Improved health services for residents of aged care homes

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24 September 2007
CP106/07

The Australian Government is to invest $48 million over four years to expand the GP Panels Initiative to increase access to GP and allied health services for residents of aged care homes.

Speaking at the Campbelltown Residential Aged Care Home, the Minister for Ageing, Christopher Pyne, said that, under the expanded Panels Initiative, GPs would continue to have a central role in providing services in aged care facilities.

“However, the expansion would ensure an increased focus on multidisciplinary care teams and provide additional support for GPs working in aged care,” Mr Pyne said.

The expanded Panels Initiative would enable a variety of allied health providers to work with GPs and aged care homes. These providers could include physiotherapists, audiologists, chiropractors, podiatrists, oral hygienists, speech pathologists and registered nurses in specialist roles.

“Aged Care Panels funding could be used to remunerate GPs and Allied Health providers for the provision of quality improvement activities, to provide incentives for GPs and allied health workers to provide care in residential aged care facilities, and to improve communication between Aged Care facilities and primary care providers,” Mr Pyne said.

He said the expansion built upon the successes of the Panels Initiative and would increase access to vital primary care services for the frail and elderly in the community.

The expansion of the initiative will complement the funding GPs and Allied Health Providers currently receive from MBS rebates.

Media contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833