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An open tender and more suicide prevention support now available General Practices: Phase 1b COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout
SEMPHN sent out letters (5 March) with more information for eligible general practices Have you seen our COVID-19 Vaccine page?
Stay up to date with what's happening during the vaccine rollout Hospital EDs seeing uptick in presentations of children with fever and upper respiratory complaints
Here are some useful resources for your practices Specialists – Implementing Digital Health in your practice
Discover how digital health tools can help optimise your practice For advice on a patient's mental health treatment, call A&R!
Our Access & Referral team can help connect you to experienced psychiatrists for free! GPs, here’s something to complement the mental health care you provide
Learn more about the HeadtoHelp initiative Free suicide prevention training for general practice
For practices in Frankston-Mornington Peninsula, Dandenong, Casey or Cardinia Nurse scholarships through Cancer Council Victoria
Financial assistance for Registered Nurses to become cervical screening providers National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) survey
Your feedback could support people with diabetes Professional development and events
A list of upcoming education events
Get the latest from SEMPHN's commissioning newsletter
Tender opportunities are released through eProcure and communicated via our commissioning newsletter SEMaphore. The latest updates include: Click here to subscribe to SEMaphore and get these news items directly in your inbox.
General Practices: Phase 1b COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout
Last Friday 5 March, letters were sent by email (from SEMPHN) to eligible General Practices, containing further detail on how and when your general practice will be involved in Phase 1b of the COVID Vaccine Rollout, as well as an Onboarding Pack. SEMPHN will also be hosting information sessions each week for each ‘cohort’ of general practices i.e. Week 1, Week 2. General Practices who are in ‘Week 1’ were sent the information session registration link for this week, with their letter on Friday. Please contact SEMPHN at covidvaccine@semphn.org.au with any queries.
Have you seen our
COVID-19 Vaccine page?
In addition to our COVID-19 page for health professionals, we have also created a page specific to the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure you can get relevant information at a quick glance. This page offers timely and relevant resources such as: - How to stay up-to-date about the vaccine rollout
- Links to COVID-19 vaccine training
- Information about vaccine rollout phases 1a and 1b
- Advice on influenza and COVID-19 vaccine
Our most recent updates to the COVID-19 vaccine page include: Visit our page here.
Hospital EDs seeing an uptick in presentations of children with fever and upper respiratory complaints
Hospital emergency departments are seeing an increase in paediatric patients with fever and other URTI symptoms. With the high level of community concern about health at the moment, along with the return to schools, socializing and workplaces, this might not be unexpected. The Royal Children’s Hospital clinical guidelines and fact sheets may be a useful resource for your practice:
Specialists – Implementing Digital Health in your practice
More and more specialists are embracing digital health solutions, many of which have proven their value in the provision of healthcare since the COVID-19 outbreak. Used well, digital health solutions can improve the efficiency of workflows and the quality of care, particularly through the provision of timely and accurate patient data. The Australian Digital Health Agency has put together a Digital Health Specialist Toolkit to help specialists adopt digital health. The toolkit includes
CPD modules, implementation guides and FAQ sheets about: - Secure messaging
- Telehealth
- Electronic prescribing
- My Health Record.
Don't hesitate to contact our Digital Health team at digitalhealth@semphn.org.au or 03 8514 4460 if you have any questions about implementing any of these digital health solutions in your
practice.
For advice on a patient's mental health treatment, call A&R!
SEMPHN, in partnership with Monash Health and Alfred Health, has made it easier for GPs to access free psychiatrist secondary consults. To refer or for more information, call SEMPHN’s Access & Referral (A&R) on 1800 862 363, 8.30 am-4.30 pm weekdays (no faxes).
GPs in Monash Health catchmentYou can access a free, 30-minute phone consultation during business hours to discuss your patient’s mental health, for example: diagnostic issues, medication options, developing safety plans and general management. The service is applicable to patients of all ages and includes generalist and subspecialist advice, including that related to child, aged persons, LGBTIQ, perinatal and intellectual disability. You will be asked to provide: - Likely diagnosis
- Relevant co-morbidities
- Current and past medications and treatments
- Overview of current mental health issues
- Reason for consultation
If a psychiatrist is available at the time of your call, you will be connected via phone. If not, you will be provided with an appointment time and meeting details. During the consultation, it’s expected that you will have access to your patient’s clinical record in order to be
able to answer questions that may arise.
