Treatment of a person's wound

Publication date: 1 July 2026

SUMMARY

This note outlines the requirements for item 10989 for the provision of wound management services provided by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner.

This service may be delivered to a patient once per visit.

The medical practitioner who supervises and claims the item is not required to assess the patient’s wound each time the wound management service is delivered, unless clinically indicated.

USE OF THE ITEMS

Note: The requirements in this note must be met in addition to the requirements for ‘on behalf of’ items contained in MN.12.6.

This item is used for the treatment of a patient’s wound(s) provided by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner, on behalf of, and under the supervision of a medical practitioner.

To use this item, the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) state that:

• the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander health practitioner must be appropriately qualified and trained to treat wounds
• a medical practitioner under whose supervision the health practitioner provides the treatment has conducted an initial assessment of the person
• the health practitioner has been instructed by the medical practitioner about the treatment of the wound, and
• the medical practitioner retains responsibility for the health, safety and clinical outcomes of the person.

Does a medical practitioner have to assess the patient’s wound on the same day each time a wound management service is delivered by the health practitioner?

No. The medical practitioner who supervises the health practitioner for the item must conduct an initial assessment of the patient’s wound and provide instructions to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner about how the wound is to be managed and treated. This can occur on the same day or a different day as the first service under MBS item 10989.

After this initial assessment, the medical practitioner is not required to assess the patient’s wound each time the wound management service is delivered, unless clinically indicated.

If the condition of the wound changes and, in the health practitioner’s clinical judgement, it is relevant for the patient to be re assessed, the medical practitioner may assess the patient again and provide updated instructions for the ongoing management of the wound.

The patient is being bulk billed for this service. Can wound care consumables used during this service be separately billed?

No. Where a wound management service is bulk billed, the Medicare benefit is taken to be the full payment for the service. Patients must not be charged separately for consumables, such as dressings or bandages used to perform the service. Further information about Medicare billing procedures can be found at GN.7.17.

The Australian Government’s Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme (CWCS) covers the cost of wound consumable products for people who have diabetes and a chronic wound, and who are aged 65 years and over, or aged 50 years and over for First Nations people. Information on this scheme is available at https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/cwcs.

Can I co-claim this item with an attendance item, or with another item delivered by a health provider on behalf of a medical practitioner?

Yes, in certain circumstances. Item 10989 may be claimed on the same day as an different service provided on behalf of a medical practitioner (items 10988, 10987, 10997 and 10983) where both items are distinctly and clinically relevant services consistent with the patient’s health needs, there is no duplication of services and the requirements of each item (including time requirements) are fully and independently met.

Where the medical practitioner provides a professional attendance to the patient (in addition to the wound service provided by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner), the medical practitioner may also claim for the professional attendance they provide to the patient.

ELIGIBLE PATIENTS

This item is available for Medicare-eligible patients who are not an admitted patient of a hospital, who have received an initial assessment by a medical practitioner and require wound management services.

ELIGIBLE PRACTITIONERS

This item is a medical practitioner item. The service is delivered by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner. The medical practitioner must claim the MBS item and retain responsibility for the health, safety and clinical outcomes for the patient.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner delivering the service on behalf of the medical practitioner must be appropriately qualified and trained to deliver wound management services.

The Health Insurance Act 1973 requires the person rendering the service to be in Australia. As the medical practitioner’s Medicare provider number is used to claim the service, they are considered to be the person who renders the service.

Information on supervision arrangements can be found in MN.12.6 (overarching note).

RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Providers are responsible for ensuring services claimed from Medicare using their provider number meet all legislative requirements and they may be required to submit evidence for compliance checks related to Medicare claims. Practitioners should ensure they keep adequate and contemporaneous records. For information on what constitutes adequate and contemporaneous records see GN.15.39.

RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Details about the legislative requirements of the MBS item can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au. This item is set out in the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021.

Publication date: 1 July 2026

SUMMARY

This note sets out the common requirements for MBS services that can be provided on behalf of a medical practitioner by practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners (items 10983, 10987, 10988, 10989, 10997, 93200, 93201, 93202, 93203).

The item requirements and health providers eligible to provide a service differs for each item. Details on item specific requirements are as follows:

USE OF THE ITEMS

Note: The requirements set out in this note must be met in addition to the requirements contained in each item’s relevant associated note. Refer to the table in the Summary section for the relevant associated notes.

These items are used by medical practitioners when specified services are provided on their behalf by eligible practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners to deliver relevant services to patients (as specified in each item).

