Services provided on behalf of a medical practitioner by a practice nurse and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care professionals (MBS Items 10983, 10987, 10988, 10989, 10997, 93200, 93201, 93202, 93203)

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:

Service	Eligible provider/s	Item/s	Associated Note
Immunisation	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner	10988	MN.12.1
Wound Management	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner	10989	MN.12.2
Health assessment follow up (patients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent only)	Practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner	10987 93200 93202	MN.12.3
Treatment under a GP chronic condition management plan or multidisciplinary care plan	Practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner	10997 93201 93203	MN.12.4
Patient end video support	Practice nurse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker	10983	MN.12.5

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:

Service	Eligible patients	Service limits	Items	Associated Note
Immunisation	Medicare-eligible patients	As required	10988	MN.12.1
Wound management	Medicare-eligible patients	As required	10989	MN.12.2
Health assessment follow up (patients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent only)	Patients of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent requiring follow-up care identified during a health assessment	Up to 10 services per patient per calendar year	10987 93200 93202	MN.12.3
Treatment under a GP chronic condition management plan or multidisciplinary care plan	Patients with at least one chronic condition and who have an eligible plan in place for the management of that condition. For patients with a GP chronic condition management plan the plan must have been prepared or reviewed within the last 18 months	Up to 5 services per patient per calendar year	10997 93201 93203	MN.12.4
Patient end video support	Patients requiring clinical assistance during a specialist consultation conducted via video attendance	As required	10983	MN.12.5

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.

Service	Eligible Providers	Item	Associated Note
Immunisation	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners	10988	MN.12.1
Wound management	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners	10989	MN.12.2
Health assessment follow up (patients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent only)	Practice nurses Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners	10987 93200 93202	MN.12.3
Treatment under a GP chronic condition management plan or multidisciplinary care plan	Practice nurses Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners	10997 93201 93203	MN.12.4
Patient end video support	Practice nurses Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners	10983	MN.12.5

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