WIP - Practice Stream

Under the WIP - Practice Stream, quarterly incentive payments to engage eligible health professionals.

Eligible practices can receive incentive payments of up to $130,000 per year. The amount of incentive payments a practice receives depends on the:

• practice size
• type of eligible health professionals
• average hours eligible health professionals work each week
• type of practice and its location.

What is included into the WIP – Practice Stream?

• practices within Modified Monash (MM) 3-7 locations are eligible for a rural loading, with 30-60% applied to incentive payments to practices located in MM 3-7, depending on the rurality of the practice
• practices in all locations can engage allied health professionals. The restriction to engage allied health professionals in Urban Areas of Workforce Shortage have been removed
• nurse practitioners and pharmacists (non-dispensing) are included as eligible health professionals
• incentives are paid quarterly and directly to participating practices
• registered nurses, enrolled nurses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and health practitioners are eligible health professionals that can be engaged in all locations
• an annual loading for practices providing general practitioner services to Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card holders.
• Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services will continue to receive up to 50% loading on their Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent (SWPE) value

Practices that are eligible for the Practice Stream

• general practices
• Aboriginal Medical Services
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

Eligibility requirements for this payment

• general practice accreditation requirements
• employment of at least one full-time or part-time general practitioner
• engagement of at least one eligible health professional
• eligibility for the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) – if a PIP consenting practice
• a specified amount of public liability insurance, as set out in the guidelines.

Which practices will be eligible to receive rural loading?

All practice locations are eligible for WIP - Practice Stream payments. However only those practices located in MM 3 to MM 7 qualify for the following rural loadings:

• MM3 – 30%
• MM4 – 40%
• MM5 – 40%
• MM6 – 60%
• MM7 – 60%

How do I join to participate in the WIP – Practice Stream?

You can apply online via HPOS. Read the WIP – Practice Stream HPOS User Guide for more information.

Can I use my PIP profile for WIP- Practice Stream profile?

Your practice needs to be a PIP consenting practice. This means that your practice consents for some PIP information to be used for the WIP – Practice Stream. This information includes:

• practice name and main address
• eligibility details, such as accreditation, public liability insurance, and indemnity insurance
• bank account details
• contact details
• location details
• ownership details
• general practitioner and nurse practitioner details
• SWPE for the WIP - Practice Stream calculations.

Your practice IDs are the same, when you are a PIP consenting practice. Practice details only need to be updated in your PIP profile for them to be updated in your WIP - Practice Stream profile.

If your practice is a PIP consenting practice, it must remain eligible in the PIP as part of its eligibility criteria for the WIP - Practice Stream.