Back by popular demand: Riwka Hagen and Kym Poyner

Practice Managers are invited to our next webinar: Q&A Session on How General Practice Can Adapt in the World of COVID-19.

Due to the fantastic response to the Q&A session with Riwka Hagen and Kym Poyner on 13 May, Riwka and Kym will join us once more for a second Q&A webinar on Thursday, 4 June 2020 at 12.30pm. 

They will answer questions remaining from the first session, along with any new questions you provide.

Practice managers can register here. 

Practice Nurses, mark your diaries for 3 June for a Diabetes update

Maggie Stewart, a credentialled diabetes educator, will join us in this webinar to provide a Diabetes Update on Wednesday 3 June at 6.30pm.

Maggie has been working in health care for 36 years specializing in diabetes for the past 15 years.

Maggie’s’ passion is to enable people living with diabetes to understand and be able to manage their condition so that their diabetes is one piece of their life, not their whole identity.

Maggie works with people living with diabetes combining best practice evidence with real life daily challenges to achieve best health outcomes.

Practice nurses can register here for the webinar. 

Non-melanoma skin cancer pathways available for FREE!

In Australia, there are approximately 2,500 treatments for non-melanoma skin cancer every day. Often treated in general practice, there are several different treatment options that need to be considered on the spot.

With the launch of the new non-melanoma skin cancer pathways on SEMPHN's website, Victorian PHNs are aiming to help support GPs through this complex decision making process.

The newly developed Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers pathway has been aligned with the nationally recognised and endorsed Optimal Cancer Care Pathways and is designed to offer GPs concise, evidence-based content that is easily accessible during a 15-minute patient consult.

The pathway guides GPs to diagnose, treat and manage non-melanoma skin cancer in general practice where appropriate.

In addition, the clinical pathway is accompanied by local referral pathways with specific health service referral information, and credible consumer and clinician resources at your fingertips.

Free for general practice to access, the pathway is written by GPs for GPs, in collaboration with specialists in non-melanoma skin cancer. View the new pathway today.

COVID-19 still impacting cancer referrals

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is encouraging GPs and other healthcare workers to continue taking steps to help address drops in patient referrals that have resulted from the pandemic.

Peter Mac reports the coordinated efforts of the Victorian healthcare community have already resulted in some improvements in patient numbers. However, the number of referrals to Peter Mac remain around 15 per cent lower than last year, which may put some patients at risk of late diagnosis and poorer outcomes.

Key points to note:

• Surgery, radiation therapy, haematological therapies, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy are all available for Peter Mac patients.
• Patients should be reassured that if they need to come to Peter Mac, they are safe to do so. Information about steps taken to protect Peter Mac patients from COVID-19 is available on the Peter Mac website.
• Delaying treatment can potentially affect outcomes.

Any assistance you can provide in addressing delays in seeking treatment is greatly appreciated.

Read more about how to refer here.

Free telehealth services: perinatal infant mental health treatment and support

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, St John of God Raphael Services is offering telehealth (phone and video) consultations for patients requiring perinatal mental health treatment and support.

St John of God Raphael Services provides specialised, psychiatry led, treatment and support for parents experiencing mental health conditions throughout pregnancy and early parenthood.

All sessions are free with a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan.

To make a referral visit sjog.org.au/raphael or call 1800 292 292 for more information.

 Update on Conducting Face to Face Aged Care Assessments 

From 22 May 2020, telephone and telehealth assessments no longer need to be the default for community-based aged care assessments.

Through My Aged Care, Regional Assessment Services (RAS) and Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) will continue to consider their local circumstances and client choice when deciding how to conduct aged care assessments.

Face-to-face assessments should be offered where it is possible and safe. RAS and ACATs will have protocols in place to return to telephone assessments should a local outbreak occur.

Aged care assessors will explain any timing constraints on face-to-face assessments to clients and discuss immediate care needs over the phone so clients can be supported to seek services. This will minimise any potential risks to the health and safety of clients while they wait for their face-to-face assessment.

FREE webinar for community: mental health for people with type 1 diabetes

Diabetes Victoria is holding a FREE webinar on mental health for people living with type 1 diabetes.

The theme of the webinar is ‘taking care of yourself during tough times’ and will be held on Wednesday 3 June from 7.30 to 8.30pm.

Whilst National Diabetes Services Scheme registrants with type 1 diabetes will be invited to participate, local health professionals are invited to support and encourage their clients to participate.

To find out more or for your clients to register please follow the link below.

Type 1 diabetes and mental health

Lung Foundation is helping keep communities safe

As you know, winter can be a dangerous time for people living with lung disease and lung cancer. To provide support through this challenging time, Lung Foundation Australia’s winter campaign Know, Plan, Protect, Connect offers information and resources to help keep the community safe and well during this time.

They have developed a suite of useful resources to help you manage your patients with lung disease during this time.

There's also a downloadable promotional pack for you to share key messages via your newsletter, website and social media channels.