The long-awaited Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme launched last week, covering the full cost of products such as bandages, dressings and adhesives for people with diabetes who have a chronic wound and are over 65, or over 50 for First Nations people. The other caveat is that they cannot already be receiving wound care or funding through the NDIS, DVA, residential aged care homes, hospitals or government-funded wound clinics.

To access the scheme, GPs and other eligible health professionals must first complete a one-hour online training module developed by Monash University. They can then register for the CWCS portal. Following that, after assessing the wound of an eligible patient, they’ll be able to order the required products for that particular person via an online portal or over the phone.

The products will then be delivered either to the clinic or to the patient’s home at no cost.

Some GPs have worried about the additional admin required to order on a patient-by-patient basis.

The scheme is expected to support 20,000 people each year, saving the average eligible patient around $4000 annually, the Government says.

AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen welcomed the scheme but called for it to be expanded to all patients with chronic wounds.

“People with diabetes over the age of 65 and First Nations Australians with diabetes over the age of 50 with chronic wounds, are eligible for the scheme, but there are many Australians outside of this group who suffer from chronic wounds,” Dr McMullen said.

“As GPs, we see some terrible consequences for patients if a wound isn’t managed properly, like amputations at the worst and nasty infections at least,” she said.

“At the moment, outside of this scheme, Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of the dressings we need to treat chronic wounds correctly, so doctors are either bearing the costs themselves or are forced to pass on the cost to patients, and that’s not something we like doing.”

“Costs can mean patients wait too long to get the treatment they need, and they end up in overcrowded hospitals.”

“The wounds consumables scheme is a very important step in addressing this issue, but it can go further — ensuring it helps more Australians with chronic wounds.”