The Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) provides targeted financial incentives to encourage doctors to deliver services in rural and remote areas. The WIP also provides financial incentives to support general practices to engage the services of nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and Health Workers, and eligible allied health professionals.
The WIP replaces the Practice Nurse Incentive Program (PNIP) and the General Practice Rural Incentives Program (GPRIP). If you are already participating in the PNIP and GPRIP, you’ll automatically transition to the WIP.
All practices transitioning should have received correspondence from the Department of Health. Visit health.gov.au/workforceincentiveprogram if you have any questions.
Commencement dates:
- WIP – Doctor Stream – 1 January 2020
- WIP – Practice Stream – 1 February 2020
These dates align with existing PNIP and GPRIP payment quarters.
The WIP will use the Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2019 geographical classification to determine eligibility (for the Doctor Stream) and payment amount (for both Streams). For more information about the MMM or to check the MMM 2019 classification of your location visit the Department of Health website.
WIP: Practice Stream
- Payments will be made directly to general practices
- Practices in all locations may be eligible for incentives to support the engagement of nurses and nurse practitioners, allied health professionals including pharmacists (non-dispensing role) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health practitioners or health workers.
- The incentive payment amount depends on practice size and the hours worked by the health professionals at the practice.
- A rural loading is applied on top of WIP – Practice Stream incentive payments in recognition of the difficulties rural and regional areas face attracting and retaining health professionals. A rural loading of 20-50% will be applied to incentive payments to practices located in MM 3-7.
WIP: Doctor Stream
- Payments will be made directly to medical practitioners.
- Medical practitioners located in MM 3-7 can receive an annual payment of between $4,500 and $60,000 (depending on the location).
WIP: Payments
The first WIP – Practice Stream payment will be the May 2020 quarter payment, covering the period 1 February 2020 – 30 April 2020.
From 1 February 2020, practices will be able to claim for hours worked by eligible allied health professionals across all locations.
The accreditation assistance payment under PNIP will cease on 31 January 2020.
What you need to do
No action is required at this stage. All approved PNIP Practices at 31 January 2020 will automatically transition to the WIP – Practice Stream.
Guidelines
To view the WIP Guidelines, please visit: health.gov.au/workforceincentiveprogram
It is important for all WIP participants to familiarise themselves with the Guidelines in order to understand the requirements for the program and what they need to do to receive payments.
More information
To view WIP factsheets and FAQs, please visit: health.gov.au/workforceincentiveprogram
Disclaimer: This article was provided by NWMPHN. While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network does not warrant or represent the accuracy, currency and completeness of any information or material included within.
