PNIP and GPRIP to become WIP
AMA members are advised of upcoming changes to the Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP) and the General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP). From 1 July 2019, both programs will be replaced by the Workforce Incentive Program (WIP).
Funding under the WIP will be available in two streams:
- The PNIP will transition to the WIP-Practice Stream, where payments will be made directly to practices
- The GPRIP will transition to the WIP-Doctor Stream, where payments will be made directly to doctors
The WIP will now provide financial incentives for:
- medical practitioners who are providing eligible primary care services to the communities within eligible regional, rural, or remote areas, and
- practices to employ nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and allied health professionals, including non-dispensing pharmacists.
There will be no changes to incentive payments and eligibility requirements for GPRIP participants, however the following changes will apply for PNIP practices:
- The Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) will be replaced by the Modified Monash Model (MMM)
- Practices within Modified Monash 3-7 will be eligible for a rural loading. Different levels of rural loading will apply depending on rurality of the practice
- Practices in all locations across Australia will be able to engage allied health professionals, not just in Urban Areas of Workforce Shortage
- From 1 May 2019, the accreditation assistance payment of $5,000 per practice will no longer apply
General practices and medical practitioners participating in the PNIP and the GPRIP will automatically transition to the WIP on 30 June 2019.
According to the Department of Human Services’ Incentive News Update, the Department of Health will write to PNIP practices and GPRIP participants with more updates about the WIP.
More information can be found on the Department of Health’s WIP Factsheet.
