Professional development opportunities and events read more

Changes proposed to prescribed notifiable conditions
Have your say by 6 October read more

Positive reports by pharmacies using My Health Record
Pharmacists and patients are finding it helpful read more

Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training
The next Module 2 session is on 22 October read more

Comments invited on Optimal Care Pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer
National public consultation is open until 27 October read more

Help for patients with asthma
This Asthma Australia phone-based coaching could help keep your patients on track read more

Dementia Awareness Month
It's not too late to spread the word and read information for health professionals read more

Bring design thinking into your organisation
Tune into a free webinar this week read more

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services is proposing changes to the prescribed notifiable conditions in the public health and wellbeing legislation.

The proposed changes aim to streamline reporting and modernise the scheme.

Medical practitioners and laboratories in a range of settings - including public and private hospitals, primary and community health, private practice and commercial pathology services - are required to notify specific cases of infectious disease and other medical conditions to the department. These notifications protect the health of Victorians as they allow the department to control public health risks, minimise the spread of disease and monitor disease patterns.

Feedback is open on the proposed changes until 6 October. Visit here for more information.

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The cover story in the latest edition of Australian Pharmacist is about My Health Record and progress to date.

Pharmacists in the two regions where the opt-out arrangement was trialled last year reported an increased use of the My Health Record, and that being able to see discharge summaries was particularly helpful for understanding what happened in hospital and what they'd need to do to follow up.

The full article is here.

My Health Record for every Australian will begin nationally from mid 2018.

If you need help with My Health Record, contact our Digital Health team on 03 8514 4460 or digitalhealth@semphn.org.au.

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Opioid dependence is a growing public health concern affecting a wide variety of patients including users of illicit, prescription and over-the-counter opioids.

To prescribe pharmacotherapy the following free two-part training is required.

Module 1 (Safer Opiod Prescribing) – a two-hour online training approved for 4 Category 2 RACGP QI&CPD points for the 2017-2019 triennium.

This training is a compulsory pre-requisite to attend Module 2.

Module 2 – A one day face-to-face workshop approved for 40 Category 1 RACGP QI&CPD points for the 2017-2019 triennium.

The next Module 2 session is 9am-5pm on 22 October in Nunawading.

Access to online Module 1 and registrations for Module 2 is via the RACGP Victoria events page.

The training is free and available to members and non-members of RACGP.

For more information call Jackie Apostolopoulos on 0429 808 317 or email jacqueline.apostolopoulos@semphn.org.au.

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Cancer Australia and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services have opened national public consultation on the Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak health bodies, organisations, associations and health professionals are encouraged to provide input. 

The OCP aims to improve cancer outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by facilitating consistent, safe, high-quality and evidence-based cancer care. The pathway also intends to provide clinicians and health administrators with an agreed, nation-wide approach to cancer care across the cancer continuum.

How can I respond?

Please provide feedback by 5pm 27 October to Cancer Council Victoria by email optimalcare.pathways@cancervic.org.au.

The OCP is available on Cancer Council Victoria's website along with Reviewer Guidelines to support your response.

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Asthma Australia has introduced The COACH Program® to help support patients with asthma.

The Program is a health coaching phone service that helps people with asthma, or those who care for someone with asthma, to improve their general health and asthma control.

The COACH Program®

• is delivered by Asthma Foundation coaches, who call your patient within a week of receiving a referral.
• is confidential and free for patients
• runs for six months, with regular scheduled calls.
• works with your patient to provide tailored information about asthma and set goals for their asthma management, aligned with best practice treatment guidelines.
• helps patients identify lifestyle risk factors for asthma flare ups
• provides education to achieve good asthma control
• provides a summary letter of each call to the patient and their GP.

Complete a simple referral webform or download a referral template.

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People affected by dementia report that their experience is often isolating, and studies show a high level of stigma toward people living with dementia.

Dementia awareness month this September has a theme of 'You are not alone'.

How can you get involved?

• Check out the calendar of events and print resources for your waiting room here.
• Check-out the health professionals section on the Alzheimer's Australia website to help the people you work with to manage the day-to-day and big picture challenges that dementia can bring.

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Navy Design is running a free webinar for people in healthcare who want to learn how to bring user experience (UX) design into their organisation. The webinar covers:

• What a good user experience design process looks like
• The commercial impact and benefits in a healthcare setting
• A framework for bringing user experience design to your organisation.

The webinar is on Wednesday 20 September at 10am. To learn more about what's covered and to register, see the program overview.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

20 Sep		SANE Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention Workshop Mental Health Workers Heatherton Details and registration
23 Sep		Build Your Practice Conference and Exhibition 2017 GPs, Practice Managers, Allied Health Professionals Melbourne Details and registration
3 Oct		Ice training for AOD workers AOD Workers Dandenong Details and registration
3 Oct		Ice training for Housing and Homelessness workers Housing and Homelessness workers Dandenong Details and registration
4 Oct		Ice training for Health workers Health workers Dandenong Details and registration
5 Oct		Ice training for Community Mental Health workers Community Mental Health workers Dandenong Details and registration
5 Oct		Ice training for Welfare workers Community Welfare workers Dandenong Details and registration
6 Oct		2017 Successfully Working with Women and their Health GPs Melbourne Details and registrations
10 Oct		SANE Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention Workshop Mental Health Workers Heatherton Details and registration
11 Oct		Asking Better Questions Workshop Practice Nurses Berwick Details and registration

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

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