The Australian Government has announced new funding to help eligible aged care providers transition to an electronic medication management system, known as an electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC).

The funding has been offered to help incentivise the uptake of these systems to address medication errors identified in the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. 

This article will summarise the eligibility requirements for the grant and the kinds of products it covers. 

What grant opportunities will be provided? 

The Government will be granting funding to offset all costs associated with implementing an eNRMC. This includes the cost of purchasing software and hardware, change management and staff training. You must undertake to implement an eligible eNRMC Product within 12 months of receiving funding under the grant. 

Supporting Medication Management in Residential Aged Care Initiative - eNRMC Grant 

Is my service eligible for the funding? 

To be eligible for the eNRMC grant, you must be one of the following: 

• a residential aged care service (RACS) 
• a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care provider that delivers residential services 
• a Multi-Purpose Service providing residential aged care services (including those operated by state and territory governments). 

You must have a current and valid residential aged care service unique system identifier issued by the Commonwealth, such as a RACS ID or National Approved Provider Service ID.

Which eNRMC products are eligible? 

Only “Conformant” or “Transitional” eNRMC products can be funded, the requirements for each are detailed below: 

• Conformant products must meet the Australian Digital Health Agency’s Electronic Prescribing Conformance Profile version 3.0 and be listed on the Electronic Prescribing Conformance Register. 
• Transitional products must be approved by the Australian Digital Health Agency as a Transitional eNRMC Product and be listed on the Transitional eNRMC Conformance Register.

Click here to view registers for transitional and conformant products.

How long do I have to use the funding? 

Providers who are granted funding have 12 months to use it to purchase and implement the product. They must also submit evidence of adoption from the vendor of the product and submit a declaration stating that all funds have been spent on eligible activities. 

What is the deadline for applying for this grant? 

This grant opportunity is due to close on the 30 March 2023.

How can I apply for the eNRMC grant?

You can apply for the eNRMC grant via the online from on the GrantConnect website. 

Additional Resources

The following resources may assist in the implementation of an eNRMC in an aged care facility:

• The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has released an online guide exploring the implementation of an eNRMC which can be applied to all types of residential aged care facilities.
• The Australian Government has released a collection of resources containing information about the transitional arrangements in the rollout of eNRMC products. It provides information relevant to residential aged care providers, prescribers, software vendors and pharmacists as well as detailed information about the grant process.