e-news 07 May 2010
Welcome to NWQPHC's electronic newsletter! Each Friday we will email a link to the latest news and updates. If you would prefer your update to be faxed, please contact your local Practice Support Officer
- Let’s get to work on men’s health in 2010: free support resources available
Did you know that hosting a men’s health event is a great way to engage your community or organisation and to raise awareness (more) - Funding ceases for Medication Management Review (MMR) Facilitator Program 30th June 2010
NWQPHC received notification this week via AGPN that the MMR Facilitator Program will cease as at 30th June 2010 (more) - MBS Review item 10992 (after hours)
AGPN has just been informed by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) that for administrative reasons, an interim (more) - Practice Nurse Network Meeting - National Nurse's Registration - Townsville (more)
- Allied Health Visits (more)
- Health Services Newsletters (more)
- Education and Training Opportunities for this Month (more)
- Let’s get to work on men’s health in 2010: free support resources available
Did you know that hosting a men’s health event is a great way to engage your community or organisation and to raise awareness of men’s health. To make sure you are supported in holding a successful men’s health event in 2010, Andrology Australia is again providing a range of free men’s health promotional resources. The Men’s Health Education Kit assists you with planning, promoting, holding and evaluating a men’s health event. The comprehensive kit contains everything you need to know, including tips, templates and interactive men’s health presentations. There is a limit of one per department, however the kits can be kept and used again in the future as needed. General men’s health promotional flyers, promoting key men’s health messages, are also available to hand out at the men’s health event. This year’s flyer is themed ‘Men: how to look after your most important tools and focuses on the need for everyone to ‘get to work on men’s health’. You might like to consider International Men's Health Week (IMHW). As many high-profile events and activities are held during this week, it significantly raises public awareness of men's health issues and may help you to raise the awareness of your own event. Posters promoting IMHW 2010 / 14th – 20th June are available to assist you in promoting your event and men’s health in general in your local community. However, any time of the year is a good time to band together to help raise awareness of men’s health. To view and order the free resources available at no cost, visit www.andrologyaustralia.org and click on the button ‘Get to work on men’s health’. A range of other men’s health information is available on the site in addition to these specific resources, and all the resources are evidence-based and available at no cost.
- Funding ceases for Medication Management Review (MMR) Facilitator Program 30th June 2010
NWQPHC received notification this week via AGPN that the MMR Facilitator Program will cease as at 30th June 2010. Please see the media release below. The MMR Facilitator position to date has been combined with the National Prescribing Service (NPS) role for NWQPHC. As the ceasing of this program affects staffing, NWQPHC will be reviewing the current situation and will notify all practices as soon as possible regarding future plans.
Briefing for Branch Directors re MMR Facilitator Program
I would like to update you on the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement (5CPA) which will have significant ramifications across our industry, affecting 5,000 community pharmacies and a broad range of stakeholders in the sector.
The Minister for Health and Ageing and Kos are about to announce the details that will be included in the final Agreement package. Some elements of 5CPA are included in the May Federal Budget framework, and accordingly they cannot be confirmed until after the Budget.
The Agreement was negotiated in the context of extraordinary economic and budgetary circumstances, requiring unprecedented savings to be made. The cuts to projected revenue for community pharmacy over the five years exceed $1 billion.
In some program areas, the Guild had to fight hard to retain some level of funding for programs which were at risk of receiving no funding at all.
Whilst the Home Medicines Review program will continue under the 5CPA, unfortunately the MMR Facilitator Program will not receive further funding. This means State Branch Facilitator positions, related Guild National office positions, as well as positions located in AGPN, State Based Organisations (SBO) and local Divisions of General Practice that are associated with this program will cease, effective 30 June 2010
The Guild regrets that the Program will not be continuing, and the effect that this is going to have on some people’s current employment. However the Government was adamant that its priority was to fund patient focussed programs that deliver improved health outcomes and, despite our arguments to the contrary, this program was not considered to provide a direct health benefit to patients.
There will be a new Medications Use Review (MUR) service which will commence during the 5th Agreement but, until the business rules for this service are determined following the signing of the Agreement, it is unclear when this will be fully implemented and what administrative support it will require.
- MBS Review item 10992 (after hours)
AGPN has just been informed by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) that for administrative reasons, an interim MBS item number will need to be used to claim for certain after-hours items over the next two months as follows:
Between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2010 doctors claiming the higher bulk-billing incentive for MBS items 597, 598, 599 or 600 will need to use item 10985. On 1 July doctors should resume using item 10992. From 1 May 2010, doctors claiming the higher bulk-billing incentive for after hours items 5003-5267 should continue to use item 10992. Eligible regions remain unchanged. Click here for further information, including the new item descriptor for 10985.
If you have any enquiries about this matter, please contact Tracy Thompson at DoHA on phone: 02 6289 1938 or email: Tracy.Thompson@health.gov.au
Please note that the new Primary Care MBS items also come into effect from 01 May 2010. AGPN has not been informed of any further changes to these