Practice Connect #251

From 1 July 2026, updates to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) came into effect. These include a 2.6% annual fee indexation for most general medical services, transitional arrangements for updated assignment of benefit requirements for bulk billing, and several new and amended general medical service items.

Information on specific item changes along with the downloadable MBS files can be found on the MBS July News 2026 webpage.

Useful links

• MBS quick guide (July 2026)
• Telehealth MBS items quick guide (July 2026)
• MBS download files
• MBS item number and keyword search
• Printable reference tables and scenarios for Bulk Billing item numbers in General Practice

Updated Assignment of Benefit consent requirements apply to both bulk billing and simplified billing. Consent may be captured digitally or on paper, either before or after the service is provided, and practices must retain a record of the patient’s agreement.

Assignment of Benefit useful links

• Improving the assignment of benefit process
• Assignment of Benefit FAQs
• Assignment of Benefit templates

For a comprehensive explanation of MBS item numbers and claiming requirements, visit MBS Online. Practices can also contact the AskMBS advice service for written responses to MBS item number enquiries by emailing askmbs@health.gov.au

For further support, information or guidance, please contact Practice Assist or your Primary Care Navigator on 08 6278 7900 or via email practiceassist@wapha.org.au

Learn more about eating disorder treatment and management plans (EDTMP) including:

• EDTMP preparation and review services
• The eligible conditions and patient eligibility criteria
• Treatment services available under an EDTMP
• Referral requirements for eating disorder psychological treatment and dietetic treatment services
• Mental health case conference (MHCC) requirements

The Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources website has a broad range of education resources to help you stay up to date.

To access the EDTMP eLearning resources go to the MBS Mental Health page.

Feedback can be provided on these resources by contacting the Services Australia Health Professional Education team at: HP.EDUCATION@servicesaustralia.gov.au

For further support on MBS please contact Practice Assist or your Primary Care Navigator on 08 6278 7900 or via email practiceassist@wapha.org.au

MyMedicare Minute One key message. One minute to read.

Health Professional Education (HPE) resources available Practices can resolve most MyMedicare, Organisation Register, Provider Digital Access (PRODA) and Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) issues by using Services Australia’s self-service tools, dedicated Health Professional Education (HPE) resources and step-by-step online guidance. These resources are updated frequently and are the best first place to go before contacting the Services Australia helpdesk. The Services Australia helpdesk is unable to walk every practice through every scenario, so the HPE tools offer the fastest and most reliable way to fix issues without waiting on the phone. What practices need to know: The quickest way to get MyMedicare issues resolved is to use Services Australia’s self-service tools. There are many resources available to assist with: Organisation Register setup and linking providers, sites and banking details HPOS navigation, including checking MyMedicare eligibility, accepting/declining patient registrations, and updating practice preferences PRODA troubleshooting, identity checks, and managing delegated staff access Accreditation status updates and how it is applied in the Organisation Register MyMedicare administrative functions including: accepting patient requests, initiating registrations, withdrawing patients and checking provider eligibility Resources: HPOS, Organisation Register and MyMedicare support – step-by-step guidance, videos and training are available through the Services Australia Health Professional Education (HPE) portal.

Presentation of winning finalist award to John Parry Medical Centre: Photo left to right Timothy Chan (WAPHA: Quality Improvement Coach), Jacki Gumprich (John Parry Medical Centre: Office Manager), ElMarie Van Wyk (John Parry Medical Centre: Nurse) and Jodie Robins (WAPHA: Program Coordinator – Preventative Health)

During May 2026, 85 practices across WA set up waiting room displays for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) as part of a competition run collaboratively by Cancer Council WA, WA Department of Health and WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA).

Of the participating practices 38 were located in regional WA, with every region across the state represented. The South West had the highest number of entries with 14 practices taking part.

Winner: John Parry Medical Centre in Narrogin, was recognised for its creative and colourful display, which aligned with the NLCSP’s “It’s Good to Know” campaign and Lung Health Awareness Month.

Joint runners-up: Geographe Bay General Practice in Busselton was recognised for a display that included a children’s activity and a clear call to action. Dalwallinu Medical Centre was recognised for its handmade lung display. Due to the high standard of entries, a second runner-up prize was awarded.

With the NLCSP marking its first anniversary on 1 July 2026, the competition provided a timely opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of participating practices. View all entries and read the full story here.

Cancer affects many Australians and can have a significant impact on individuals, families and communities.

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing currently supports four national screening programs to assist with early detection and improve health outcomes:

• BreastScreen Australia Program
• National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
• National Cervical Screening Program
• National Lung Cancer Screening Program

Some cancers can be detected before symptoms develop. As cancer may take many years to develop, screening can identify cancer at an early stage. It can also detect cellular changes before they become cancerous or identify infections that may increase the risk of cancer in the future.

