Facebook icon Twitter icon Forward icon

Monday 12  December

In this edition

Health Care Homes - deadline extended to 22 December
Apply for phase one and SEMPHN will support you with the transition read more

Mental health lead site funding: low intensity services 
Apply for tenders to provide mental health services in the SEMPHN region read more

Childhood immunisation grant funding - information session
Come to this session on 15 December read more

Immunisation newsletter
Check out the latest immunisation news from DHHS read more

Practice Networks off to a flying start
Get on board with bi-monthly meetings across three sites read more

ePIP tip: multiple Shared Health Summaries for a single patient 
This can make it easier for you to meet your ePIP quota read more

Is your practice prepared for an emergency?   
Check out these guides and tools from RACGP read more

VicEmergency app 
This new app gives access to warnings and incidents read more

New law gives certainty on end of life care
The new law will give greater support for people's medical treatment wishes read more

New Advance Care Planning website
Get support with ACP for people from different religious and cultural backgrounds read more

LinkPETS: support service for patients
This volunteer-run service can help with dog walking, basic pet grooming and cleaning read more

Eye resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce
Check out these new fact sheets read more

Professional development opportunities and events read more

Health Care Homes – deadline extended to 22 December

We encourage all interested practices to apply for phase one of Health Care Homes by the new deadline of 22 December and use the next three months to ensure readiness.

SEMPHN will support applicants with business planning and transition, including training.

The Department of Health is expected to release more operational details on Health Care Homes in early 2017. If selected, your practice will then have an opportunity to decide whether to participate.

Application information is available and practices can register to apply here.

The AAPM webinar on Payment Management is available for viewing, with slides.

SEMPHN has a Health Care Home webpage. This has a video outlining a quick work-around to help your practice estimate how many patients have more than one chronic disease. There is a guidance document to help you complete your tender application and a practice readiness checklist.

For more information please contact SEMPHN via hch@semphn.org.au.

Return to top

Commissioning - tenders open

Mental health lead site funding: low intensity services

Tenders are invited for low intensity mental health services, with a total funding pool of $500,000 available.

The services to be delivered are a pilot of the following peer-based community support initiatives in the South Eastern Melbourne PHN catchment:

  • A telephone and email based helpline
  • Peer training, education and support
  • Peer online forum
  • Website portal and digital resources

Tenders close 22 December 2016. 

If you’re interested in applying or want to know more, please register your interest on SEMPHN's Tenderlink page.

Once you register, you’ll receive information about the tender as it’s released.  All submissions and enquiries must be made via SEMPHN's Tenderlink page.

If you need technical support for Tenderlink, email support@tenderlink.com.au or phone 1800 233 533.

Return to top

Childhood immunisation grant funding - information session

SEMPHN is holding an information session about childhood immunisation grant funding on 15 December at SEMPHN’s Heatherton office.

The session will cover:

  • Information about the imminent Request for Proposals (RFP) for childhood immunisation grant.
  • Details about the evaluation criteria and assessment expectations
  • Details about the application process and expectations of submitted applications.

The following stakeholders are encouraged to attend:

  • Stakeholders interested in childhood immunisation
  • General Practice staff working in childhood immunisation
  • Childhood immunisation staff from municipal councils
  • Contracted environmental/health services working in the immunisation field
  • Nurse immunisers working privately/contract/project work in the SEMPHN catchment area.

More information and registration.

Return to top

Immunisation newsletter

Check out the latest immunisation newsletter from DHHS here

The latest issue covers:

  • Zostavax® limited supply currently
  • Infanrix® or Tripacel® for 18 month olds
  • Chickenpox season
  • Shingles vaccine and nurse immunisers
  • Translated immunisation information for consumers
  • Updated immunisation history form

Return to top

Practice Networks off to a flying start

Almost 30 enthusiastic practice owners, practice managers and practice nurses attended the first St Kilda Practice Network last week, where Health Care Homes was a hot topic.

The three professional groups each got together and decided how they wanted the networks to run and how they could contribute, as well as suggest topics for guest speakers and connect with peers, PHN staff and other health professionals.

