General Practice in Aged Care Incentive: Payment delays, updated guidelines and removal of exclusion period
General practices and GP providers will experience a delay in receiving the September 2025 quarter GPACI payments, with payments anticipated by the end of November 2025. This delay is due to a need to adjust back-end processes to enable proper assessment of payments in light of the new eligibility rules, namely the removal of the
Improving end-of-life care for diverse populations
Seeing the person behind the patient matters. During an urgent medical visit, Maryanne’s partner Joyce was mistaken for her sister. In a moment already filled with fear, that assumption left Maryanne feeling unseen and unsupported. Identity, relationships, and personal history shape the care each person needs, especially at the end of life. The End-of-Life Essentials
Celebrating Our 2025 Primary Health Care Excellence Awards Finalists
Update 24 November 2025: Event has sold out. There will be a live stream available on YouTube for those interested in watching along! We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the Healthy North Coast Primary Health Care Excellence Awards 2025, an event dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements of individuals and teams who
Celebrating carers on the North Coast
Our region is home to more unpaid carers than anywhere else in New South Wales, and ranks 5th nationally for the highest number of unpaid carers per capita. This reflects a growing need for support with activities of daily living. In 2021, 75 out of every 1,000 North Coast residents required assistance, well above the
North Coast major health reforms update
As of 1 November 2025, 3 key national reforms are now in effect to strengthen the delivery of health care for all Australians. These are: changes to bulk billing in general practice, changes to the Better Access initiative (including Mental Health Treatment Plans), and the new Aged Care Act. We recognise that these reforms are
Aged care reform for primary care providers: Webinar recording now available
On Tuesday 29 October, Healthy North Coast hosted an engaging and practical webinar focused on the aged care reform and what it means for primary care providers. With the new Aged Care Act having come into effect on 1 November 2025, we brought together a panel of experts to provide insights that would help health
Join the Building Nurse Capacity program for healthy ageing
The Healthy Ageing – Building Nurse Capacity (BNC) program is a free education program that supports nurses in general practice and aged care to build confidence, strengthen skills, and lead proactive, coordinated care for older people. Join us on Wednesday 11 December at 12.30pm for our next Community of Practice (CoP) event, where pilot practice ambassadors
New online GP+paediatrician partnership enhances primary care for kids
The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network have a launched the SUSTAIN Virtual Paediatrician Support Service for GPs in NSW, until June 30 2026. It’s a free virtual paediatric clinical support service which comprises of 30-minute virtual co-consultations with Dr Louisa Adams, email/phone support during business hours, and weekly case discussions (Lunch ‘n’ Learn sessions, Tuesdays and
Don’t wait for a breach: Strengthen your practice’s cyber defences today
If your practice hasn’t completed a cyber security audit recently, now is the time to act. According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), more than 1,200 cyber incidents were reported across Australia in 2024–25, alongside over 1,700 proactive alerts about potentially malicious activity. Health care is one of the most frequently targeted sectors. Cyber
Celebrating student pathways and regional skills development at Health Voyage
Pictured L-R: Teah Castle, Anastasia Sarantzouklis and Sheree Riley – Dietitian Student Placement Coordinated with University of Newcastle. Story submitted by Health Voyage. At Health Voyage, we are passionate about creating opportunities for students to develop their skills and knowledge in regional communities. This commitment was recently showcased through headspace Coffs Harbour, where we
Get a $800 subsidy for Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training
The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) is now offering GPs a $800 reimbursement that covers part of the cost of completing accredited Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPSST). FPS are specific mental health care treatment strategies, derived from evidence-based psychological therapies. They include cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychoeducation and relaxation strategies. GPs skilled
HealthPathways update – October 2025
HealthPathways offers primary care clinicians locally agreed information to make the right decisions, together with patients, at the point of care. This month, there are a number of pathways that have been reviewed and updated: Clinical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessment Acute Otitis Media Adult Sepsis (Including Meningitis) Advance Care Planning Anaphylaxis Antenatal
