After Hours Primary Health Care Innovation Grants Guidelines for applicants 2015-2016

After Hours Innovation Grants 2015-2016 Guidelines for Applicants The Western Victoria Primary Health Network (Western Victoria PHN) is pleased to announce the availability of a number of one off grants for innovative solutions to support and enhance the availability of after hours care. This document contains the explanatory notes and must be read in conjunction with the After Hours Innovation Grants Application Form.

Background Western Victoria PHN supports the right of all Australians to timely, appropriate primary medical care. Increasing demands for after hours care have placed the system of after hours care of patients by GPs under considerable strain. It is acknowledged that patients in some areas of Australia experience difficulties in accessing effective after hours primary health care due to a number of factors. After hours primary health care is defined as ‘accessible and effective care for people whose health condition is urgent and cannot wait for treatment until regular services are next available. Within this definition, after hours primary health care is to meet the urgent patient needs that cannot wait until the time a patient’s regular general practice is open, it is not intended to be a substitute for medical care that could otherwise occur ‘in hours’. The After Hours period is defined as:   

Before 8am and after 6pm weekdays Before 8am and after 12pm Saturdays All day Sunday and public holidays

Western Victoria PHN is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health to work with key local stakeholders to plan, coordinate and support after hours health services. More specifically, the focus is on addressing gaps in after hours service provision, ‘at risk’ populations and improved service integration. Further information on Western Victoria PHN and our region can be found at http://www.westvicphn.com.au.

Program Objectives The key objectives of the After Hours Primary Health Care program are:   

Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of After Hours Primary Care for patients, particularly those with limited access to Health Services Improving access to After Hours Primary Health Care through effective planning, coordination and support for population based After Hours Primary Health Care Developing innovative solutions to address service gaps and improve access to After Hours Primary Health Care, ensuring ongoing consideration for vulnerable populations and those populations who have not been well served by previous after hours arrangements such as rural and remote populations

Other program objectives:

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Address the lack of, or inequity of access to, After Hours Primary Health Care through targets and collaborative programmes Improve patient outcomes through working collaboratively with health professionals and services to integrate and facilitate a seamless patient experience Address fragmentation, increase efficiency and effectiveness and implement systems to support effective communication and continuity of care across After Hours service providers and a patient’s regular GP Work with key local After Hours stakeholders, including State and Territory governments, to plan, coordinate, and support population based After Hours Primary Health Care Foster local level solutions and enable a greater focus of specific target groups, particularly where the Practice Incentive Programme (PIP) After Hours Incentive may not reach Increase consumer awareness of After Hours Primary Health Care available in their community and improve patient health literacy on the appropriate Health Services to access in the after hours period

Funding opportunity Western Victoria PHN is pleased to offer a number of one-off grants up to the amount of $100,000 GST inclusive for each grant. The total grant funding pool is $392,000. Grants will be allocated on a competitive basis and selection of successful applicants will be based on a transparent assessment of proposals against the key selection criteria outlined in this document. Key Dates Item Applications open Applications close Notification of the grant selection process Projects to be completed

Date 11 January 2016 29 January 2016 12 February 2016 30 June 2017

Funding criteria Health care providers, facilities or organizations that provide services related to or assisting health care providers in the after-hours period in the Western Victoria PHN region are eligible to apply for grant funding. To be considered for funding applicants must also:    

Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) Be registered for GST Provide evidence of public liability insurance to a minimum of $20 million If a General Practice, must be accredited and demonstrate an innovative approach that is not within the scope of the Practice Incentive Program (PIP).

Ineligible expenditure The Western Victoria Primary Health Network After Hours Innovation Grants will not fund:    

Services/Projects located or delivery service outside the region Services/Projects that do not meet the eligibility criteria Research, travel or conference attendance Projects that have already occurred or costs that have already been incurred, however funding may be available for a project that has been successful and where no other funding is available to continue the project

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Payment for professional services i.e. where a payment is made for a medical services item listed in the Medicare Benefits Scheme Activities or costs that do not related to the provision of after hours services according to the After Hours Grants guidelines and criteria Services/Projects of a commercial nature i.e. for profit, or that raise funds for philanthropic purposes for other oranisations

Selection criteria Applications will be assessed according to the strength of the applicant’s ability to address one or more of the identified dimensions that impact access to After Hours Primary Health Care in the Western Victoria PHN region: Dimension Availability

Accessibility Capacity Quality

Integrated and innovative

Value for money

Definition The initiative will increase primary care services available to the community in the after hours period The initiative will increase capacity to meet demand for services in the after hours period The initiative will increase the capacity to provide services in the after hours period The initiative will increase the willingness / ability of after hours healthcare providers to provide care or treatment that is safe, effective, appropriate, timely, patient-centric and supportive of continuity of care The initiative will explore opportunities for ongoing development and create linkages with other services in the catchment The proposed budget must represent value for money

Preference will be given to initiatives that:  Are innovative and evidence-based  Will have a measurable impact  Have an ongoing benefit for the community  Target disadvantaged members of the community  Have clear objectives and evaluation measures  Have an appropriately qualified and skilled workforce Collaborative applications are encouraged.

Reporting requirements All grant recipients will be required to complete:    

A project plan (approx. 2 weeks after execution of funding agreement and A progress report due six months after execution of funding agreement and A progress report due twelve months after execution of funding agreement and/or A final project report one month after the completion date of the project, including a financial report with details of expenditure at completion of the project

Reporting templates will be provided to successful applicants. Reports are expected to include service delivery/ outcomes data and expenditure records. Funding recipients are expected to

conduct their own evaluation or engage appropriate resources to do so. Information contained in reports will contribute to a regional after hour’s service delivery planning and may be used to measure the effectiveness of improving access to after hours services within the region. This data will form part of Western Victoria PHN After-Hours program reporting to the Commonwealth government.

Application submission instructions     

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Please ensure your application is complete and that the selection criteria have been addressed prior to submission Applications are to be lodged electronically using the After Hours Innovation Grants Application Form Late and/or handwritten applications will not be accepted Applicants will be notified by email the outcomes of the selection process by 12 February 2016 For further information contact Meredith Johnson on 03 5304 5611 or by email: [email protected]