Indigenous Health Services Pharmacy Support Program

The Indigenous Health Services Pharmacy Support (IHSPS) Program supports Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) services provided by Indigenous Health Services (IHSs) and Service Providers who participate in the Program.

The IHSPS Program supports services provided by IHSs and Service Providers that contribute to the improvement of Quality Use of Medicines and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Program provides support in 4 categories:

  • QUM Pharmacist Support
  • QUM Devices
  • QUM Education
  • Patient Transport

Indigenous Health Service (IHS) Participation

To be eligible to participate IHSs (Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and State-run) must:

  • Be funded by the Department’s First Nations Health Division for the provision of primary healthcare services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, OR
  • Be an IHS approved to participate in the Remote Area Aboriginal Health Services (RAAHS) Program, AND
  • agree to the IHSPS Program Rules and the Pharmacy Programs Administrator General Terms and Conditions (PPA General Terms).

An IHS may choose to enter into a Service Agreement with an eligible Service Provider to provide all Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) Support activities, and to submit relevant documentation and receive payments on behalf of the IHS.

Service Provider Participation

To be eligible to participate a Service Provider must:

  • Have a Service Agreement in place with an eligible IHS;
  • Agree to abide by the PPA General Terms;
  • Undertake to provide QUM Support in accordance with the IHSPS Program Rules;
  • Ensure that all QUM Support activities are undertaken by a Registered Pharmacist; and
  • Ensure they regularly liaise with the community/ies they support and ensure the services provided continue to meet the cultural and health needs of patients.

A Service Provider must also be:

  • A Community Pharmacy approved to dispense Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines under section 90 of the Act (s90 Pharmacy); or
  • A business entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN) and a relationship with a Registered Pharmacist. This includes a Registered Pharmacist operating as a sole trader with an ABN; or
  • A Hospital Authority approved to dispense PBS medicines under section 94 of the Act (s94 Pharmacy), and which:
    • Is supplying PBS medicines to an IHS under the RAAHS Program;
    • Has a Registered Pharmacist employed, who has capacity to provide Support Services to a participating IHS; AND
    • If the participating IHS is located in a town where there is a s90 Pharmacy, holds confirmation in writing from the s90 Pharmacy that it is not willing or able to provide Support Services to a participating IHS.

Program Participants are required to submit two reports each financial year providing details of the progress made against the annual work plan and financial reporting against the QUM Support Activities. For more guidance on how to submit Work Plans and reports, please refer to your relevant Work Flow Guidance document available for download in the IHSPS Program Rules and other Downloads section below.

Report Reporting Period Due Date
First Report 1 July – 31 December 31 January
Second Report 1 January – 30 June 31 July

 

Payments

The annual funding allocation for each eligible IHS consists of a base amount plus an additional amount for each IHS client.

Program Participants will receive payments in 3 instalments. Payments will be made to either the IHS or the nominated Service Provider (where there is a Service Agreement in place).

Upon submission and acceptance of the Annual Work Plan by the PPA, the Program Participant will receive the first payment instalment. See Work Flow Guidance documents on Work Plan submission for each Program Participant type.

Program Participants will then receive the second payment instalment after submission and acceptance of the First Report.

Following submission and acceptance of the Second Report, Program Participants will receive the third and final payment instalment. The full budget is required to be expended at submission of the second progress report. Funds allocated are unable to be rolled over into the next financial year.

Deliverable Payment
Annual Work Plan 50% of annual allowance
First Report 30% of annual allowance
Second Report 20% of annual allowance

Program participants that are not Indigenous Health Services (IHS) must seek advice from the IHS about local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health issues and community arrangements. The applicant must undertake appropriate cultural orientation for service delivery with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Training information and resources are available under the Program Rules and other Downloads section.

General FAQ

  1. Yes. Payments will be administered through the PPA Portal, and each Program Participant will be notified via email when a payment is made.

  2. The organisation type of each Program Participant determines what documentation needs to be submitted, how it needs to be submitted, and who it needs to be submitted to. Program Participants should refer to the relevant Work Flow document available in the Program Rules and Other Downloads section below for advice on how to submit reports.

