News & Announcements

As we step into the new year, there’s an efficient way to update the business details of GPs and other healthcare providers moving in and out of your practice. The free Provider Connect Australia™ (also known as PCA™), an initiative of the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency), provides a single place to update your business information and services, which can automatically update your National Health Service Directory (NHSD) listing and your local Primary Health Network.

PenCS is pleased to announce that its Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) software has new filters and reports that enable general practices and aboriginal member services to efficiently identify patients who may benefit from MyMedicare, a voluntary patient registration model designed for general practices launched in October by the Australian Government.

PHN is funding 100 one-year-licenses for the RACGP accredited ERPT tool

From 30 August 2023, NSW Health changed the mask wearing policy which includes changes to mask wearing in NSW hospitals. Use of face masks in general practice medical centres and pharmacies is no longer nationally mandated. However, both the RACGP and NSW Health continue to recommend mask use.

NSW Health Pathology has updated advice to clinicians in Hunter New England Health and Mid North Coast Local Health District, as well as GPs, to ensure clinicians are aware of the correct ordering protocol for Faecal PCR test assays.

Four Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) will be established within the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network.

Primary care providers and their staff are increasingly finding themselves as part of the front line dealing with the impact of disasters.

Over recent years the Hunter New England and Central Coast regions experienced the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfires, drought, extreme weather events including thunderstorms and severe floods, and a rodent plague.

More than eight million dollars will be provided to 339 general practices across the Hunter, New England and Central Coast regions, under the Commonwealth Government’s Strengthening Medicare Grants Program, being facilitated by the PHN.

For a limited time, the Medical Practice Assisting course will be included in the fee free educational study opportunities to upskill and support practice staff.

The RACGP has compiled links to information about the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Medicare compliance so GPs and practice teams can easily access these from one central location.