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Recognition of previous rTMS experience
Psychiatrists who have provided rTMS treatment prior to 1 November 2021 and who met the criteria to qualify under ‘grandparenting’ rules between 1 November 2021 and 30 April 2022 may claim MBS items and do not have to complete any additional rTMS training.
Criteria for recognition under ‘grandparenting’ rules
If psychiatrists determine they met the grandparenting criteria, the rTMS item numbers can be used from 1 November 2021.
Psychiatrists were required to self-asses their own skills and have met the criteria as outlined in the MBS rTMS explanatory notes from October 2021.
rTMS grandparenting criteria – MBS rTMS explanatory notes [MBS website]
The ‘grandparenting’ provision is available until 1 May 2022. After this, psychiatrists wishing to claim MBS items for rTMS must complete a RANZCP-endorsed training course.
CPD requirements and auditing
Psychiatrists are required to stay up to date with current practice and research in rTMS therapy.
Practitioners working in this field will also need to ensure they meet the following ongoing CPD requirements for rTMS:
- reference of rTMS in their Professional Development Plan
- a minimum of 10 hours of CPD activities completed annually relating to rTMS. These hours can be spread across any of the following CPD sections:
- Section 2: Formal Peer Activities (e.g., participation in a rTMS Peer Review group)
- Section 3: Practice Improvement Activities (e.g., audit of a rTMS practice or service).
- Section 4: Self-Guided Learning Activities (e.g., attending rTMS workshops, neurostimulation conferences, reading journal articles.
In the event of an audit by Medicare and/or AHPRA, the individual psychiatrist will need to provide evidence that they have met ongoing CPD requirements (relating to TMS) in addition to the criteria for practitioners to claim MBS items for rTMS.
Contact
Email cpdhelp@ranzcp.org or call 1800 337 448 (toll free from Australia) or 0800 443 827 (toll-free from New Zealand).
