Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP)

 

The Practice Nurse Incentive Payment (PNIP) is a Commonwealth Government initiative which provides incentive payments for practices to employ a nurse.

The PNIP started on 1 January 2012 and provides incentive payments to practices to support an expanded and enhanced role for nurses working in general practice.

The PNIP simplifies financing arrangements by consolidating funding arrangements under the Practice Incentive Program (PIP) Practice Nurse Incentive and six of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) practice nurse items and redirecting them into a single payment to eligible general practices.

General practices across Australia, including those in urban areas as well as Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services may be eligible for an incentive to offset the costs of employing a practice nurse. One of the eligibility requirements is that your practice is accredited under the current Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for general practice.

The program also provides:

• support for all accredited practices to employ an Aboriginal Health Worker instead of, or in addition to, a practice nurse (Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse)
• support for practices in urban areas of workforce shortage and Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to employ an allied health professional, such as a physiotherapist, dietitian or occupational therapist, instead of, or in addition to a practice nurse and/or Aboriginal Health Worker
• a rural loading of up to 50 per cent based on the Australian Standard Geographical Classification-Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA)
• a loading for Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
• a one-off $5000 incentive to support eligible non-accredited practices to become accredited.

The PNIP is administered by Medicare Australia on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA).  

Guidelines and an application form are available from the Medicare website at: 

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/pnip.jsp

Resources: 

Creating Opportunity booklet

A Guide for General Practices on Business Case Development

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