Professional development opportunities and events read more

Grants released tomorrow - building capacity for General Practice
Grants with a funding pool of around $2.5 million will be released 4 April read more

Do this 5-minute survey and have a say in cancer care pathways
Please help us with some baseline data about how you use pathways read more

Australia and New Zealand pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines launched 
These guidelines are available for the first time read more

Supporting patients with lung disease
How can you be better helped to support patients with lung disease? read more

Would you like a practice visit from a specialist?
A gen med, surgery, emergency or psych specialist from The Alfred can come to your practice read more

More free bowel screening kits in the mail this year
Australians aged 54, 58 and 68 years have been added to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program read more

Help improve foot care for people with diabetes
Express your interest in the Foot Network Working Party read more

Complex case support for refugees and other visa holders
AMES Australia is providing case management for more community members read more

Translated information for families with young children
Sixteen materials, including water and outdoor safety, have been translated into 10 key languages read more

Tomorrow, SEMPHN will release a tender for grants with a total funding pool of around $2.5 million, for a large number of General Practices within the SEMPHN region.

The grants will build capacity of systems and processes to support General Practice.

• An information evening about the tender will be held on 12 April in Dandenong. The session will be recorded and available to view on the SEMPHN website after the session. Check SEMPHN's event calendar today to register for the information session or email events@semphn.org.au for enquiries.
• Register your interest for these grants on SEMPHN's Tenderlink page.
• Sign up for information updates via SEMPHN'S commissioning newsletter.

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SEMPHN is participating in the Victorian implementation of Optimal Cancer Care Pathways (OCPs) - national guides to the best cancer care for 15 specific tumour types.

This is in partnership with the Cancer Council Victoria and Integrated Cancer Services, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Before the pathways roll-out, we’d like feedback (via this five-minute online survey) from GPs and practice nurses to help us gather baseline data. Your participation will help to guide future strategies for the implementation of Optimal Care Pathways.

The survey is anonymous and multiple members of staff from a practice can complete it. The survey closes 14 April.

If you have any questions, please contact Alisha Jackson via alisha.jackson@semphn.org.au.

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Pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines for Australia and New Zealand are available for the first time.

The guidelines are a collaboration between Lung Foundation Australia and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ).

They will:

• provide health professionals with evidence-based recommendations for the practice of pulmonary rehabilitation specific to Australian healthcare
• assist in delivering practice to improve quality of life and reduce hospital admissions for patients with chronic lung disease.

Pulmonary rehabilitation teaches people with lung disease the skills they need to manage their breathlessness and to stay well and out of hospital.

The full guidelines, as well as a two-page summary of the key recommendations are available online.

For more information visit www.lungfoundation.com.au or phone 1800 654 301.

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Lung Foundation Australia would like to get a deeper understanding of how it can support you to provide information and care to patients who live with a lung disease.

Do a five-minute online survey by 5pm Thursday 13 April 2017.

Survey participants will go into the draw to win one of two prizes:

• 2 x Lung Foundation Australia Gala Dinner Tickets
• 1 x Registration for the Australian Rare Lung Disease Short Course

If you have any questions, please contact Lung Foundation Australia on 1800 654 301 or email marketing@lungfoundation.com.au.

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Alfred Health has a range of enthusiastic specialists keen to build links with GPs in the local area.

Specialists from general medicine, surgery, emergency and psychiatry are available to visit practices near The Alfred, Caulfield and Sandringham hospitals to attend breakfast or lunchtime practice meetings. 

The specialists can:

• cover any topics of interest
• provide information about hospital services
• participate in case discussions.

If you would like consultants from your local hospital to come to your practice, please call The Alfred GP Liaison on 9076 2620 or email gp.liaison@alfred.org.au to express your interest.

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Australians aged 54, 58 and 68 years have been added to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program this year.

More than 2.7 million Australians aged 50, 54, 55, 58, 60, 64, 68, 70, 72 and 74 will be invited to screen for bowel cancer under the program this year and sent a free foecal occult blood test (FOBT) kit in the mail.

Please encourage eligible patients to do the simple at-home test.

