Telehealth services during lockdown

GPs can provide Medicare subsidised telehealth consults and have free access to Healthdirect’s Video Call platform until 31 December 2021.  

During our current Victorian lockdown the established relationship rule requiring a face to face visit in the last 12 months does not apply (as it does not apply within a COVID-19 impacted area where a person’s movement is restricted by a State or Territory public health requirement that applies to the person’s location).

Video consults don't replace face-to-face consults, but they offer significant advantages over telephone consults including: 

• Visual cues and information for diagnosis - no need for the patient to transfer images by non-secure email
• Easier to gauge the patient's understanding
• Easier to manage any misunderstandings
• Easier to conduct general assessments during routine calls.

Video consults may not be necessary for all telehealth consults, but having Video Call set up offers you a better option for complex consults.

Any general practices that have not already registered for Video Call should contact our Digital Health support at digitalhealth@semphn.org.au or 03 8514 4460 and we can set this up for you, as well as provide you and your team with the necessary training.      

Free alcohol and drug program to support people in Casey

South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN) has partnered with Taskforce to deliver ResetLife, an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) treatment service for adults within the City of Casey.

ResetLife is a highly-structured program that includes individual, group, and family education sessions. The program guides the client through real-life situations, giving information and skills to help regain control over drug and alcohol use.

The treatment runs for 52 weeks with 16 weeks of Intensive structured treatment followed by 36 weeks of continuing care. Clients will attend formal treatment three days per week and informal treatment the other days of the week.

The service will commence on 1 September 2021.

Referrals will open for referrals closer to the commencement date via SEMPHN's Access & Referral by telephone: 1800 862 363 (8.30 am—4.30 pm weekdays).

Do you know a storyteller?

SEMPHN personas combine personal stories and real-life experiences with data from our Needs Assessments to illustrate challenges some of our community members face when trying to access health services in south eastern Melbourne. 

The stories often identify barriers people have experienced to find suitable and relevant health services, and their personal outlook on what does and doesn’t work in the health system. 

Doctors in Secondary Schools an ongoing success and to continue

The Doctors in Secondary Schools is a Victorian State-funded program that connects a general practitioner and practice nurse with a participating school one day per week.

The Victorian Budget 2021-22 has funded $43.4 million to extend the Doctors in Secondary Schools program in all participating schools across Victoria for another four years.

Thank you to current participating providers for your hard work and commitment. 

Across the state clinics and schools have contributed to and benefitted from:

• 41,000 consultations have been delivered by general practitioners 
• over 10,500 referrals have been made

Across the 17 participating schools in the SEMPHN catchment, so far just this year, we have seen:

• 759 GP consultations (57% mental health, 31% physical health, 7% sexual health)
• 370 practice nurse consultations
• 349 referrals

Interested in joining the program?

We are currently seeking expressions of interest from clinics in the Pakenham area that may have a GP with an interest in Youth Health who would like to join the program.

For more information please contact: drsinschools@semphn.org.au

Can a person with an egg allergy receive the 2021 influenza vaccine?

Australian Immunisation Handbook tip:

Egg allergy is not a contraindication to receiving the 2021 influenza vaccine, and people with egg allergy, including anaphylaxis, can be safely vaccinated with influenza vaccines.

People with a history of anaphylaxis to egg can be vaccinated with a full vaccine dose in medical facilities with staff experienced in recognising and treating anaphylaxis.

All staff performing vaccinations should be able to recognise and treat anaphylaxis. 

Further information is available in the:

• Australian Immunisation Handbook
• NCIRS Influenza vaccines for Australians: Provider information fact sheet and Frequently Asked Questions
• ASCIA Guidelines - Vaccination of the egg-allergic individual

A list of state and territory specialist immunisation services is also available on the NCIRS website.

Practice managers, want to learn more about Quality Improvement? (16 June)

Recently, we hosted a webinar covering the basics of Quality Improvement (QI) in general practice. Now, we are inviting practice managers to join us on Wednesday, 16 June at 12.30 for Part 2. 

In this second session, led by Dr Paresh Dawda and Angelene True, we will be looking at the next steps of QI, translating theory into practice.

When: Wednesday, 16 June, 12.30 pm
Where: Online, Zoom
Cost: free
Register here.

Did you miss Part 1 of the Quality Improvement series? 

Don’t worry, we have a recording available! Contact your provider support officer (providersupport@semphn.org.au) for the link. 

Little Lungs: paediatric asthma update (17 June)

This webinar is brought to you by SEMPHN and the National Asthma Council Australia.

The Australian Asthma Handbook details the latest guidelines for paediatric asthma from 0-12 months, 1-5 years, 6-11 years old. 

Participants will learn how to:

• Identify the steps involved in the diagnosis of paediatric asthma - referring to the Australian Asthma Handbook
• Describe the management of asthma across the different ages in children
• Summarise the important information to be included in a Written Asthma Action Plan
• Define the steps in managing acute asthma in primary care.

This webinar is for both practice nurses and general practitioners.

When: 17 June, 7 pm - 8 pm
Where: Online, Zoom
Accreditation: RACGP & ACRRM points will be available.
Register here.

New National Cancer Screening Registry portal for clinicians

The National Cancer Screening Registry has released a portal for healthcare providers to allow access to information about participant screening.

To access the Healthcare Provider Portal you’ll need to create a PRODA (or Provider Digital Access) to enable secure access. The process of setting up a PRODA login is quick and simple, and the website has handy information to help you through the process.

The key benefits of the new portal are:

• All of your patients’ cervical and bowel screening participation information accessed in a single place

• Time savings - with the new Healthcare Provider Portal you’ll no longer need to ring the Screening Registry to manage details or order bowel screening kits
• Improved ability to track and report on your patients’ screening participation and improved participation among your patients

For further information on accessing the national register, click here.

Did you know it's Bowel Cancer Awareness month?

Bowel cancer claims the lives of 103 Australians every week (5,336 people a year) - but it's one of the most treatable types of cancer if found early.

While the risk of bowel cancer increases significantly with age, the disease doesn't discriminate, affecting men and women, young and old.

296 Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer this week (15,352 people a year).

You can access the ‘Increasing Bowel Cancer Screening in General Practice’ Online Learning Module here – it’s free, it only takes about 20 minutes and it is a great way to ensure you and the staff at your clinic are up to date with the latest strategies to promote bowel cancer screening with your patients.

Free to all practice nurses in Victoria: Join the Nurse Ambassador Program

Cancer Council Victoria is offering a free Nurse Ambassador Program for practice nurses looking to broaden their scope of practice to include cancer screening and prevention activities across their whole practice.

Nurses will be recognised as ‘Cancer Screening Ambassadors’ after completing a series of four online webinars plus a reflective practice activity in their own practice. 

Webinar dates:

• Thursday 8 July 2021 1 pm–3 pm via Zoom
• Tuesday 13 July 2021 1 pm–3 pm via Zoom
• Thursday 22 July 2021 1 pm–3 pm via Zoom
• Tuesday 27 July 2021 1 pm–3 pm via Zoom

Please note attendance at all webinars plus the completion of a reflective practice activity is required in order to become a Cancer Screening Ambassador.

For more information, visit Cancer Council Victoria's website. 
To register, please click here.

Review of FASD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre has published a Review of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

The review states that FASD is a preventable, lifelong disability. FASD disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, however, there are limited prevalence statistics available in the mainstream Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

Accompanying the review is a short video of key points from the review, a summary version of the review with infographics and a factsheet.