Professional development opportunities and events read more

$1.3 million funding awarded for chronic disease 
Eleven health care providers have received funding for health initiatives read more

ePIP: Shared Health Summary targets
You might receive a letter about your target uploads read more

Health promotion practitioner registration is coming
Around mid-year, applications will be available read more

Be familiar with the new Health Complaints Act
Read important information about the new legislation read more

Statin Study
Consider getting involved in this world-first, placebo-controlled trial read more

Webinar: Assessing and referring clients with vision loss
Vision Australia is hosting this event in May read more

World Asthma Day
Have you seen the how-to video library on inhaler device use? read more

This month, SEMPHN has awarded more than $1.3 million of total funding to 11 health care providers for initiatives in the priority area of chronic disease.

More than 300,000 people in South Eastern Melbourne have one or more chronic diseases and improving their health is one of SEMPHN's key priority areas.

The funding will particularly reach at-risk population groups in suburbs including Dandenong, Hastings, Cranbourne and St Kilda.

Successful tenderers for the ‘complex and chronic conditions’ grant will each deliver initiatives to at least 100 patients between June 2017-2018. The initiatives, including better care co-ordination strategies, will improve access to primary care services, improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients with poorly managed chronic conditions, and reduce the rate of Potentially Preventable Hospitalisations (PPH).

Peninsula Health, Monash Health and Alfred Health also received funding to improve links to primary health care. The initiatives, based at their Community Health Centres, will aim to prevent patients’ acute and/or chronic conditions from worsening and potentially avoid hospital admissions or emergency department presentations – especially after hours.

Learn more about the successful projects here.

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Some practices registered for the ePIP will soon receive letters from the Department of Health regarding the Shared Health Summary (SHS) targets uploads from 1 May 2016 to 31 January 2017.

As detailed in a recent notice from the AMA, the letters will be sent to practices who do not appear to have met their target. The letter’s content will depend on what has been paid to date and how many uploads have been done. If you were prevented from reaching the target due to issues beyond your control, you may qualify for an exemption, in which case you should contact the Department of Human Services on 1800 222 032 or pip@humanservices.gov.au to discuss (once you’ve received the letter).

Here at SEMPHN, we receive regular datasets that tell us the numbers of uploads and views by practices. But we don’t know what the ePIP target is for each practice. As always, contact the team on ehealth@semphn.org.au or 03 8514 4460 if you have any questions or need help.

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Health promotion professionals across Australia will have the opportunity to apply to become a Registered Health Promotion Practitioner.

An online application system has been developed and will be linked to the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) website. Successful applicants will earn the title IUHPE (International Union for Health Promotion and Education) Registered Health Promotion Practitioner.

The registration system and a small intake of applications is planned for launch mid-year, followed by a gradual roll-out over the coming year.

Details can be found on the AHPA website.

Registration won't be mandatory for employment but designed to provide practical assistance for recruitment and selection processes.

For more information, contact Andrew Jones-Roberts, Chair, AHPA NAO Management Committee on 0410 416 248 or email NAO@healthpromotion.org.au.

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The office of the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) has replaced the office of the Health Services Commissioner and there is new legislation: the Health Complaints Act 2016 (Vic).

Some of the changes include:

• A much broader definition of a ‘health service’. This means the HCC has jurisdiction over a wide range of non-registered providers that they were previously unable to deal with. 
• anyone is able to complain - not just consumers.
• there is a Code of Conduct for non-registered practitioners or those practising outside their area of registration.
• greater capacity for HCC to investigate matters where there is a risk to the health, safety or welfare of individuals or the public.
• new complaints handling standards to which all health services must comply.

What you can do

• Read the Complaint Handling Standards that now apply to all Victorian health service providers.
• Read the Code of Conduct that now applies to Victorian general health service providers. There is a Code of Conduct: In Brief version
• Look at the resources on the HCC website, including suggested text for your website about handling complaints, and other information materials for patients.
• Discuss potential education and information sessions by calling Caroline Rose on 9032 3130 or email caroline.rose@hcc.vic.gov.au.

Would you like to be involved in a world first, placebo-controlled statin trial, based in general practice?

The School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University would like to work with GPs to invite patients 70 years and older who are free of CVD and diabetes, to participate in the study STAREE – Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly. 

The study is NH&MRC funded with no pharmaceutical company endorsement. Practice reimbursement and CPD points are available and STAREE staff will perform all required assessments.

Read the detailed rationale or for more information visit the STAREE website. To express your interest, call STAREE on 1800 770 664, email staree@monash.edu, or fax back your details on this letter.

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Vision Australia is hosting a series of My Aged Care webinars - created especially for assessors and their leaders.

The first webinar will cover:

When and how to refer

• What level of vision loss triggers a My Aged Care referral
• How to make a referral to Vision Australia

How to identify someone with vision loss

• Who it affects
• Common eye conditions that cause vision loss
• The impact of vision loss

How Vision Australia can help your client

• Emotional support and networks
• OT, orientation and mobility
• Magnifiers, lighting, equipment and more
• Audio books, magazines and newspapers

Event details:

Date: Thursday 18 May
Time: 12noon-1pm
Registration: Register here by 15 May

For more information call 1300 847 466.

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In the SEMPHN region, there were 1767 potentially preventable hospitalisations for asthma in 2013-14, with an average length of stay of 2.1 days.

With tomorrow being World Asthma Day, it's a good time to check out National Asthma Council Australia's resources for health professionals.

On the website, you can find:

• Australian Asthma Handbook
• Asthma and Respiratory Workshop Education Program
• Asthma action plan library
• How-to video library on inhaler device use
• Information papers

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

4 May	Consumer Participation in the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector event Aboriginal Health Worker, Allied Health Professional, Case worker, GP, Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse, Pharmacist, Practice Manager, Psychologist Melbourne Details and registration
5 May	Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training, Module 2, session 2 GPs, Nurse Practitioners Collingwood Details and registration
10 May	Old School, Cognition, depression, dementia General Practitioner Melbourne Details and registration
11 May	Youth Mental Health First Aid (2 days 4 and 11 May) Case worker, Community member, Other Cheltenham Details and registration
12 May	2017 Successfully Working with Women and their Health GPs Melbourne Details and registration
16 May	Our elders' emotional wellbeing and mental health matters. Aged care staff (PCAs through to RNs) who work with clients either in RACFs or community care. Dandenong Details and registrations
16 May	Suicide Prevention Workshop Allied Health Professional, Case worker, Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse South Melbourne Details and registration
22-23 May	Settlement Services: Recognise and Respond to Domestic and Family Violence Allied Health Professionals GPs Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse Melbourne Details and registrations

For more information about events contact Stephenie Cook ph: (03) 8514 6609 or events@semphn.org.au

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