Commissioning multidisciplinary teams into general practice

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is directing 2023-24 Budget investment through Primary Health Networks to improve access to affordable multidisciplinary team care in general practice where it is most needed.

Multidisciplinary care teams operating within general practice are increasingly demonstrating their ability to support busy GPs and increase patient access to affordable and coordinated primary care.

In response to the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report, the Department is directing 2023-24 Budget investment through Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to improve access to affordable multidisciplinary team (MDT) care in general practice where it is most needed.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) will be collaborating with selected general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to co-design a service approach for a primary care multidisciplinary team to provide person-centred care in collaboration with general practices located within priority locations in each of WAPHA’s three PHNs.  WAPHA will then seek to commission a service provider to deliver the multidisciplinary team in partnership with participating general practices.

Providing smaller and solo general practices in priority locations with access to MDT services that are easily available at no-cost to their patients, can reduce barriers for patients accessing clinically appropriate care, reduce the clinical burden on GP’s, increase coordination of team-based, primary care and provide clinicians with increased opportunities to operate at the top of their scope.

PHN commissioning of multidisciplinary teams within general practice can increase patient access to care in the community, enhance the management of chronic conditions, and reduce avoidable hospitalisations in underserved communities.

Extensive consultation and engagement with local general practices, allied health providers and other key primary health care stakeholders will inform WAPHAs proposal for the implementation of a multidisciplinary team care model within general practices.

This will be achieved through the interrogation and application of general practice, population health and workforce data and contemporary local knowledge, consideration of existing services, opportunities for efficiency or improvement, and consultation with other internal and external subject matter experts.

The capacity of this program will enable a small number of general practices, located in the selected priority locations within each PHN, to participate collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team care model over a four year period.

Small and solo practices located within priority locations and other primary care stakeholders can register their interest in this project as it progresses via MDT@wapha.org.au.

Allied health service providers interested in delivering an MDT service in conjunction with participating general practices can also subscribe to receive WAPHA tender notifications