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Frankston Hospital Outbreak UpdatePeninsula Health has issued a statement regarding the recent Frankston Hospital COVID-19 outbreak, including a message from the Chief Executive and an update on services. Read the full statement here. Request SEMPHN PPE stock onlineSEMPHN PPE stock can now only be ordered online. All relevant links can be found on the SEMPHN COVID webpage. Please note the guidelines, stock available, and use the relevant link. In short:
DHHS PPE guidanceDownload the latest DHHS guide to use of PPE here: Guide to the conventional use of PPE (Word). General Practices and other eligible organisations can continue to place orders for reusable masks for vulnerable Victorians. Orders can only be made using the online ordering form. For more information, visit the reusable face masks page. Hepatitis A outbreakThere is an ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A among people who use drugs (primarily but not exclusively by injection), as well as people experiencing homelessness in Victoria. A free single-dose hepatitis A vaccination is available for people who use drugs or are experiencing homelessness until 30 November 2020. Vaccination is available at GP clinics providing specialised services to people who use drugs and people experiencing homelessness as well as via a mobile outreach service. Consider hepatitis A infection in patients presenting with a compatible illness in these risk groups and take blood for serology (IgM). Notify all suspected cases of acute viral hepatitis without waiting for serology results to the Department by calling 1300 651 160. Read the full advisory: Hepatitis A outbreak SEMPHN newsSEMPHN Board applications openApplications are invited for three Board positions, two generalist non-executive board directors and one General Practitioner non-executive board director. Non-executive board directors (2)We are seeking experienced people with broad skills and expertise, with strong finance or commercial experience, strategy creation or policy development, amongst others. People working in primary care in the SEMPHN region who have a strong governance background are encouraged to apply for these positions. General Practitioner non-executive board director (1)We are seeking a suitably qualified General Practitioner non-executive board director
and in line with SEMPHN’s priority areas, we are particularly interested in applications from GPs with an interest or specialty in mental health, alcohol and other drugs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population health, health workforce, digital health and aged care. Cold chain management during COVID-19The impact of COVID-19 has created challenging scenarios for immunisation providers which may have required adjustments to service delivery models and staffing levels. Unfortunately, some of these changes have impacted vaccine cold chain management and vaccine delivery. Learn more about:
Read the full article here. TelehealthPractices and pharmacies in metro Melbourne encouraged to activate ePrescribingThe Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Pharmacy Guild, along with the federal Department of Health, are encouraging general practices and pharmacies in metropolitan Melbourne to activate ePrescribing. Activating it now would help to simplify the prescription management process for telehealth and reduce the risk to patients and staff during the current COVID-19 situation. However, general practices should first check that local pharmacies have activated the new function. The organisations all recommended these steps:
Remember, the current token model is only one medication per token. So use judgement about whether or not an eScript is appropriate for the patient. For more information, see our Health Vital IT ePrescribing resource. Resources to help patients understand the new system are available here in the Electronic Prescriptions Toolkit (including patient resources):
headspace Youth Early Psychosis Program online training resource packsLast week, all practices in the catchment were sent information packs in the mail to support practitioners to access the headspace Youth Early Psychosis Program online training. The training has been developed by headspace in consultation with subject matter experts, GPs, young people and family and friends’ representatives and is being offered for free via SEMPHN to all general practitioners for a limited time. The training is RACGP accredited (4 CPD) and can be accessed through SEMPHN’s online LMS learning platform at any time. It takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete and consists of four 30-minute films with four multiple choice questions to answer. If you did not receive your pack in the mail or have more questions about the training please contact your Provider Support Officer – providersupport@semphn.org.au For further information visit SEMPHN's website. Last chance to register for the end-of-life cancer care webinarFocusing on end-of-life cancer care, this session will discuss the important role of palliative care plays in symptom management and the role of primary care in readying and supporting patients for this stage. The first two Cancer Care & Survivorship in General Practice webinars were very successful. This third webinar in the series ensures to be a fascinating discussion as we welcome the following speakers:
When: Tuesday 25 August, 5.45 pm - 6.45pm Webinar for nurses: Psychological distress in primary health careWith 10.6% of the Australian population receiving Medicare subsidised mental health-specific services in 2018-19, it is imperative that nurses working in primary health care can provide assessment and practical interventions in line with their individual scope of practice. This webinar aims to:
When: Wednesday, 16 September, 7 pm – 8.30 pm To find out more, please contact APNA at admin@apna.asn.au or call 1300 303 184. Medical Abortion Education Information SessionMedical abortion can be safely and effectively provided in primary care with appropriate follow up and emergency arrangements. With the availability of medication for medical abortion (MS2Step) and the legislative support that enables a woman’s right to choose, primary care providers have an opportunity to incorporate medical abortion care into practice. Date: Tuesday 15 September For further information please contact Jess Elsworth (jelsworth@whise.org.au) or Cath Hannon (Catherine.Hannon@thewomens.org.au) Resources for #GettingThroughThisTogetherHave you seen the latest campaign from the National Mental Health Commission (NMHC)? In response to the effects of COVID-19 restrictions and anxiety, NMHC has collated a number of resources to encourage community members to reach out to loved ones, and to take care of their physical health. We all need a little extra support during this time, so let’s be kind, stay connected, check in with each other, and seek professional support when we need it. Resources your practice can use for social media or other digital channels include:
Access all the resources here. Including the following phone numbers in social media posts relating to #GettingThroughThisTogether will help those seeking support to find it easily.
Professional development and events
For an overview of all events, visit SEMPHN's event calendar. |