Remuneration for health professional palliative care activities 

Many health professionals providing palliative care within the primary health setting experience a unique set of challenges which reduce their capacity to provide optimal end-of-life care. For many health professionals this includes uncertainty around funding mechanisms. Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) remuneration can be obtained by health professionals working within the primary health care setting and can be clearly linked to patient palliative care pathways.  

The following links provide practical funding streams for palliative care activities undertaken by health professionals within primary health care. 


MBS items supporting GP palliative care provision in primary care

There are a number of MBS items which can be used to remunerate general practitioners for their palliative care services for patients within the primary health care setting.

As of November 2023, new MBS Level E consultation items are available covering consultations of 60 minutes or longer. These items will allow for better management of patients with multimorbidity, in need of advance care planning, palliative care and end-of-life care, or where there are communication challenges (e.g., dementia).


MBS items supporting GP palliative care provision in primary care (204kb pdf)

MBS items supporting GP palliative care provision in residential aged care

There is clear guidance on the remuneration that general practitioners can obtain for palliative care services undertaken on patients within residential aged care.

As of November 2023, new MBS Level E consultation items are available covering consultations of 60 minutes or longer. These items will allow for better management of patients with multimorbidity, in need of advance care planning, palliative care and end-of-life care, or where there are communication challenges (e.g., dementia).


MBS items supporting GP palliative care provision in residential aged care (202kb pdf)

MBS items supporting nurse practitioner palliative care provision

Nurse practitioners can obtain remuneration for palliative care services for patients within the primary health care setting through the Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS).

MBS items supporting nurse practitioner palliative care provision (138kb pdf)

MBS items for allied health professionals

The Medical Benefits Scheme have several items for funding palliative care activities that are being undertaken in the primary health care setting by allied health professionals.

MBS items supporting allied health professional palliative care provision (159kb pdf)

Remuneration for community pharmacists

There are a number of ways that community pharmacists can be remunerated for undertaking palliative care activities within the primary health care setting.

Remuneration for Community Pharmacists (148kb pdf)

COVID-19 MBS temporary Telehealth services

Currently there is remuneration for telehealth palliative care services through the Medical Benefits Scheme.

Last updated 21 May 2024

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