General practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) will soon be able to apply for the Strengthening Medicare – General Practice (GP) Grants Program, as part of a $220 million investment to improve practices, expand patient access and provide high quality, safe, accessible care.
Grant applications will open in April 2023, with GP grants coordinated by Healthy North Coast and grants for ACCHS separately managed by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
Practices will be eligible for one-off grants of up to $50,000 depending on their practice size (by full-time equivalent) for innovation, training, equipment, and minor capital works to support the achievement of the following objectives:
- Enhance digital health capability, such as IT hardware and software upgrades, to fast-track the benefits of a more connected health care system to meet future standards through digital health solutions
- Upgrade infection prevention and control arrangements to ensure patients are safe from infectious respiratory diseases, such as COVID-19 and influenza, and can be seen face-to-face
- Maintain and/or achieve accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards for General Practice to promote quality and safety in general practice
The Department of Health and Aged Care will set the national parameters for the program, including a simple application form and program guidance to make it easy for practices to apply for the grants.
Healthy North Coast will be assessing grants applications as they are received and is aiming to administer and process payments through agreements with practices as early as May 2023.
For more information, see the Department of Health and Aged Care’s fact sheet or speak with your Healthy North Coast primary health coordinator.