The Australian Department of Health is developing the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) funding a $112 million investment in aged care over four years.
The new program will give aged care residents better access to high-quality, continuous and person-centred primary care.
From August 2024, the new incentive will include:
- Additional payments to GP and primary care clinics for regular appointments, health assessments and care planning with aged care residents
- A voluntary patient registration scheme (MyMedicare) where aged care residents can elect their preferred primary care provider to enable greater continuity of care
- Funding for Primary Health Networks to work with aged care homes to match each resident – or potential resident – with a regular primary care provider, and to commission GPs to provide care in areas of workforce shortage.
CCQ’s Healthy Ageing Team will be talking more about GPACI in the coming months and how aged care residents will benefit from more integrated care delivered by their chosen primary care provider, including regular visits to their aged care home and annual care planning. Their GPs can address health concerns as they arise, reducing the risk of avoidable hospitalisations.