The Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP) was established in 2000 and provides funding to support medical specialist service delivery in rural and remote communities.
GPQ and Queensland Health are the fund holders for MSOAP in Queensland.
Aims and Objectives
MSOAP aims to improve the access of rural and remote communities to medical specialist services.
The objectives of the MSOAP are to:
- increase visiting specialist services in areas of identified need;
- support medical specialists to provide outreach medical services in rural and remote areas;
- facilitate visiting specialist and local health professional communication about ongoing patient care;
- increase and maintain the skills of regional, rural and remote health professionals in accordance with local need.
Services
Current Service Schedule
Please click here for the current service schedule (updated May 2012)
Eligibility
MSOAP services are targeted to areas of need and are determined in consultation with an Advisory Forum which is representative of an appropriate range of stakeholders.
The Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) classification system provides a guide to where MSOAP services can be provided. Areas identified as Highly Accessible according to ARIA will not normally be eligible for funding under MSOAP.
Planning and Services
GPQ undergoes a comprehensive planning and review process on a continual basis to ensure services are meeting the health needs of the community in a culturally appropriate and coordinated way.
All relevant stakeholders are consulted throughout the planning stages to ensure the service is targeted and effective.
The type of delivery, whether ‘fly-in fly out’ or cluster depends on a number of factors including location, home base of the provided and local resources.
Prior to the start of service delivery, GPQ encourages all providers to conduct an orientation visit as well as undergo local cultural awareness training.
What can MSOAP fund?
MSOAP is able to assist with funding to support medical specialist services.
MSOAP funds cannot be used to pay salaries for medical specialists or to support allied health or nursing.
Expenses which MSOAP funds include:
- Travel - flights, mileage, hire car
- Accommodation
- Meals and Incidentals – in line with the ATO rates
- Facility costs – fee for hiring a service venue
- Administration support – administration for the support of the outreach service e.g. organising appointments, processing correspondence, following up with patients
- Professional support - professional support means the informal support provided by the visiting health professionals to local medical and health professionals through telephone/ email support once the health professional has returned to their principal practice.
- Absence from practice allowance - absence from practice allowance is payable to non-salaried private outreach service providers to compensate for "loss of business opportunity" due to the time spent travelling to and from a location where they are delivering an outreach service and/or upskilling.
- Upskilling - incidental or informal educational and upskilling activities, of either a theoretical or clinical nature, to local medical practitioners, health professionals and community members such as carers which are aimed at:
- developing or enhancing specific skills;
- sharing of knowledge; and/ or
- enhancing on-going patient care.
- Travel costs for registrars, who accompany visiting specialists in order to gain exposure to rural practice.
Highlights
On Friday 11 November 2011, GPQ Outreach Services hosted a showcase and gala dinner to celebrate ten years of MSOAP service delivery. To view the photos from the event please click here. 2010 – 2011 MSOAP highlights include:
- Delivering 947 clinical sessions to 47 locations throughout rural and remote Queensland – from the Torres Strait Islands in the North, Cunnamulla in the South and Mount Isa in the West.
- In 2010-2011, 37 service providers were contracted under the MSOAP across 19 different specialties including Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, ENT, Paediatrics, General Physician, Ophthalmology and Urology.
- MSOAP services were delivered to 7886 patients in the 2010-2011 period
Service Proposals
To propose an identified service need please complete the following form and return to Jane de Vuyst at jdevuyst@gpqld.com.au by Wednesday 28 March 2012.
Please click here for the form.