Enrolment with primary health care provider

A client and their partner (if any) getting Supported Living Payment must take all reasonable steps to enrol their child or children with a primary health care provider. This means being enrolled with a registered medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or a medical practice that is part of a Primary Health Organisation.

Taking all reasonable steps to enrol

If a client cannot register their child at a medical practice, or with a registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner because of shortages a client can be considered to be meeting this obligation if they have a plan in place to:

• be enrolled with a practice when a place becomes available and
• get health care for their child if the child becomes sick

The primary health care obligation applies to parents and caregivers getting a main benefit:

• with dependent children included in their benefit or
• who are caring for a child that they get Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit for

Most children will already be enrolled with a primary health care provider and in most cases MSD should take the client's word that they are meeting this social obligation.

However, if MSD has information the client may not be taking all reasonable steps to meet this social obligation, MSD may ask the client to get verification.

For example verification could be a letter from their medical centre or their registered practitioner that says they are enrolled (most medical centres will send this when a client is enrolled).