The Frankston Practice Network, which first met in October, will meet again at 7pm on 15 December, at Cube 37 Frankston Arts Centre. There will be a presentation on the Partners In Recovery Program (for nurses) and POLAR GP (for practice owners and managers).

Practice Network Meetings happen every two months across three sites – Frankston, St Kilda and Dandenong, with a chance to network between meetings via Basecamp. The Dandenong Network will meet for the first time next year.

For more information or to join a Practice Network, please contact Kate Ryan on 8514 6608 or email Kate.Ryan@semphn.org.au.

Return to top

ehealth

ePIP tip: multiple Shared Health Summaries for a single patient

Did you know that you can upload a Shared Health Summary more than once for the same patient? In fact, if their health record changes and it's clinically relevant, then uploading a new Summary is encouraged.

This may make it easier for you to meet your ePIP quota. A patient who comes in frequently is likely to have something significant change every so often, and you can upload on those occasions.

You don’t have to keep looking for patients who have never had one uploaded.

Return to top

emergency resources

Is your practice prepared for an emergency?

As the festive season approaches, so too does Australia’s hottest time of the year. With this comes increased risk of bushfires and extreme weather events.

The RACGP has a number of resources for general practices to plan, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of fires and other emergencies:

Return to top

VicEmergency app

VicEmergency has launched an app to provides Victorians with access to warnings and incidents for fires, floods, storms, earthquake, tsunamis and water safety.

The app is available to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Return to top

END OF LIFE CARE

New law gives certainty on end of life care

Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Bill

The Victorian Parliament has passed an Act giving Victorians certainty on end of life care and wishes.

Amendments made in the Upper House to the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Bill were accepted in the Lower House 24 November, 2016.

The Bill (to be passed as law and enacted March 2016) will provide greater support for people's medical treatment wishes and aim to provide the health services industry with the support to better educate both health providers and their patients about Advance Care Directives.

Return to top

New Advance Care Planning website

Cabrini Health has launched the ACP Talk website. Designed in collaboration with Australian religious and cultural leaders and organisations, it gives information for health professionals who are doing Advance Care Planning with people from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds.

The search function enables users to select a religion and denomination (if applicable) and review background information and advice on Advance Care Planning for a particular religion/faith or culture, including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Secularism and Sikhism.

Return to top

LinkPETS: support service for patients

For many people, pets are treasured companions in their lives, providing health and wellbeing benefits. However, illness, injury, disability, social isolation or frailty may make caring for a pet difficult to manage. People may be receiving limited support from family, friends or neighbours. 

LinkPETS has pet-loving, registered volunteers who assist with dog walking, basic grooming and cleaning. 

Rockytoo (pictured) is an excitable two year-old border collie who enjoys regular walks with a volunteer carer. Rockytoo and his owners have been part of the LinkPETS program for 18 months, as they both have health problems and needed extra help caring for him.

LinkPETS has plenty of space for more pets and their owners.

The program is run from the City of Monash but is available outside of the area as well. There is a one-off payment of $20.

For more information call Sarah Burton on either 8822 8309 or 0429 906 919.

Return to top

Eye resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce

New key fact sheets are being developed to summarise the latest information about eye conditions affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The first key fact sheet provides information about diabetic retinopathy.

Soon there will also be other learning tools, including infographics and features that encourage information-sharing.

You can also watch a two-minute film about the eye health section.

The resources are from a partnership between the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and The Fred Hollows Foundation. 

Return to top

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

13 Dec Victorian Pharmacy Pharmacotherapy Training Program - Part 2
Pharmacists
Parkville
Details and registration
 
15 Dec Childhood Immunisation Grant Funding - Information Session
GPs, Nurse Immunisers, other childhood immunisation staff
Heatherton
Details and registration
 
15 Dec Practice Nurse Network Meeting
Practice Nurses
Frankston
Details and registration
 
15 Dec Practice Owner Network Meeting
Practice Owners
Frankston
Details and registration
 
15 Dec Practice Manager Network Meeting
Practice Managers
Frankston
Details and registration
 

For more information about events contact Stewart Morgan ph: (03) 8514 4422 or events@semphn.org.au

Return to Top