Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP)

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Background

Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP)

Established in 2000, the Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP) is an Australian Government funded program that subsidises visits by medical specialist to rural and remote locations. In Queensland there are two fund holders – Queensland Health and General Practice Queensland. Both fund holders are required to ensure that the MSOAP is coordinated with local health services to facilitate, where possible, continuity of care to patients and coordination and integration with local health services.

The current agreement expires 30 June 2013.

MSOAP Indigenous Chronic Disease

As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, the MSOAP program was expanded in 2010 to include multidisciplinary teams, comprising specialists, general practitioners (GPs) and allied health professionals. The MSOAP – Indigenous Chronic Disease measure will focus service delivery in outreach locations for the following chronic conditions:

Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Chronic renal (kidney) disease
Chronic respiratory disease
Diabetes

The aim of the program is to increase access to a range of health services including expanded primary health care provided to people in rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Under the current Agreement, funding will be provided to Queensland Health and General Practice Queensland up to 30 June 2013.

MSOAP Maternity Services

The MSOAP expansion includes the MSOAP Maternity Services measure which also incorporates multidisciplinary teams including midwives, medical specialists, GPs including Procedural GPs, Health Workers and allied health professionals.

Under the current Agreement, funding will be provided to Queensland Health and General Practice Queensland up to 30 June 2013.

	MSOAP	MSOAP - Indigenous Chronic Disease	MSOAP - Maternity Services
Aim	Improve the access of rural and remote communities to medical specialist outreach services.	Increase access to a range of health services, including expanded primary health care, provided to people in rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for the treatment and management of chronic disease	Increase and improve access to high quality, safe, evidence-based maternity care for women and their families in rural and remote communities primarily for, but not limited to, the antenatal and postnatal stage of pregnancy
Objectives	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 professionals communication about ongoing patient care and Increase and maintain the skills of regional, rural and remote health professionals in accordance with local need.	Support health professionals to provide outreach services to rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Increase the range of services offered by visiting health professionals to detect, manage and prevent chronic disease more effectively Foster the collaboration between health services in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and visiting health professionals to target the delivery of essential treatment to patients with chronic disease Improve ongoing management and continuity of patient care Provide up-skilling opportunities in the outreach location and Work with the communities to build knowledge and support informed self-care.	Support health professionals to provide outreach maternity services to rural and remote communities Increase the range of maternity services offered by visiting health professionals to effectively support women and families through the antenatal and postnatal stage Improve ongoing management and continuity of care Increase and maintain the skills of health professionals in rural and remote areas in accordance with local need
Service Eligibility	Services are targeted to area of need. Factors considered include: An area’s need for services in relation to the whole of the state Area’s capacity to sustain a new specialist service Cost Benefit of a proposed service. The Accessibility / Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) classification system is used as a guide to where MSOAP services can be provided. Where the ARIA is Highly Accessible, funding under MSOAP would not normally occur. However, exceptions do apply should the location be clearly remote from existing services and infrastructure or where services will benefit eligible communities.	Services delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia Standard Geographical Classification (ASCG) – Remoteness Areas (RA) 2 (Inner Regional) to 5 (Very Remote) are eligible to be supported under this measure. The primary focus for the MSOAP – ICD measure will be to deliver services to locations classified as remote (RA 4) and very remote (RA 5), with a majority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population with a high prevalence of complex and chronic health conditions or where a significant proportion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the location have chronic health conditions. All services must be delivered by appropriately qualified trained registered health professionals. All funded health professionals must demonstrate that Cultural Awareness and Safety Training has been undertaken prior to commencing service delivery.	Services delivered to communities in Australia Standard Geographical Classification (ASCG) – Remoteness Areas (RA) 2 (Inner Regional) to 5 (Very Remote) are eligible to be supported under this measure. However, where possible, the MSOAP – MS measure will focus the delivery of outreach services in communities situated in remote (RA 4) and very remote (RA 5) locations. All services must be delivered by appropriately qualified trained registered health professionals. *All funded health professionals must demonstrate that Cultural Awareness and Safety Training has been undertaken prior to commencing service delivery.*
How is the need for a service identified?	The criteria used by the advisory forum when considering proposals for funding under the Program includes the: Level of community need for the service; Current level of service in the region; Capacity of the local workforce to support such a service; Linkages with other state or Australian Government health programs; Appropriateness of the service; Availability of funding; and Value for money
What is funded? *MSOAP funding is not recurrent*	Travel expenses Accommodation Meals and incidentals Administration support Registrars are only entitled to travel, accommodation, meals and incidentals when accompanying medical specialists in order to gain exposure to rural practice.	Travel expenses Accommodation Meals and incidentals Administration support Workforce support payment (where access to Medicare Benefits Schedule is not able to be claimed) Up-skilling Registrars are only entitled to travel, accommodation, meals and incidentals when accompanying multidisciplinary teams in order to gain exposure to rural practice.	Travel expenses Accommodation Meals and incidentals Administration support Workforce support payment (where access to Medicare Benefits Schedule is not able to be claimed) Up-skilling Registrars are only entitled to travel, accommodation, meals and incidentals when accompanying multidisciplinary teams in order to gain exposure to rural practice.
What is NOT funded?	Specialist salary/wages General Practitioners (non-specialists) Allied Health and Nursing staff Medical supplies / consumables Patient transport	Salary/wages for multidisciplinary team Medical supplies / consumables Patient transport	Salary/wages for multidisciplinary team Medical supplies / consumables Patient transport
How to apply	Complete the MSOAP Service Proposal form for all new services Email to ORRH_MSOAP@health.qld.gov.au Service Proposal form should be completed for all new services and any changes to existing services i.e..e. expansion to new locations. The Advisory Forum will only consider proposals submitted on the MSOAP Service Proposal Form. Service providers will be notified in writing of the State Advisory Forum’s decision