The Department of Health has announced it will extend the Health Care Homes trial for a further 18 months along with a massive reduction in the number of patients who can be enrolled, down from the original target of 65,000 to 12,000.

All participating general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services should now be using shared care planning software after that aspect of the trial was given a year-long extension in 2017.

The requirement that patients also have a My Health Record to participate was dropped last year.