Practice nurses say MBS care plan changes unlikely to trigger job losses
Medicare’s revamped care plan items have created anxiety for nurses but are unlikely to trigger job losses, the practice nurse association says.
On 1 July, the Federal Government will cut the $130.25 item for team care arrangements and introduce a single $156.55 item for writing or reviewing chronic disease care plans.
It sparked concerns that lower rebates for new care plans would constrict the finances for nurses to undertake health coaching and more for newly diagnosed patients, said Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association CEO Ken Griffin.
However, he said the anxiety was unwarranted.
“Currently, in general practice, our survey shows that about 70% of practice nurses are doing care plan preparation and management regularly,” he told AusDoc.
“If a practice was to say, ‘We are getting rid of nurses,’ that work has to go somewhere.
“As long as chronic disease management is a part of what practices do, nurses will be a key part of how practices will deliver chronic disease management.”
He said he backed the changes to support GPs to follow up on care plans.
“I think we all accept that follow-ups should be done, and the data were clearly showing the government that was not happening.”
Having just over a month to prepare amplified the anxiety, he said.
“The government has not given a good amount of notice, so we are not surprised there is a lot of uncertainty.
“It will take a little while to get used to a different way of doing care planning and making sure those follow-ups are happening.”
