Multidisciplinary team-based care and collaboration with pharmacies a key focus.
Health Minister Mark Butler has just released the highly anticipated “Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report”, saying it sets out a recommended pathway for significant reforms to strengthen Medicare and rebuild general practice.
The report urges patient-centred care, supported by an expansion of multidisciplinary arrangements to manage the health of Australia’s ageing population with more complex and chronic diseases.
New blended funding models, integrated with the existing fee-for-service GP arrangements, will allow teams of GPs, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to work together to deliver the care people need, while recommendations also include an overhaul of the My Health Record platform and improvements to better connect clinical IT systems.
The Taskforce has urged states and territories to review barriers and incentives to allow “all professionals to work to their full scope of practice” as well as support for local health system integration through Primary Health Networks working with local hospitals, GP practices, pharmacies and other partners.
Butler confirmed the Government had committed $750 million to deliver the highest priority investments in primary care in line with the recommendations, with the plan to be included in this year’s Federal Budget.
More details in Monday’s issue of Pharmacy Daily.
