The new Chronic Wounds Consumables Scheme (CWCS) can support ACCHOs in continuing to care for people with diabetes who have a chronic wound and are:
- A First Nations person aged 50 years or over, or
- Any person aged 65 years or over.
Most ACCHOs are already providing wound care to these patients and covering the cost of dressings. Under this new scheme, eligible patients will be able to receive dressings at no cost, helping to reduce the financial burden on services and support ongoing care.
NB: Patients are not eligible if they receive wound care through any of the following:
- NDIS; Department of Veterans’ Affairs; Residential aged care homes; Home Care Packages; Public/community wound clinics; Hospitals (post-op or outpatient care)
Health Professional Eligibility
To register and use the CWCS portal, health professionals must:
1. Be one of the following:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner
- Medical Practitioner in primary care setting
- Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner
- Podiatrist
2. Complete Best Practice Chronic Wound Care training
3. Have:
- An individual Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account
- Access to Health Professional Online Services (HPOS)
- Linked HPOS to PRODA
- A valid provider code
Health professionals who work in a remote area and who do not have internet access can access the scheme via a dedicated CWCS phone line.
Medicare items can also be claimed for wound care as summarised in this table:
For further information and resources:
Go to Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme (CWCS) – eLearning – Health Professional Education Resources – for more information, including steps on how to access the CWCS portal.
Go to Health Professional Education Resources – if you need help to create a PRODA account or need assistance in using PRODA and HPOS.
Please reach out to the compliance team cqi@ahmrc.org.au if you need any assistance accessing or using PRODA or HPOS
