newsGP - MYEFO 2024 and the impact on general practice
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MYEFO 2024: What will the impact be for general practice?This year’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook includes updates on funding for chronic disease management, workforce, and mental health.
The Federal Government has released its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), designed to provide updated information six months after the release of its Federal Budget. Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers explained that the annual outlook is ‘not a mini‑budget, it’s not an opportunity to announce a whole slew of new policies’, instead, it is a update on forecasts and numbers. While there were no big-ticket items directly relating to general practice, there were some notable healthcare items included. Chronic disease management
$61 million set aside to defer changes to Chronic Disease Management planning items until 1 July 2025, which the Government says is ‘to allow more time to support general practices and providers to prepare for the changes’.This gives specific funding details for a previous announcement which was welcomed by the RACGP. However, there is still no clear detail beyond that date. Medicare
$17.4 million in 2025–26 for the General Practice Incentive Fund, which the Government says is ‘to continue improved access to primary care in thin markets’. The same sum was announced for this financial year in the May budget. $8 million ‘to raise awareness of Medicare services and increase uptake of quality health care’.The Government also stated it is investing $143.1 million to improve access and the affordability of primary care for all Australians, including funding for after hours, multicultural and homelessness services, and to incentivise general practices for quality improvement activities. Workforce Measures to address primary care workforce pressures include:
$13.6 million to extend the Pre‑Fellowship Program for non‑vocationally registered doctors to gain general practice experience $10.5 million for a National Primary Care Health Workforce Campaign to support recruitment in regional, rural and remote areas. This was previously announced at the Strengthening Medicare Awards. $16.7 million for an extension to a Rural Locum Assistance Program for Aged Care in the NT until the end of June 2026 $8.1 million over three years to help give non‑vocationally recognised doctors access to higher MBS rebates when working in approved locations, including rural and remote areas.Mental health
$4 million set aside in the next financial year to help implement the Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022–2032 (see the RACGP’s original submission here) $0.5 million in 2025–26 to support the mental health of healthcare workers, including for the Drs4Drs mental health support service, and confidential peer support for health professionals from peers in similar disciplines. $0.1 million in 2025–26 to support a framework (Every Doctor, Every Setting) to guide coordinated action on the mental health of doctors and medical students.Women’s health and maternal care
$350.4 million over four years from 2024–25 to support women’s safety and the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children $2.3 million in 2025–26 to extend a range of actions to reduce the stillbirth rate in Australia and to ensure high-quality care is provided to families who experience stillbirth $5.1 million in 2025–26 for the Every Moment Matters awareness campaign, to support women who are planning pregnancy to achieve alcohol‑free pregnancies and reduce the incidence of babies born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) $4.3 million in 2025–26 to extend funding for FASD prevention, diagnosis and support activities to continue to support Australians living with FASD, their families and carers $2.6 million in 2025–26 to continue support for the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s National Breastfeeding Helpline, to provide a free‑call service on breastfeeding to women and their families $3.1 million in 2025–26 to extend the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s role providing pasteurised donor human milk to premature babies in neonatal intensive care units or special care units across the hospital network $174.5 million over four years from 2024–25 to add a maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to the National Immunisation Program. $0.6 million in 2025–26 to the University of New South Wales for the maintenance and improvement of the YourIVFSuccess website, to support Australian couples with independent advice and information on fertility support services and In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) $43.3 million over four years from 2024–25 to support states and territories to increase the number of conditions that are screened through the newborn bloodspot screening program.The measures above are all broadly supported by the RACGP, with the caveat GPs are the main access point for reproductive care, and that IVF support should be available no matter what your postcode. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
$46.5 million in 2025–26 to improve infrastructure in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to meet clinical and accreditation needs, and support Closing the Gap targets $15.4 million over three years from 2025–26 to detect, treat and prevent rheumatic heart disease in high‑risk communities $14.7 million over three years from 2025–26 to support states and territories to screen, treat and eliminate trachoma $9.9 million in 2025–26 to support ten existing Birthing on Country services to provide continuity of care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and babies. $1.8 million in 2024–25 to support Children’s Ground in the delivery of culturally safe health and wellbeing services for children and their families in First Nations communities $0.7 million in 2025–26 to expand the delivery of the Strong Born campaign, which informs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people about FASD.Aged care
$4.7 billion over four years from 2024–25 for the new Support at Home Program $743.5 million over four years from 2024–25 (and an additional $787.7 million from 2028–29 to 2033–34) to improve the funding, viability and quality of residential aged care $9.4 million over two years from 2024–25 for the Extend the Dementia Training Program and the Australian Dementia Network ‘to better position GPs for new dementia treatment options’.The RACGP welcomes the Support at Home investment in particular, with GPs often more accessible to patients receiving home care rather residential care. Medicines access
$20 million over two years from 2024–25 to facilitate access to difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) for people with high‑risk neuroblastoma $10 million to update the PBS (PBS) 60‑day Prescriptions Education Campaign to raise awareness of cost-saving measures available for patients taking PBS medicines $5.3 million over two years from 2024–25 to support timely consideration of Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee submissions including health technology assessment evaluation, committee costs and departmental resourcing Improving women’s access to medicines with the addition of Visanne to treat endometriosis, and Enhertu to treat patients with metastatic breast cancer on the PBS.The RACGP supported the changes to allow 60-day prescriptions, and welcomes increased access to the medications listed. Disability
$280 million for the NDIA to develop a more consistent approach to understanding participants’ needs for NDIS supports $4.527 million over two years for the NDIA to design a new early childhood pathway to support children younger than nine years old. $3.7 million over two years from 2024–25 to continue the Primary Care Enhancement Program for People with Intellectual Disability.Other items
$0.5 million in 2025–26 to maintain the Consumers Health Forum’s continued viability as a national peak body representing Australian healthcare consumers $26 million over five years for the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to continue and expand chronic condition data collection and research $15.5 million over four years to support the implementation of the 10‑Year National Action Plan for the Health and Wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people. $194.9 million to implement and deliver vaping regulation reform legislation to reduce the availability of vaping products in Australia $68.4 million in 2025–26 to extend the Primary Health Networks (PHN) After‑Hours Homelessness Access Program and PHN Multicultural Access Program to improve equity and access to primary care services across Australia. $251.7 million over four years from 2024–25 for the Australian Centre for Disease Control (previously announced).Log in below to join the conversation.
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