The Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) has cancelled Round 3 of the Electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC) grant, after high levels of interest saw initial funds for Rounds 1 and 2 exhausted and additional funds tipped into Round 2.

The eNRMC grant provides up to $20,000 per residential aged care home, and is aimed at helping homes implement eNRMC systems. 1,800 homes have now accessed the funding.   

"The grant to support eNRMC has been highly successful," a spokesperson for the DoHAC told The SOURCE.

"The first round in last financial year was exhausted ahead of schedule, requiring some facilities to reapply under Round 2.

"Now, almost 70% of all residential aged care facilities [about 1,800 homes] have had a grant approved which equates to the provision of approximately $27 million (of the $30 million available) to the residential aged care sector for this purpose.  

"Bringing forward funding from the third round will help the remaining facilities who wish to apply for the grant to benefit from the higher amounts of funding available under Round 2. It avoids the burden on facilities of reapplying under Round 3, if Round 2 is exhausted early."

Applications for Round 2 are now open, closing on 28 March 2024 or earlier if funds are exhausted.  

Government funding to support aged care services digitise their operations was a recommendation of the Aged Care Royal Commission.