Aged Care GP Panels Initiative

The Strengthening Medicare Aged Care Initiatives were introduced on 1 July 2004. They encompassed the Aged Care GP Panels Initiative and the Comprehensive Medical Assessment (CMA). The Panels Initiative was expanded to include allied health professionals. The expansion to the Aged Care GP Panels Initiative was announced as part of the May 2007 Budget, Aged Care - improved health services for residents of aged care homes.

The Aged Care GP Panels Initiative aimed to ensure better access to primary medical care for residents of aged care homes and to enable GPs and allied health professionals to work with homes on quality improvement strategies for the care of all residents.

The Panels were designed to support GPs and allied health professionals to provide high quality primary care services within aged care homes. They supplemented not replaced existing MBS arrangements. 

It was advised in the 2008-09 Federal Budget that the Aged Care GP Panels Initiative funding would cease from 1 July 2008. The Panels Initiative would be replaced with a new program, Aged Care Access Initiative, which would take effect from 1 July 2008. For more information on the new initiative Aged Care Access Initiative.