Nurses
Questions and answers: the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) and maintenance of service levels in 2012-13
Information on how service levels will be calculated and managed in 2012-13.
Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program
. Q&A: maintenance of service levels in 2012-13
. Evaluation
. About the program
Other information for nurses
. Q&A: maintenance of service levels in 2012-13
. Evaluation
. About the program
Other information for nurses
Questions and answers: the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) and maintenance of service levels in 2012-13 (PDF 88 KB)
Q. 1 As a registered organisation that provides MHNIP services, I need to know what service levels I need to maintain for 2012-13. When and how will I find out?
Q. 2 How is a registered organisation's service level calculated?
Q. 3 What if my registered organisation has queries about the level of service advised by the Department of Human Services?
Q. 4 Can I seek a review of my 2012-13 session allocation?
Q. 5 How will a registered organisation's service levels be monitored?
Q. 6 What happens if I exceed my session allocation in 2012-13?
Q. 7 As a registered organisation, I wish to employ a new Mental Health Nurse in 2012-13. Is this possible?
Q. 8 Is it possible for new patients to join the program in 2012-13?
Q. 9 What if my registered organisation hasn't been providing services?
Q. 10 I wish to register as an eligible organisation to provide MHNIP services. Can I still join?
Q. 11 What does this budget measure intend to do and why?
I have more queries or need more assistance
Q. 1 As a registered organisation that provides MHNIP services, I need to know what service levels I need to maintain for 2012-13. When and how will I find out?
A. Registered organisations will need to maintain services in 2012-13 at 2011-12 levels. In July 2012, the Department of Human Services (DHS) wrote to all eligible organisations, identifying their service level for 2012-13 and a monthly average.At the time of advice, organisations were given an opportunity to seek a review of their session allocation. A number of organisations sought a review of their 2012-13 session allocation and DHS wrote to these organisations on 16 October 2012 advising the outcome of their request.
Organisations that sought a review of their 2012-13 allocation after 16 October 2012 were advised of the outcome of their request by DHS in a letter dated 22 February 2013.Top of page
Q. 2 How is a registered organisation's service level calculated?
A. Registered organisations' service levels were calculated on 2011-12 service levels, taking into account circumstances where an organisation has joined the program late in the financial year or experienced high activity in 2012.In the case where an organisation has sought a review of their 2012-13 session allocation, the Department has undertaken a review process to ensure that allocations would enable organisations to maintain services to patients in 2012-13 at 2011-12 levels.
Consideration was given to:
- the actual number of sessions provided in 2011-12 that were approved for payment, including May and June sessions claimed since the original calculation (as organisations were advised in July 2012 and a full year of data was not available, original calculations were based on data from July 2011-April 2012 and an estimated made of sessions provided in 2011-12)
- any increased activity in the latter part of the 2011-12 financial year
- any provision of MHNIP sessions for the first time in 2012 and
- any demonstration of exceptional circumstances that impacted on the provision of sessions in 2011-12.
- sought an increased allocation due to staff absences in 2011-12 (other than in exceptional circumstances)
- arrangements with mental health nurses for a specific number of sessions and
- anticipated session growth in 2012-13.
This review process has been completed.Top of page
Q. 3 What if my registered organisation has queries about the level of service advised by the Department of Human Services?
A. If a registered organisation has queries about the advised service level, then the organisation may contact the Department of Human Services to discuss how the service level was calculated.Q. 4 Can I seek a review of my 2012-13 session allocation?
A. Registered organisations were given an opportunity to seek a review of their session allocation within 14 days of when they received advice from the Department of Human Services. However, requests for review continued to be accepted by the Department of Human Services after this date and the review process has since been completed.All organisations received a letter in late October informing them that, given the length of time that had passed since organisations were notified in July 2012, no further requests for review will be accepted after 26 October 2012.
Should you now wish to receive additional sessions in 2012-13, you may apply to DHS to join the waiting list of eligible organisations (See Q, 10 below).
Q. 5 How will a registered organisation's service levels be monitored?
A. Noting that service levels are likely to fluctuate across the twelve month period, the Department of Human Services will monitor the level of service provision throughout 2012-13 and provide advice to registered organisations of their total service levels on a quarterly basis, or more regularly if required, to support them in maintaining services within allowable limits.Q. 6 What happens if I exceed my session allocation in 2012-13?
A. If you provide more sessions in 2012-13 than allocated by the Department of Human Services, you will not be paid for the additional sessions.Top of pageQ. 7 As a registered organisation, I wish to employ a new Mental Health Nurse in 2012-13. Is this possible?
A. Yes, you may employ a new Mental Health Nurse, as long as overall services are maintained at the level for 2012-13 advised by the Department of Human Services.Q. 8 Is it possible for new patients to join the program in 2012-13?
A. Yes, as long as overall services for the registered organisation are maintained at the level advised for 2012-13 by the Department of Human Services.Q. 9 What if my registered organisation hasn't been providing services?
A. The Department of Human Services will be monitoring service levels throughout 2012-13 and end-dating inactive organisations. This may enable new eligible organisations to join the MHNIP, as existing organisations leave, so that service levels are maintained.The Department of Human Services will communicate with those registered organisations that have not submitted claims for services in the previous quarter to confirm that they wish to remain in the program.
Where a registered organisation indicates that they no longer wish to provide services under the program, or does not respond, the Department of Human Services will deregister (end date) the organisation. A registered organisation that has been end dated would need to reapply to the program in order to be able to participate in the future.
Some registered organisations may have provided services in the previous quarter but not yet submitted claims for payment. In this case, organisations will need to contact the Department of Human Services to confirm that they are providing services.
Any organisation that was registered to provide services but did not do so in the 2011-12 financial year, has been end dated. Should these organisations wish to re-join the program in 2012-13 they will need to join a waiting list of eligible organisations (see Q.10 below).Top of page
Q. 10 I wish to register as an eligible organisation to provide MHNIP services. Can I still join?
A. Organisations will only be able to join and participate in the MHNIP in 2012-13 where there is attrition in the program and where service levels permit. A waiting list of eligible organisations wishing to participate in the program or wishing to increase their 2012-13 session allocation will be maintained by the Department of Human Services. Together with the criteria outlined in the MHNIP Guidelines for eligible organisations, the Department of Human Services will also apply the following criteria to determine whether an eligible organisation may participate in the program in 2012-13:- Whether existing organisations have left
- Ensuring continuity of care to existing patients
- Availability of MHNIP services in the local region and
- Availability of program funding.
Q. 11 What does this Budget measure intend to do and why?
A. The 2012-13 Budget measure for the MHNIP provides additional funding in 2012-13 to maintain 2011-12 service levels. The findings from the evaluation of the program are being considered in consultation with stakeholders and will inform the future design of the program.The measure intends to maintain funding for existing community based general practices, private psychiatry practices and other similar organisations to continue existing arrangements with mental health nurses to provide coordinated clinical care for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses to keep them well in the community and reduce hospitalisation.Top of page