  3. A Work Plan template is available in the Program Rules and Other Downloads section below. and the template is split into the four QUM Support Categories. The Work Plan is to outline the local QUM objectives against each of the four Support Categories based on the needs of the community, Funding can be allocated to any or all of the support categories.

  4. Annual funding is calculated based on factors including the total number of participating IHSs (and outstations) and total number of IHS clients. A Payment Model Fact Sheet provided by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is available in the Program Rules and Other Downloads section below.

  5. Reports are due every 6 months. Further information about the reporting process can be found in the IHSPS Program Rules and the relevant Work Flow documents.

  6. Where a deliverable is not submitted by the due dates outlined in the Program Rules, the Program Participant will forfeit the payment associated with that deliverable and will not be eligible to participate in the remainder of the program cycle, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

    Special considerations for exceptional circumstances can be submitted via the workflow process, which will be considered by the Department.

    In instances where a deliverable is not submitted by the deadlines specified in the Program Rules, the Program Participant will lose the payment linked to that deliverable and will be ineligible to continue participating in the remainder of the program cycle, except in cases of exceptional circumstances. Program Participants are required to submit a request for an extension if they are unable to meet the due dates as outlined in the Program Rules for consideration by the Department.

Indigenous Health Service (IHS) FAQ

  1. Approved Indigenous Health Services will not need to register on the PPA Portal. However, the IHS will need to complete a Declaration Form at the time of Work Plan submission agreeing to allow the PPA to create and register a PPA Portal account on their behalf for the current IHSPS Program Cycle.

  2. IHSs who have previously participated in the IHSPS Program will receive an invitation to register again via email. Those who have not participated in the most recent program cycle can call the PPA Support Centre on 1800 951 285 to request an invitation to register.

  3. An IHS may only have a Service Agreement with one approved Service Provider for the Program cycle and must remain with that Service Provider for the entirety of the Program cycle unless there are mitigating circumstances. Please refer to the dispute resolution clause in your Service Agreement. However, if the issue remains unresolved the Service Agreement may be terminated. In this instance you cannot nominate another Service Provider for the remainder of the program cycle and any remaining deliverables will become your responsibility for the remainder of the program cycle.

    Once the new program cycle starts, you will then be able to choose not to delegate authority or choose to delegate authority to a new Service Provider.

  4. Yes, if you are an IHS you will be required to submit an Annual Registration to the PPA. This will provide you with the opportunity to revise your client numbers and associated outstations.

    If you need technical help with submitting the Annual Registration form please contact
    • the PPA Support Centre on 1800 957 285 or via email at support@ppaonline.com.au
    • NACCHO on (02) 6246 9300 or via email at qum@naccho.org.au

    As funding for the program is limited on the basis of available Australian Government funds, the Annual Registration period allows for redistribution of funds to provide equity across the country.

Service Provider FAQ

  1. As a Service Provider you do not need to submit an Annual Registration as this is done by the IHSs. In order to upload documentation into the PPA Portal you will only ever need to register for the IHSPS Program in the PPA Portal once. You will however, need to hold a valid Service Agreement with an IHS for each program cycle and will need to provide the Service Agreement at time of submitting your Work Plan each year.

    See your relevant Work Flow document available in the Program Rules and Other Downloads section below for more information on how to submit Work Plans.

  2. As part of the Program support, NACCHO provides advice and guidance to its members. As part of the support provided, NACCHO can assist in the development of the Work Plan and progress reports.

    See the Service Providers working with ACCHO’s Work Flow document available in the Program Rules and Other Downloads section below for more information.

    Progress Reports must also be reviewed by NACCHO. Please therefore ensure you leave enough time for your Progress Reports to be reviewed by NACCHO prior to when they are due to be submitted to the PPA for approval.

  3. The way in which you will need to submit documentation for the ACCHO will differ to how you will need to submit documentation for the State-run IHS. 

    Please ensure you have read both Work Flow documents relevant to you and follow the Work Plan and Progress Report requirements accordingly.

  4. No, funding cannot be used to cover the cost of freight of medicines to an IHS. This QUM Support Activity is only intended to help patients access medicines and pharmacist services by providing transport support, where this is not already funded another Australian Government program. Use of funding for transport activities must be adequately justified, and appropriately documented and reported, e.g., car logbook.

IHSPS Resources

IHSPS Resources


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