Early detection of cancer can improve the likelihood of effective treatment and survival.

Regular screening remains important, as no screening test is completely accurate and an individual’s health can change over time.

The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) is a screening program using low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scans to look for lung cancer in high-risk people without any symptoms. It aims to find lung cancer early and save lives.

People are eligible for the program if they are aged between 50 and 70 years and:

• Show no signs or symptoms suggesting they may have lung cancer
• Currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 10 years
• Have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years.

Find more information on Delivering the NLCSP.

The cancer screening programs can make excellent quality improvement (QI) activities for your practice.

QI activities highlight the eligible people who are due for screening and give you the framework for recalling and acting on the eligibility data.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) and Cancer Council WA have collaborated to create a quality improvement cycle process utilising Primary Sense data. The QI activity is accredited for 6 CPD hours. More information and registration can be found here.

Primary Sense has reports available for immediate download for all cancer screening programs, further information available here.

For further information about undertaking QI activities, contact Practice Assist on 08 6278 7900 or by email at practiceassist@wapha.org.au to connect with one of our Practice QI Coaches.

The Congenital Syphilis Prevention Program aims to build evidence from models of antenatal care that increase syphilis testing and care in pregnancy to inform the ongoing national syphilis response.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) will commission existing community based antenatal care service provider/s to trial innovative or new models of care. These models of care should expand and enhance access to antenatal care that includes syphilis testing and treatment (including for partners) so that syphilis infections are diagnosed and treated, and syphilis is not passed on to the baby. The target cohort for the service is pregnant individuals who are experiencing complex social factors, have barriers to accessing care and/or who are at risk of not receiving antenatal care.

Visit the WAPHA tenders webpage for full eligibility requirements, tender briefing details and application information.

The General Practice Community Residency Program (GP-CRP) is a pilot funded through the Australian Primary Care Prevocational Program (APCPP) – Metro and delivered by the WA Department of Health. The program will provide WA Health-employed Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) with supervised placements in general practice and primary care settings throughout 2027.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Western Australia is currently seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from accredited metropolitan practices and Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) organisations interested in hosting RMOs as part of the pilot.

Key details include:

• Three metropolitan (MMM1) training sites to participate in the pilot program
• Five RMO rotations of 10–12 weeks during 2027
• Participating practices will receive funding to support supervision and training activities
• The GP-CRP provides an opportunity for practices to contribute to the development of the future GP workforce, while giving junior doctors valuable exposure to primary care and community-based medicine
• EOIs close at 5.00pm AWST on Friday, 21 August 2026

The EOI can be accessed here.

Contact details:  Depending on your query, please contact: GP-CRP program: medicalworkforce@health.wa.gov.au
EOI process: WA.Faculty@racgp.org.au
Accreditation process, including supervision or the PGY2 requirements: PMCWA@health.wa.gov.au

West Australian (WA) general practitioners (GPs) can now access specialist advice through the new GP ASK pilot service provided by WA Health.

GPs need to be registered to access the specialist advice. Please encourage your GPs to register here.

Available specialities

• Respiratory Medicine
• Cardiology

Coming in August 2026

• General Paediatrics

Benefits of GP ASK

• Fast access to advice provided by a WA hospital specialist
• Care closer to home for regional patients
• May reduce the need for a referral to hospital
• May avoid waiting to be seen in hospital
• Two options to receive advice:
  • Written advice within five business days
  • Virtual Case Discussions (VCD) can be scheduled online between the GP and hospital specialist, with the option of including the patient
• Advice will be returned via HealthLink or eFax and can then be added to a patient’s medical records within practice management software

How GP ASK works

1. Submit

Submit a secure online advice request form in the GP ASK platform. If required, schedule a VCD between GP and hospital specialist, with the option of including the patient.

2. Review

A hospital specialist reviews your clinical query and, if scheduled, undertakes the VCD.

3. Receive advice

Receive a written Clinical Advice Summary (CAS) within five working days of either making a written advice request or following a VCD.

4. Manage

Use the advice provided in the CAS to support patient care.

For more information regarding the service, view the GP ASK FAQs.

To arrange a visit to your practice so that GPs can learn more about the service and hear from participating hospital specialists, contact the team at doh.gpask@health.wa.gov.au

As we count down to R U OK? Day on Thursday 10 September, resources have been realeased to support you to Ask R U OK? Any Day.

Posters, email signatures and activity planners are available now, with more on the way.

Help share the message and encourage meaningful conversations in your community, school or workplace.

Learn more here.