims to simplify financing arrangements of the current Practice Incentive Program (PIP) practice nurse incentive and six of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) practice nurse item numbers and redirecting them into a single payment. Under the new payment structure, eligible practices will receive payments of up to:
- $12,500 per year for an enrolled nurse or Aboriginal Health Worker
- $25,000 per year for a registered nurse
- $25,000 per year for an eligible allied health professional (Only available to practices in urban areas of workforce shortage – check with Medicare)
Payments for this incentive are calculated based on a practice’s Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent (SWPE) and contracted hours of the employed nurse / Aboriginal Health Worker / eligible allied health Professional.
The program also offers top up payments to ensure practices are in no way disadvantaged by the removal of the current practice nurse incentive and six MBS item numbers and a one off $5000 incentive payment to eligible non-accredited practices to become accredited. The program will commence on the 1st January 2012 with applications for the program open from the 1st October 2011. For more information on the PNIP including program information, guidelines and to find out how much your practice may be eligible for, see the links below:
| Resources and Links to useful websites |
Downloads |
|
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| Application Form Medicare Australia Practice Nurse Incentive Program - online- electronic pdf form |
CLICK HERE (PDF) |
|
Summary of Key Information for Practices (developed by Shire GPs) |
PDF (508KB) |
|
Comprehensive information on Practice Nurse Incentive Program Medicare Australia |
CLICK HERE |
|
Program Guidelines Department of Health & Ageing |
PDF (967.5KB) |
|
Practice Nurse Incentive Program Ready Reckoner |
CLICK HERE |
Nursing in General Practice kit – December 2011
This kit was developed by Sutherland Division of General Practice to support and advance the role of the nurse in general practice.
| Nursing Support in General Practice Kit (PN utilisation resource kit) |
PDF (740KB) |
National Registration for Nurses – 1st July 2010
From 1 July 2010 practitioners of the Nursing and Midwifery professions across Australia will have to meet the same requirements to be registered and their registration will be recognised in all States and Territories. For more information visit www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au or see fact sheets below:
Practice Nurses and Immunisation
|
Practice Nurses and Immunisation Information |
PDF (659KB) |
| Immunisation Course for Registered Nurses |
CLICK HERE |
Healthy Kids Check ( Item 10986 )
The Healthy Kids Check was released on 1 July 2008. Practice Nurse Item number 10986 supports practice nurses to undertake Healthy Kids Checks. The checks are designed to ensure every four year old child in Australia has a basic health check to see if they are healthy, fit and ready to learn when they start school.
For a list of presentations and resources relating to the Healthy Kids Check CLICK HERE.
Local Referral Pathways - Community Services
At a recent practice nurse education day, local community health service providers came to meet with the nurses to inform them about services available to refer patients to. A summary of these services is documented below:
