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Monday 21
August
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In this edition
Professional development opportunities and events read more
SEMPHN Board applications now open
Apply now read more
Pre-vaccination checklist now available for Zostavax
Use this to help you know when to use the vaccine read more
Understanding allied health and nursing pathways for older patients
My Aged Care is the pathway to care read more
One stop shop for data and info about aged care services
A new website called 'GEN' was launched by AIHW last week read more
Pharmacists, have you heard?
Important changes come into play from 2018 read more
National Mental Health Commission extends consultation period for mental health project
Have your say by 31 August read more
Immunisation newsletter
Check-out the latest DHHS newsletter read more
New website for primary health care nurses
APNA has launched My Nursing Future read more
Education: Refugee health & wellbeing in general practice
Would you like to better assess and manage patients with a refugee background? read more
Help your patients be medicine-wise
Be prepared and get involved in Be Medicinewise Week read more
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SEMPHN Board applications now open
The Board is constantly seeking to enhance its structure to meet the skills and experience required for the effective oversight and governance of SEMPHN’s activities.
Applications are now open for a General Practitioner non-executive director.
In line with SEMPHN’s priority areas, SEMPHN is particularly interested in applications from GPs with an interest or specialty in chronic disease, eHealth, mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population health or aged care.
Applications are also open for a second non-executive director where being a general practitioner is not a requirement. People working in primary care in the SEMPHN region who have a strong governance background are encouraged to apply for this position.
Applicants for either position should complete the application form and email this to Elizabeth Deveny at ceo@semphn.org.au by 15 September 2017.
More information
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Pre-vaccination checklist now available for Zostavax
Zostavax is a live attenuated vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster and post herpetic neuralgia. It is contraindicated for use in significantly immunocompromised people. In January 2017, there was a death in Australia due to Zostavax administration in an immunocompromised person.
The Department of Health has developed a pre-vaccination checklist for immunisation providers to consider before vaccinating a patient with Zostavax.
The checklist was developed in consultation with members of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Advisory Committee on Vaccines, members of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, and members of the GP Roundtable.
More information:
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aged care
Understanding allied health and nursing pathways for older patients
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My Aged Care is the pathway to Allied Health and Nursing care for your patients.
My Aged Care:
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Is used by Victorian Regional Assessment Service (RAS) assessors and Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers to receive and process referrals.
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Takes over from usual direct referrals completely after 31 August.
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Uses a Webform which means you get a confirmation number.
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Also uses a Fax Form or phone 1800 200 422 for referrals.
Accessing urgent services
You can still refer directly where there is an urgent need which, if not met immediately, may place the patient at risk. For example, nursing, personal care, meals and transport.
Urgent services are time-limited (two weeks) with a longer term care only after assessment.
To access urgent services contact the service provider directly. The service provider will, if able, provide urgent care and then refer the patient to My Aged Care for assessment of ongoing service needs.
SEMPHN has a handy flowchart to help with referrals.
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One stop shop for data and info about aged care services
The new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website, GEN, was launched last week by The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP at Parliament House, Canberra.
GEN is a comprehensive 'one-stop shop' for data and information about aged care services in Australia. It reports on capacity and activity in the aged care system focusing on the people, their care assessments and the services they use.
GEN is designed to cater for all levels of users, from students looking for information for assignments, right through to data modellers and actuaries.
For an overview of GEN visit here. To learn how to use the GEN website visit here.
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Pharmacists, have you heard?
In February 2018 codeine is being up-scheduled to 'prescription only'. Real time prescription monitoring of drugs that are prone to abuse will also roll out in 2018.
What does this mean?
As a pharmacist, you'll need information and resources for patient counselling in the coming months as you prepare your patients for the need to get prescriptions for any opioid-containing medication.
Bill Suen, PSA branch director will be presenting at a SEMPHN event on 6 September in Dandenong to answer questions about this important change in pharmacy.
The pharmacist-only event will also provide a thorough look at Naloxone and how it saves lives. Attendees will learn how to recognise, respond to and reverse an opioid overdose by administering naloxone.
Register for the event here.
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National Mental Health Commission extends consultation period for mental health project
Due to an overwhelming response to the Engage and Participate in Mental Health Project, the Commission has extended the consultation period to 31 August.
Follow these links to contribute in a way that best suits you:
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Immunisation newsletter
Check out the latest DHHS Immunisation newsletter.
Topics in the August issue cover:
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National Immunisation Program – Expansion
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Who is eligible for free vaccine?
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Offer free Meningococcal ACWY vaccine to 15-19 year olds
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Preterm infant immunisation
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Birth dose hepatitis B vaccine brands
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Rotarix® vaccine replaces RotaTeq® vaccine
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New website for primary health care nurses
APNA has launched a new website, My Nursing Future, to support current and future nurses to grow their careers in primary health care.
It provides a guide into the different realms of primary health care, with resources, nurse-profile videos, tools and articles.
Highlights include:
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Quick career quiz
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Visual career path with descriptions of job roles and responsibilities
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Profiles of sectors and the skillsets required to work in them
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Job listings
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Self-assessment – a 60 minute professional reflective activity which issues you with a CPD certificate and an extensive report reflecting your level of practice and how to actively plan your career progression.
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Education: Refugee health & wellbeing in general practice
GPs and practice nurses, would you like to be able to better assess and manage patients with a refugee background?
SEMPHN is offering a full-day education session 'Refugee health & wellbeing: essentials for assessment and management in general practice' on 2 September in Dandenong, in partnership with Monash Health.
Presented by refugee health experts from Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing, topics will include:
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the current context of refugees in Victoria
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conducting a refugee health assessment
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communication strategies
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billing
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managing common infectious diseases
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developing immunisation catch-up schedules and paediatric issues.
Register here by 28 August or for more information contact Stephenie Cook on stephenie.cook@semphn.org.au or 03 8514 6609.
The event is accredited with the RACGP for 40 Category 1 points. Activity number: 108244.
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Be Medicinewise Week
Be Medicinewise Week helps Australians get the most out of their prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines.
The seventh annual Be Medicinewise Week is 21–27 August, promoting the safe and wise use of medicines.
This year, the theme of the campaign is ‘medicine misuse can happen to anyone’.
Prescription medicine misuse is a huge national issue, so people are being asked to be aware of the importance of using medicines safely and according to instructions, to avoid potential harm.
In the campaign, consumers are being encouraged to ask these 5 questions:
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Do I really need this test or procedure?
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What are the risks?
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Are there simpler, safer options?
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What happens if I don't do anything?
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What are the costs?
Check out the Be Medicinewise Week tool-kit here.
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