The Australian Government is investing $220 million in grants, over two years from 2022-23 to 2023-24, through the Strengthening Medicare – GP Grants Program (the Program), to support general practices and eligible Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
What is the purpose of the Program?
To provide funding to general practices and eligible ACCHOs to make improvements to their practices to expand patient access and support safe, and accessible, quality primary care.
The Program was announced by the Minister for Health and Aged Care on 20 April 2023 and opened from 21 April 2023.
As part of the 2022-23 October Budget, the Australian Government announced the Strengthening Medicare – GP Grants Program. The program will support general practices to make improvements to their practices, to expand patient access and provide better, safe, accessible quality care.The grants can be used to:
Enhance digital health capability, such as IT hardware and software upgrades, to fast-track the benefits of a more connected health care system to meet future standards through digital health solutions.
Upgrade infection prevention and control arrangements to ensure patients are safe from infectious respiratory diseases, such as COVID-19 and influenza, and can be seen face-to-face.
Maintain and/or achieve accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practice to promote quality and safety in general practice.
Application:
Applications for the Strengthening Medicare – General Practice Grants Program are closed.
Key dates:
The following are important dates for the grants program:
Sunday, 30 June 2024: Deadline for practices to spend their grant funds.
If you have any questions or require further information on improvement activities supported through this grant, please direct your enquiries to gpgrants@cesphn.com.au or speak to your Practice support liaison officer. Further information about the GP Grants Program can be found here.
Immunisation Weekly Update: download Are your vaccines ready for summer? In the summer season, storms are more likely to occur, which can lead to power outages. Refer to the Cold Chain Toolkit to ensure all vaccination storage requirements are in place should an outage occur. Disposal of Zostavax®…
Immunisation Weekly Update: COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine onboarding The Australian Government has accepted the latest advice from ATAGI on the use of the new COVID-19 XBB 1.5 vaccine as part of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program. All sites currently participating in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program will be onboarded for the three…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Increase in COVID-19 infection cases link ATAGI notes a recent increase in COVID-19 cases since November 2023 across Australia and encourages all eligible people who have not yet had their recommended 2023 COVID-19 vaccine dose/s to receive them as soon as possible. A first 2023…
Immunisation Weekly Update: Vaccination coverage in RACF Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) data suggests that only 36% of people aged 70+ living in the central and eastern Sydney PHN region are immunised against Pneumococcal diseases. Immunisation providers are reminded to check AIR immunisation history statements of patients going into Residential Aged…
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) annual requirements Below is a snapshot of the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for doctors, these include annual requirements of: completion of a Professional Development Plan 50 hours CPD each year, split across a range of activities: 25 hours – reviewing performance and measuring outcomes (with five hours minimum…
CESPHN’s Annual Report 2022-23 is now live Central and Eastern Sydney PHN has released its Annual Report 2022-23. The Annual Report is a summary of the key achievements and highlights for the PHN over the financial year. It is split into Improving Care Integration, Improving Practice and Commissioning Services to…