Timeline of major developments in health check implementation
Timing | Change | Details |
|---|---|---|
November 1999 | 55 years and over annual health check (MBS items 704 and 706) introduced | The original First Nations health check was established as the First Nations equivalent of health checks for non‑Indigenous people aged 75 years and over. |
May 2004 | 15–54 years 2-yearly adult health check (MBS item 710) introduced | The extension of health checks to adults recognised that the conditions responsible for early deaths of First Nations people started before the age of 55. |
May 2006 | 0–14 years annual child health check (MBS item 708) introduced | With this addition, First Nations people of all ages were eligible for preventive health checks. |
November 2008 | Follow‑up health services (MBS items 10987 and 81300–81360) introduced | Allowed First Nations people who received a health check to receive subsidised follow‑up care with a Practice Nurse, registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker or a range of allied health professionals. |
December 2008 | National Partnership Agreement implemented | The National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes included the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package. This package was funded by the Australian Government over 4 years from 2009–2013 and included a number of elements relevant to improving uptake of First Nations health measures. |
July 2009 | Medicare Local Closing the Gap workforce established | Part of the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package, this workforce comprised:
This workforce assisted with the delivery of the Care Coordination and Supplementary Services and Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care programs. |
March 2010 | Practice Incentive Program Indigenous Health Incentive introduced | Part of the Indigenous Chronic Disease Package, the Indigenous Health Incentive was included under the Practice Incentives Program. |
May 2010 | Health check items 704, 708 and 710 combined | The 3 separate item numbers were replaced by a single item: MBS item 715. The frequency of health checks was standardised to annual, so First Nations people aged 15–54 were able to have a health check every year, instead of every 2 years. |
2010 | Indigenous status required by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards | Existing requirements were strengthened, so practices seeking accreditation had to demonstrate they were routinely recording Indigenous status in their active patient records. |
July 2011–12 | Divisions of General Practice transitioned to Medicare Locals | Divisions of General Practice (n=112), as well as their national and jurisdiction level support structures (the Australian General Practice Network and 8 state-based organisations) were replaced with Medicare Locals (n=62), as part of the National Health Reform Agenda. |
2013 | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023 | As part of efforts to close the gap, since 2011, the Australian Government worked with First Nations people to produce the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan, providing an opportunity to collaboratively set out a 10‑year plan for the direction of Indigenous health policy |
June 2014 | Australian Medicare Local Alliance abolished | Australian Medicare Local Alliance (the national coordination body for Medicare Locals) was abolished. Regional coordination and support of the Closing the Gap workforce undertaken by the Alliance also ceased. |
2015 | Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023 | The Implementation Plan outlines the actions to be taken by the Australian Government and other key stakeholders to give effect to the vision, principles, priorities and strategies of the Health Plan, including goals for increasing the use of First Nations health checks. |
July 2015 | Medicare Locals (n=62) were replaced by Primary Health Networks (n=31). In 2015–16, funding for the Care Coordination and Supplementary Services and Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care programs was provided through Primary Health Networks. | |
July 2016 | Integrated Team Care Activity started | Care Coordination and Supplementary Services and Improving Indigenous Access to Mainstream Primary Care program funding was combined into new Integrated Team Care Activity. |
July 2018 | MBS health check item, 228, introduced for non‑VR Medical Practitioners | Allows eligible non-vocationally recognised medical practitioners (other than GPs and specialists) to claim MBS subsidies for First Nations health checks. |
March 2020 | COVID‑19 temporary telehealth health check and follow‑up items introduced | To help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID‑19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers (available until 30 September 2020). |
September 2020 | COVID‑19 temporary telehealth items extended until 31 March 2021 | To help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID‑19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers (previously available until 30 September 2020). |
December 2020 | COVID‑19 temporary health check items, 93470 and 93479, and follow‑up items, introduced for residential aged care facilities | To improve access to multidisciplinary care for residents of residential aged care facilities (RACF) during the COVID‑19 pandemic (available until 30 June 2022). |
March 2021 | COVID‑19 temporary telehealth items extended until 30 June 2021 | To help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID‑19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers (previously available until 31 March 2021). |
April 2021 | COVID‑19 temporary videoconference (telehealth) items extended until 31 December 2021 | To help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID‑19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers (previously available until 30 June 2021). |
July 2021 | COVID‑19 temporary telephone (telehealth) items were discontinued at the end of June | Videoconference services were the preferred approach for substituting a face-to-face consultation. |
2021 | Health check templates | The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) released 5 First Nations health check templates for testing, designed for different age groups, and downloadable from the RACGP website. |
2021 | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031 | The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2021–2031 is the updated national policy to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations people over 10 years. |
December 2021 | Some COVID‑19 temporary telehealth items became permanent | To help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID‑19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers (previously available until 31 December 2021). |
July 2022 | COVID-19 temporary RACF items were discontinued at the end of June | — |
2021–2023 | Health check Smart Form development | The Department of Health commissioned CSIRO to develop Smart Forms for health checks, using Item 715 as a proof of concept. Smart Forms are intended to streamline the collection and sharing of clinical information to improve patient outcomes. |