The federal government will continue to provide free access to the Healthdirect video conferencing system for GPs as well as subsidising the cost of SMS messages for electronic prescriptions under the $2 billion package to extend a range of COVID-19 health measures announced last week.

And while it is still considering extending the special arrangement allowing for image-based prescriptions to be sent by fax or email, the Australian Digital Health Agency has announced it will extend the end-date for conformant eScript software beyond September 30.