As part of the 2022-23 October Budget, the Australian Government is investing $220 million (over two years from 2022-23 to 2023-24) in Medicare general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), through the Strengthening Medicare – GP Grants Program.

The program aims to support improvements in general practice and ACCHS through a one-off grant of up to $50,000, based on practice size (see the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care Method paper for the workforce calculation method). The purpose of this program is to support eligible practices* to make improvements and expand patient access, as well as provide better, safe and accessible care.

This one-off grant can be used to invest in innovation, training, equipment and minor capital works in one or more of the following streams:

• enhance digital health capability (IT hardware and software upgrades) to fast-track the benefits of a more connected healthcare system in readiness to meet future standards. For example, increasing uptake of contemporary digital health solutions including video telehealth, secure data storage and software that supports seamless and secure communication of patient data.
• upgrade infection prevention and control arrangements to ensure infectious respiratory disease (e.g., COVID, influenza) patients can be safely seen face-to-face. This may include increasing the practices capacity to manage COVID-19 positive patients and patients presenting with other respiratory illnesses.
• maintain and/or achieve accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for general practices (5th edition), to promote quality and safety in general practice.

Once the grants open, all eligible practices can apply through our Connect with COORDINARE platform.

Further information and guidance for application will be communicated via our website and eNewsletter, 'IN THE LOOP' - stay tuned! In the meantime, you can subscribe to our news here.

To find out more, view the Department of Health and Aged Care fact sheet or contact us.

*Eligible Medicare practices are those practices that deliver general practice services and are not owned or operated by a state or local government.

Quality in general practice,