The FOBT looks for the early signs of bowel cancer and involves taking a minuscule sample from two separate bowel motions using a test kit. Samples are then sent to a laboratory for testing.

Participants with positive results are advised to discuss their result with their doctor and undergo further testing.

Bowel cancer causes the second highest number of cancer deaths in Australia after lung cancer, killing more than 4000 Australians each year. Ninety percent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated if found early enough, underlining the importance of the national screening program.

People aged 50 to 74 but not in the age groups above can contact the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program on 1800 118 868 about options to screen for bowel cancer until the program is fully implemented.

More information for GPs about the national screening program is available here.

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To improve the foot care of people with diabetes nationally, The National Association of Diabetes Centres (NADC) is calling for expressions of interest from suitably qualified health care professions to join the Foot Network Working Party (FNWP).

The aim of the Foot Network is to:

• establish and maintain reduced morbidity and mortality caused by diabetes-related foot disease in people in Australia.
• realise a coordinated national process of prioritising high quality and accessible foot assessment and management across the spectrum of foot disease in diabetes.

Membership of the Committee will include representatives from the:

• Australian Diabetes Society (ADS)
• Australian Diabetes Educator Society (ADEA)
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
• Australasian Podiatry Council (APodC)
• Advanced Practicing Podiatrists High Risk Foot Group
• Wounds Australia - formerly the Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA)
• Primary Health Networks (PHNs).

The Foot Network Working Party expression of interest closes on 23 April. Visit here for more information and to submit your application.

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AMES Australia is now providing specialised and intensive case management for community members who have the following status:

• refugee
• special humanitarian program
• permanent protection
• temporary protection.

The new service is called Complex Case Support (CCS). It can be for short term crisis interventions or case management for up to six months.

CCS is appropriate for patients needing:

• Mental health services (including torture and trauma services)
• Health services i.e.specialists, occupational therapist, physiotherapist
• Disability services
• Family violence interventions
• Personal grief or family relationship counselling
• Child and youth services
• Accommodation, financial or legal services.

Anyone can refer a client, a friend or themselves to CCS. A person is eligible for this service up to five years after their arrival in Australia.

For more information contact AMES Australia in South East Dandenong on (03) 8791 2444.

For a copy of the referral form and brochure please contact info@semphn.org.au.

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Information to help families with young children has been translated into 10 key languages to ensure it is accessible to Victoria’s newest arrivals.

Nurses and health professionals can use the information with families, which is available in Arabic, Burmese, Chin (Hakha), Chinese (Mandarin) Dari, Persian, Karen, Khmer, Punjabi and Vietnamese.

Among the 16 translated materials are the 'Slip, Slop, Slap' message, the RACV guide on safe car restraints and practices, as well as information on water and outdoor safety and on safe sleeping.

The health promotion and safety information is available in printed hard copy from maternal child health centres and online here.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

3 Apr	LGBTI Aged Care Training Allied Health Professional, Manager, Practice Nurse, Mental Health Nurse, Pharmacist South Melbourne Details and registration
3-4 Apr	Youth Mental Health First Aid (two day course 3 and 4 April) Case worker, Community member, Other Narre Warren Details and registration
5 Apr	Naloxone Training for Pharmacists Pharmacists Mornington Details and registration
6 Apr	Suicide Prevention Workshop Allied Health Professional, Practice Nurse, Mental health, Nurse, Psychologist South Melbourne Details and registration
6 Apr	Opioid Pharmacotherapy Small Group Learning - Bayside GPs St Kilda Details and registration
7 Apr	Developing Inclusive LGBTI Practice - Part 2 Allied Health Professional, Case worker, Manager, Other South Melbourne Details and registration
19 Apr	Curing hepatitis C: Your questions answered GP's Webinar Details and registration
19 Apr	Suicide Prevention Workshop Allied Health Professional, Case worker, Practice Nurse, Mental health, Psychologist Dandenong Details and registration
20 Apr	Frankston Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Owner/Principal, Practice Manager Frankston Details and registration
27 Apr	Advance Practical Workshop Practice Nurses Dandenong Details and registration
27 Apr	St Kilda Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Owner/Principal, Practice Manager St Kilda Details and registration

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

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