Services delivered by the health practitioner must be within the accepted scope of practice of the health practitioner, in accordance with accepted medical practice and under the supervision of the medical practitioner.

These items may be claimed with a single bulk billing incentive when they are bulk billed. Information on bulk billing incentives is available in MN.1.1.

The regulations state that the service must be provided under the supervision of a medical practitioner. Does that mean the medical practitioner must be in the same room as the person delivering the service?

No. Supervision at a distance is acceptable. However, in order to claim Medicare benefits, the medical practitioner must be in Australia and be readily contactable to provide timely clinical advice as required. The medical practitioner retains overall responsibility for the patient’s care. 

I am qualified health professional (not a medical practitioner) and I am able to practice independently within my scope of practice. Why do I need supervision when providing these services?

The MBS considers these items to be medical practitioner items. This means the service can be provided by another health professional on behalf of the medical practitioner but the medical practitioner remains legally responsible for the service.

Supervision in these items refers to the legal responsibility under the MBS. MBS supervision requirements are distinct and separate to supervision requirements, including ability to practice independently, under the National Boards and the Australian health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Aphra).

The health practitioner that provides the service on behalf of the medical practitioner is still subject to their professional standards, scope of practice and State and Territory laws.

Can I provide remote supervision from overseas? 

No. The Health Insurance Act 1973 requires the person rendering the service to be in Australia. As the medical practitioner’s Medicare provider number is used to claim the service, they are considered to be the person who renders the service. 

We have a nurse practitioner at the practice. Can they provide practice nurse services under these items?

Yes. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with an endorsement as a nurse practitioner. Therefore, provided they are working in general practice or a health service with a relevant section 19(2) exemption to the Health Insurance Act 1973, they meet the definition of a practice nurse for the purposes of these items.

Nurse practitioners may also provide services using nurse practitioner attendance items (see MN.14.12). If a nurse practitioner provides a service to a patient on behalf of a medical practitioner and an attendance service on the same day, the services must be independent services and clinically necessary. Both items cannot be claimed for the same service/time.

Is it ever appropriate to co-claim another item with an ‘on behalf of’ item during a patient’s visit?

Yes. Co-claiming may be appropriate where both services provided by the practitioner(s) are distinct and clinically relevant services consistent with the patient’s health needs, there is no duplication of services, the requirements of each item (including time requirements) are fully and independently met and there are no relevant co-claiming restrictions on the other item.

ELIGIBLE PATIENTS

Any patient who is eligible to receive Medicare benefits, is not an admitted patient of a hospital, and meets the criteria for one or more of the following items may receive one of these services, subject to the specified service limits:

ELIGIBLE PRACTITIONERS

These items are medical practitioner items. The services are delivered by an eligible practitioner on behalf of, and under the supervision of, a medical practitioner.

The medical practitioner must claim the MBS item and retains responsibility for the health, safety and clinical outcomes for the patient. The health practitioner delivering the service on behalf of the medical practitioner must be appropriately qualified and trained to deliver the service.

Services must be rendered according to the provisions of the relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory laws. For example, practitioners may only administer a vaccine where the service is in line with the provisions of relevant State and Territory laws for the regulation, control, supply and use of drugs and therapeutic goods.

As set out in the table below, depending on the item rendered, eligible providers may be practice nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

The terms ‘practice nurse’, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker’ and ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner’ are defined in the Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations).

The Regulations define a practice nurse as "a registered or an enrolled nurse who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a general practice or by a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

The Regulations define an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker as "a person:

1. who holds a qualification of Certificate III or higher in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care from the Health (HLT) training package; and
2. who is engaged by a medical practitioner in a general practice or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

The Regulations define an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner as “a person:

1. who is registered under the national law in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice profession; and
2. who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a medical practitioner in a general practice or a health service to which a direction made under subsection 19(2) of the [Health Insurance] Act applies.”

RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Providers are responsible for ensuring services claimed from Medicare using their provider number meet all legislative requirements and they may be required to submit evidence for compliance checks related to Medicare claims. Practitioners should ensure they keep adequate and contemporaneous records. For information on what constitutes adequate and contemporaneous records see GN.15.39.

RELEVANT LEGISLATION

Details about the legislative requirements of the MBS item(s) can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au. These items are set out in the following regulatory instruments:

• Health Insurance (General Medical Services Table) Regulations 2021 – item 10983, 10987, 10988, 10989, 10997
• Health Insurance (Section 3C General Medical Services – Telehealth Attendances) Determination 2021 – items 93200, 93201, 93202, 93203