The Other Medical Practitioner Extension Program has been extended again, but will not take on new participants.
Non vocationally registered GPs can continue to access some A1 rebates for another 12 months, with the Other Medical Practitioner Extension Program extended until 30 June 2026.
The OMPEP was introduced to replace the After Hours Other Medical Practitioners program (AHOMP), the Outer Metropolitan Other Medical Practitioners program (OMOMP) and the Rural Other Medical Practitioners program (ROMP), all of which sunset on 30 June 2023.
Only medical practitioners who were on one of those three programs in 2023 were eligible to swap to the OMPEP.
No new applicants are being accepted. Anyone who was already participating in the program was automatically added to the extension.
Related
“Applications are not necessary as eligible OMPEP program participants will be automatically extended on the OMPEP, provided they continue to meet the requirements of the legacy OMP program that underpinned their initial eligibility for OMPEP,” the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said.
“Ongoing eligibility for an OMPEP placement extension requires continued participation in accordance with the OMPEP program guidelines under which the participant was registered on 30 June 2025 and the ROMPs or AHOMPs program that underpinned their eligibility on OMPEP.”
For participants in the rural ROMP program, for instance, program requirements include providing services in rural or remote regions or outer metropolitan areas of significant workforce shortage.
According to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the intent of the program is to “recognise the value of services provided by medical practitioners who do not hold specialist registration in general practice”.
