Divisions Network matters: How are Divisions Supporting Healthy Ageing?

The Aged Care Panels Initiative is one prong of the Australian Government's strategy to improve health care services for older Australians. Sitting within a framework of an ageing population and an ageing GP workforce, this initiative commenced July 2004. It was designed to improve aged care residents access to primary care services as well as encouraging and facilitating GP involvement to improve the quality of care for all residents.

Divisions of General Practice are all engaged with implementing this strategy and have Aged Care Panel arrangements in place. These arrangements are reflected in the increased numbers of Divisions that report they are working to improve GP care of the aged on specific activities and are actively collaborating with residential aged care facilities.

In the 2004-05 Annual Survey of Divisions (ASD), 113 Divisions (95%) reported either facilitating access to GP services for residential aged care facilities residents or providing support to GPs to visit their patients at residential aged care facilities. Of the six Divisions that didn't have these activities, three were from rural areas and two from remote settings – these Divisions were likely to have had limited access to aged care facilities. Most Divisions were also engaged in a range of other activities to support healthy ageing such as medication reviews, health care assessments and care planning. They also supported practices and GPs by conducting professional development activities specifically about the care needs of older patients and providing practical assistance to improve the quality of patient records.

In the first year of the aged care panels, the number of aged care services funded through the Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) in residential aged care facilities increased by 5.4%. We know that during this time, Division collaboration with these facilities increased by over 50%. Divisions provide an avenue for the implementation of new Australian Government policies and working to support healthy ageing in Australia.

PHC RIS can help with any other information from the Annual Survey of Divisions (Ph: 1800 025 882).