GPs in Alfred Health catchmentBy prior appointment, you can access a free, 45-minute consultation by video or phone to discuss your patient’s mental health treatment, for example: - reviewing your patient’s management plan
- medication management advice
- referral and linkage information/recommendations.
This service is only
applicable to patients over the age of 25. This is a non-urgent service, and clinical responsibility for the patient remains with the treating GP. You now only need the following information to book a consultation: - Confirmation of patient consent for the consultation to occur
- Patient details/demographics
- Diagnosis
GPs, here’s something to complement the mental health care you provide
You may have heard about HeadtoHelp, but are you aware of the value-add to your usual patient care? HeadtoHelp is a $27 million Australian Government funded mental health service delivered by Victorian PHNs. Here are five benefits of HeadtoHelp for you and your patients: 1. A helpful navigator: HeadtoHelp can help you and your patients find the right mental health service for their needs. 2. Complement, not replace, your work with patients: HeadtoHelp will work with you and your patient, with everything from care planning, linking with existing services, referring to more intensive care or social supports if needed, all while keeping your patient connected to you - their usual general practice and GP. 3. A mental health treatment provider: HeadtoHelp provides onsite and telehealth services from a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers and AOD workers. 4. No long wait lists: HeadtoHelp responds quickly, with no or short wait for your patients to receive care. 5. Accessible: Services are free of charge; Medicare card and ID are not required. There are 15 HeadtoHelp mental health hubs in Victoria; three in south east Melbourne: Frankston, Officer and Berwick. Hubs are located at existing primary care settings, where people usually access general health care. Call HeadtoHelp to find out more Ph: 1800 595 212 Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm. Learn more on our webpage or check out our GP FAQ for detailed information
Free suicide prevention training for general practice
Is your general practice in Frankston-Mornington Peninsula, Dandenong, Casey or Cardinia? SEMPHN is partnering with the Black Dog Institute to deliver suicide prevention training for health professionals in these parts of the catchment. This training is offered as part of the Place-Based Suicide Prevention Trials which is a partnership between the Victorian Department of Health and Victorian Primary Health Networks. Talking about Suicide in General PracticeThis workshop aims to increase GPs skill and confidence in: - recognising presentations where suicide risk is high
- undertaking a detailed risk assessment
- management planning using a collaborative, team-based approach.
In addition to the training, The Black Dog Institute will make a number of resources available. When: 29 April 2021, 6pm-9pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free
Registration: https://www.cvent.com/d/fjq2sh
Accreditation: This course is accredited with RACGP, ACRRM and GPMHSC. Click here for more information or view the flyer.
Nurse scholarships through Cancer Council Victoria
Cancer Council Victoria is offering financial assistance for Victorian Registered Nurses (Division 1) to become cervical screening providers. - Deadline for applications is Sunday 14 March 2021
- Successful applicants will be awarded 50% of the funds on commencement of the training, and the remaining 50% upon successful completion of all the scholarship requirements.
- Successful applicants are required to commence an endorsed cervical screening provider training course in 2021 and undertake a quality improvement
activity.
- Criteria weighting will prioritise nurses working with under screened communities.
For more information please refer to the Nurse Scholarship Guidelines To apply, please complete the Nurse Scholarship Application Form If you have any queries, please contact Cat Hone,
Project Officer – Cancer Council Victoria on 1800 111 255 or certification@cancervic.org.au
National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) survey
Diabetes Australia would like to learn more about health professional’s understanding of the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). With the results of this survey, Diabetes Australia aim to improve communications with health professionals who are able to register people with the NDSS, and ultimately improve the availability of NDSS programs, services and support to people with diabetes. The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and all responses will be treated in accordance with the NDSS Privacy Policy. Please click here to take the survey If you wish to discuss the survey please contact Natasha Watson at Natasha.watson@diabeteswa.com.au
Professional development and events
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