Funding for nurses in GP surgeries threatened by ruling

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CHANGES to multidisciplinary care in GP surgeries will place even more strain on the region’s 650 overworked doctors, according to the Hunter’s primary healthcare body.

Hunter Medicare Local said its members had raised concerns over a new Department of Health ruling which says nurses can no longer have the time they spend contributing to health assessments claimed under the Medicare Benefits Schedule.

Traditionally the time nurses spent on the assessments would be added to the GP’s time when deciding whether to bill for a brief, standard, long or prolonged consultation.

Hunter Medicare Local board member and GP Dr Milton Sales said those patients were typically bulk billed, meaning the nurse’s activity would become unfunded.

He said the new measure could force practices to drop the service and let nurses go.

“We have over 300 nurses working in general practice, which based on per capita basis, is one of the highest rates in the country,” he said.

“Any changes that affect the viability of nurses working in general practice will reduce services to our patients.”

Dr Sales predicted the change would end up costing more in the long run.

Hunter MP and shadow minister for rural affairs Joel Fitzgibbon said the Abbott government had dealt another “body blow to the Hunter’s health system”.

The Rural Doctors Association said the decision would affect the most vulnerable in the community, such as the disabled, the young and the aged.