The College is working to respond to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Reference Group report from the MBS Review Taskforce. We would value member input into this report.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Reference Group report has made recommendations around:

• Models of primary care financing and funding
• Prevention versus chronic disease management
• MBS data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Updating and realigning MBS item descriptors

Key recommendations include:

• Allied health services following an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’ health assessment or GP Management Plan with team care arrangements
• Enabling bulk billing incentives in conjunction with allied health services
• Increase the number of allied health services available
• Enable all allied health services to be available as group services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health assessment follow-up services

• Create a new item for group service delivery of comprehensive follow-up services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health assessments

• Ensure that health assessment templates and content reflect best practice
• Update the allied health referral form for item 715

Follow-up services following a GP management plan, health assessment and providing of immunisation or wound care provided on behalf of a medical practitioner

• Enable qualified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers to claim for certain follow-up items provided on behalf of a medical practitioner (10987, 10988, 10989, 10997)
• Enable nurses to claim for certain immunisation and wound-care items when provided in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care on behalf of a medical practitioner

Service provision by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professions without formal registration bodies

There are also a number of longer-term recommendations which stretch beyond the scope of the MBS. These include increased investment in the growth and sustainability of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce; MBS data governance; re-investment of income generated under Section 19(2) exemptions; social and emotional well-being support; and culturally safe health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A full copy of the report is available online.   

Comments are welcome at any time but will need to be received by Friday 26 April, to allow for consideration. Please provide these to policy@acrrm.org.au