Practice nurse subsidy

The practice nurse subsidy is to support the costs of hiring a practice nurse. Claims can be made for up to 40 hours per week. The nurse must be performing medical duties to be eligible for the subsidy.

Paying for practice nurse statutory holidays

The practice nurse subsidy is only available to cover the hours where actual practice nurse duties are performed. You can not claim the subsidy for holiday pay (statutory holidays or annual leave) sick leave, study leave etc. Only worked hours can be claimed.

Only general practices that claim for payments under the Section 88 Notice may claim for the practice nurse subsidy. General practices that receive funding via their primary health organisation (PHO) receive funding for the practice nurse subsidy as part of the base capitation funding.

The PHO Services Agreement doesn’t allow claims to be made under a Section 88 Notice for general practices receiving capitation funding. Part B, clause B.17(1), states: “a Contracted Provider who is entitled to receive a payment for services under this Agreement and a Section 88 Notice must Claim under this Agreement and may not make a claim under the Section 88 Notice.”

If you have not been paid for an entire practice nurse subsidy claim, call the Sector Operations Contact Centre. Find out if the claim has been received or whether payment has stopped due to an error with the claim or a processing problem.

0800 855 066 – Option 2

If the claim has not been received it will need to be resubmitted to Sector Operations via the usual routes. If the claim is over 6 months old it will need special approval from Te Whatu Ora before Sector Operations can process it.

Paying PN claims into the right accounts

It's possible to separate PN claims being paid into your doctor's personal account along with their GMS and IMMS. You will need to set up a payee number with Sector Operations for your practice. This number can be used for practice nurse claims and rural ranking payments – it cannot be used for GMS or IMMS.

Back dating practice nurse approval

Sector Operations will approve a nurse or doctor’s hours from the date we receive the application. We are unable to back date this with out special approval from your DHB.

If your doctor claims some of your doctor’s practice nurse subsidy at another clinic

Sector Operations works on a first in, first served basis. If the other clinic has made a legitimate claim (that is, they are not claiming more hours than they should) before to the usual clinic’s claim, then Sector Operations are obliged pay that claim. Claimants are advised to seek reimbursement from the other clinic.

Grouping nurse claims together as a practice claim

Sector Operations is in the process of moving as many clinics as possible away from claiming the practice nurse subsidy as a clinic. Certain large A&E clinics have been given permission to continue claiming like this due to the transitory nature of their medical staff, if you believe your clinic should be able to claim in this way you can apply in writing to Te Whatu Ora.

Signing the claim if the nurse is away

If the nurse off work, for example sick or on leave, cannot sign the Practice Nurse Claim themselves then the practice manager or Doctor can pp sign it for them.

This should only be done in exceptional circumstances.

How to claim for a locum

As for all locum claims, use the NZMC and payee number of the host doctor. The locum will be working under the Section 51 of the host and will use their eligibility.

Include a job description with the application for a new nurse

The practice nurse subsidy is provided to help pay for actual nurse work. Sector Operations requires a job description to ensure the nurse is not being hired for reception duties or anything else that is not performing the duties of a practice nurse.

Download, complete and send your claim forms to:

Practice Nurse Subsidy
Sector Operations
PO Box 1043, Wellington

Call the Sector Operations Contact Centre to find out more:
0800 855 066 – Option 2 – Claims

Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 8am – 5pm
Wed: 9.30am – 5pm