The $220 million programme, when it comes to strengthening Medicare General Practice Grants in Australia, will aid general practices as well as eligible Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to expand their respective patient access and also upgrade their services.
The GP Grants program is designed so as to strengthen Medicare and also boost general practice in Australia. The General practitioner grants will be helping all the general practices as well as ACCHOs around Australia to help make investments when it comes to training, innovation, equipment, and minor capital works in either or more of the three investments that are mentioned below:
- Upgrade digital health capacity.
- Enhance infection prevention as well as control arrangements.
- Maintain or/ and achieve accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practises.
The grants are going to be provided based on the accredited GP practice volume, with smaller practices eligible for grants worth $25000 or even $35000 and larger practices eligible for grants worth $50000. The GP practices as well as ACCHOs that are not currently accredited with RACGP standards are going to be eligible for grants worth $25,000.
According to Mark Butler, the minister of health and aged care, the $220 million investment is going to provide the much-required boost for general practices throughout the country.
He added that after working day-in and day-out all throughout the pandemic, the doctors did deserve more than thanks, and that is the reason why they are being given the resources so as to invest in their practices.
The grants are going to be delivered by way of Australian local primary healthcare networks as well as the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation- NACCHO. Apparently, in the weeks to come, PHN as well as NACCHO will be sending letters to general practices directly asking them to participate in the Grants Program.