The After Hours Practice Incentive Program (PIP) is designed to support general practices to provide their patients with appropriate access to after hours care.
After hours period
For the PIP, the after hours period is defined as:
- Outside 8am-6pm weekdays
- Outside 8am-12 noon on Saturdays
- All day on Sundays and public holidays.
The complete after hours period is further broken into:
- Sociable after hours period – 6pm through to 11pm weeknights
- Unsociable after hours period – 11pm through to 8am weekdays, hours outside of 8am and 12 noon Saturdays, and all day Sundays and public holidays.
Payment schedule & eligibility requirements
The following table provides a summary of the payment levels and eligibility requirements for the PIP.
Payments are based on the Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent (SWPE). This is a measure of practice size and includes a weighting factor for the age and gender of patients.
For more information on eligibility, minimum level of care requirements and how to apply for the PIP, visit the Services Australia website and download the After Hours Incentive Guidelines.