The Primary Care Infrastructure Grants initiative is being implemented under the GP Super Clinics Program and comprises $64.5 million in 2010-11 and $52.5 million in 2011-12. Details of the three government grant streams available in 2010-11 are contained within the application package.

The Department invites government grant applications for Primary Care Infrastructure Grant funding from individuals and organisations to enable existing facilities to expand or to upgrade space for GPs¸ nurses and/or allied health professionals¸ strengthen team-based care services¸ establish or extend clinical training facilities¸ and provide GP Super Clinic-style services.

How will this initiative work?

Around 23 new GP Super Clinics will be provided, comprising:

• approximately 9 new large GP Super Clinics. In addition to doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, these clinics are expected to include more specialised services such as renal dialysis, minor surgical procedures, rehabilitation services, radiology and state funded services. They will have significant capacity for inter-professional clinical training and education.
• approximately 14 new medium GP Super Clinics will also provide access to a wide range of health professionals and services, scaled to suit a smaller population than the large clinics.

Three streams of government grants will be provided to build the capacity of about 425 existing general practices, primary care and community health services, and Aboriginal Medical
Services to deliver GP Super Clinic style services:

• Government grants of up to $150,000 will be available to existing general practices, primary care and community health services, and Aboriginal Medical Services to expand or upgrade, for example, allied health services or provide accommodation for an additional GP or practice nurse.
• Government grants of up to $300,000 will be available to existing facilities that, for example, expand or upgrade accommodation for additional doctors, allied health professionals or practice nurses, strengthen team based care services and offer extended hours.
• Government grants of up to $500,000 will be available for existing facilities that, in addition to the previously identified elements, also establish teaching facilities and transition to a GP Super Clinic style facility.

Direct and competitive government grants will commence in 2010-11 to establish medium and large GP Super Clinics. Competitive grants will also be available to upgrade and extend existing primary care services.

The Program Objectives

The Primary Care Infrastructure Grant initiative has five Objectives across the three grant streams. These Objectives are to:

1. Upgrade or extend existing facilities to provide space for additional general practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals and/or students on clinical placements;
2. Provide access to new services that meet local community health needs with a focus on preventative activities and better chronic disease management;
3. Strengthen team-based approaches to the delivery of care by providing, for example, additional space for case conferencing and/or group activities such as lifestyle modification clinics and/or shared service delivery by more than one health professional;
4. Provide extended hours of service where these do not exist, for example additional services in the early morning, later in the evening or on weekends; and
5. Develop new, or enhance existing, clinical training facilities.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for the Primary Care Infrastructure Grants are as follows:

1. The potential for the proposal to achieve the Objectives as specified for each grant stream
2. The efficient and effective use of the funds. Applicants should note that, in considering the extent to which the application meets selection criterion 2, the Application Assessment Panel will have regard to the following:

• The relative merit of each application;
• The geographic location of the applicant’s existing facility and the existence of similar organisations in the area capable of achieving the same outcomes;
• The existence or otherwise of other funding sources available to the applicant for a capital works project;
• Whether the facility is accredited against relevant industry and/or training standards or is progressing towards this; and
• Contributions by other funding sources to the project which either increase the overall value of the project without increasing the value of the funds provided by the Commonwealth under this Program;
• or reduce the Commonwealth’s financial contribution but still achieve the same objectives.

What can the funding be used for?

Primary Care Infrastructure Grant funding can be used for:

• Professional fees for the design of the capital works project;
• Professional fees for legal and accountancy advice relating directly to the capital works project;
• Application fees for Development Approval, Building Permits and the like;
• Direct construction, including fit-out, costs for labour and materials for builders, plumbers, electricians etc;
• Supply and installation of information and communication technology equipment including both hardware and software; or
• Supply and installation (as appropriate) of essential medical equipment.

Government grants cannot be applied towards the cost of:

• Ongoing operating (recurrent) costs (e.g. rent, utilities, salaries, maintenance);
• Professional health service delivery;
• The purchase of consumables (other than a consumables pack that may be supplied with equipment on delivery);
• The purchase of existing facilities, businesses or land;
• Travel and accommodation; or
• Student or staff overnight/residential accommodation.

Who can apply?

Applications for government grants are open to organisations or individuals operating existing facilities which are providing general practice (GP) services e.g. general practices, primary care and community health services and Aboriginal Medical Services.

Sample Application Form

Closing Date is 20 August 2010

Don’t miss out on this government grant, contact us for professional advice with the government grant application.

The National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) aims to improve access to health services by providing funding to rural and remote communities where the lack of infrastructure is a barrier to the establishment of new, or the enhancement of existing, health services.

The objectives of the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program are to:

• support local rural and remote communities to develop flexible, long-term solutions for the provision of health services to meet the needs of the community;
• assist the establishment and/or refurbishment of primary health care and medical facilities in rural and remote communities;
• retain community access to rural private hospital services;
• support allied health professionals to establish, continue and/or enhance the delivery of privately insurable health services to rural and remote communities; and
• make it easier for rural and remote communities to recruit and retain the services of general practitioners (GPs) and allied health professionals.

Who is eligible for National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program?

Those eligible to apply for funding under the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program include:

• Local government organisations (shire councils, district councils, regional councils);
• Divisions of General Practice;
• Aboriginal Corporations
• private practitioners, where funding will be used for training facilities for medical students/registrars;
• allied health professionals, who are providing privately insurable health services; (see Table A below) and dentists in private practice; and
• rural private hospitals including those eligible under the former Bush Nursing, Small Community and Regional Private Hospitals program (Attachment 1 of this Application & Eligibility Guidelines refers) and the former Rural Private Access (RPA) program.

All Applicants for the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or an Australian Company Number (ACN) to apply for funding under the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program.

Rural Workforce Agencies may apply for funding as a partnership arrangement with any of the above eligible applicants. Divisions of General Practice and local government organisations may also apply for National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program funding to fund facilities which are located on hospital or health campus grounds.

What activities are eligible for funding?

National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program funding is available for:

• Capital Works / Refurbishment (up to $500,000 [GST exclusive]);
• Equipment (up to $250,000 [GST exclusive]); and/or
• Strategic Service Planning for rural private hospitals (up to $50,000 [GST exclusive]).

An applicant may apply for funding under more than one (1) funding stream, but the total of their application must not exceed $500,000 (GST exclusive).

Merit criteria

Each application for the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) will be assessed against the following criteria:

• demonstrated understanding of the over-arching aims and objectives of the NRRHIP;
• suitability of the project plan as presented in the application;
• relevant experience and technical skills of members within the project team with demonstrated capacity to manage projects within budget and on time;
• demonstrated value for money, i.e. appropriate cost to outcome, and other contributions including financial, material and/or in-kind support;
• demonstrated capacity for sustainability of the project beyond the funding period;
• appropriate management of any potential or actual competing interests; and
• identification of potential risks, if applicable.

The assessment of National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) applications will take approximately six months from the closing date and applicants will be advised in writing as to the outcome of the assessment process.

The closing date for National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) applications will be announced late in 2009.