Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP)
MSOAP forms part of the Australian Government's Rural Health Strategy. The aim is to improve the access of rural and remote communities to medical specialist outreach services. In NSW funding is split between the NSW Ministry of Health for public sector services and NSW Rural Doctors Network for private sector services. There are three components of MSOAP for NSW Health:
- MSOAP Core
MSOAP was established to improve the access of rural and remote communities to medical specialist outreach services and to supplement State provision of services. In NSW funding is split between the NSW Department of Health for public sector services and NSW Rural Doctors Network for private sector services.
- MSOAP Indigenous Chronic Disease
The MSOAP ICD measure focuses on service delivery to Aboriginal residents in outreach locations for the following chronic conditions: Diabetes; Cardiovascular Disease; Chronic Respiratory Disease; Chronic Renal Disease; and Cancer. MSOAP ICD enables multidisciplinary teams, comprising specialists, general practitioners and allied health professionals to better manage complex and chronic conditions in rural and remote indigenous communities.
- MSOAP Maternity
This new component was introduced in 2011/12 and aims to increase access to outreach maternity services in regional, rural and remote Australia. The Project will focus on service delivery in outreach location to improve antenatal and postnatal care, and better health outcomes for women and their babies locally. This Package will introduce outreach maternity service teams comprising specialists, nurses, general practitioners and allied health professionals which will contribute to better antenatal and postnatal care, and better health outcomes for women and their babies in regional, rural and remote communities. The benefits of an integrated, multidisciplinary team approach to maternity service delivery in rural and remote communities will include improved access to a range of services for women in their home locations, less disruption to family life due to the reduced need to travel to access services, and improvements to the viability of existing community health services.
MSOAP is an ‘assistance’ program with allocated funding for travel, accommodation, administration (part), backfilling and absence from practice allowance however the funding does not cover all expenses associated with the specialist visits and this is also funded by the Local Health District (LHD) where the service is delivered.
Projects will need to match identified sites in the Needs Assessment which has been prepared in collaboration with NSW Rural Doctors Network, the AHMRC, LHDs and Aboriginal Medical Services with gaps in services and aboriginal communities identified.
Guidelines for each MSOAP can be downloaded below:
MSOAP Indigenous Chronic Disease
For further information regarding MSOAP please email: msoap@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
