Antony Scholefield

3 weeks ago | ausdoc.com.au | Antony Scholefield

A long-delayed review of the ban on private health insurers funding 16 alternative therapies has recommended lifting the ban for seven of them. The ban started on 1 April 2019, but just six days later, the then Coalition Government ordered a new review of the evidence, led by former RACGP president Professor Michael Kidd, who will become Australia’s Chief Medical Officer in June.

3 weeks ago | ausdoc.com.au | Antony Scholefield

The Federal Government has announced a new GP-focused medical school, to offer 48 places a year starting in 2027. The government said on Monday that the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) was launching an undergraduate medical degree, subject to Australian Medical Council accreditation. × If this is your first visit to the new AusDoc website, reset your password here.

4 weeks ago | ausdoc.com.au | Antony Scholefield

Half of patients who went to one of the Federal Government’s urgent care clinics used it as an alternative to general practice rather than ED, an interim analysis suggests. Under a policy that will cost over a billion dollars, the government has set up 87 urgent care clinics (UCCs) since 2023, with 50 more promised going into the federal election on 3 May.

1 month ago | ausdoc.com.au | Antony Scholefield

GP practices will not need to be accredited to receive the Federal Government’s new incentive payments for universal bulk-billing, health officials say. Alongside extending tripled bulk-billing incentives to all patients, a 12.5% loading payment for the main Medicare items is a fundamental part of the Federal Government’s pledge to boost the number of fully bulk-billing practices to around 4800 by 2029.

1 month ago | ausdoc.com.au | Antony Scholefield

Pharmacist prescribing of S4 drugs for impetigo, reflux and obesity is becoming a permanent part of the health system despite a lack of evaluation. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls has announced that the state’s pharmacist prescribing experiment — condemned by medical colleges — will become business as usual starting 1 July.