Are you willing to help during a
State Emergency?

During an emergency, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has a number of responsibilities as outlined by the State Health Emergency Response Plan.

The Plan covers a wide range of events, including fire, flood, heatwaves, epidemic, wide-scale food poisoning, and train or plane accident.

To support the Plan, Primary Health Networks will assist with preparedness, response, and recovery, so that local communities have the best primary health available following an emergency.

Webinar: Explore patient care coordination (18 May)

This care coordination webinar is offered to general practices in the SEMPHN catchment who want to explore more about patient care coordination.

Care coordination refers to activities and interventions that ensure quality patient-centred interactions, appropriate referrals, timely care transitions and enhanced self-management capacity.

This session will focus on effective care coordination which requires a strong team structure, with clearly defined roles.

The model provides more flexibility for practices to use their staff more efficiently, taking the fullest advantage of their skillset and qualifications.

This shared learning event will help you:

• Define the care coordinator's role and activities;
• Describe care coordination opportunities in primary care;
• Enhance your team communication; and
• Demonstrate effective team-based care utilising swim lane mapping.

When: Tuesday, 18 May 2021, 5.30 pm - 7 pm
Where: Online, Zoom
Cost: Free
Who: General practice staff
Register here. 

For further information please contact Greg Bishop on 8514 6629 or at greg.bishop@semphn.org.au or Angela Yerolemou on 8514 4402 or at angela.yerolemou@semphn.org.au.

Join our masterclass for Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB)

Long-acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB) is a formulation of buprenorphine pharmacotherapy that has the promise to be a true game-changer in the area of Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence.

The proven safety record of buprenorphine, combined with a weekly-to-monthly dosing schedule, provide very good reasons for both patients and prescribing clinicians to engage with this new treatment.

Learning Outcomes

• Compare and contrast the effectiveness of LAIB to sublingual buprenorphine and oral methadone in a harm minimisation setting
• Outline the indications for treatment, as well as patient-centred factors that would make them less suited for treatment with LAIB

• Describe the legal and logistic considerations for LAIB therapy including examples of how these are practically addressed

• Demonstrate best practice administration of both Buvidal and Sublocade formulations of LAIB.

When: Wednesday, 26 May 2021, 7 pm - 9 pm
Where: Ibis Hotel, 297 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, Victoria
Accreditation: 4 RACGP points - Activity ID: 260731
Register here.

Webinar: Long COVID symptoms (27 May)

Murray PHN presents a webinar drawing on international presenters and the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce to provide an update on Long COVID Symptoms – what is known so far and guidance for the future. 

Learning outcomes: 

• Identify medical conditions associated with long COVID symptoms 
• Define strategies to support patients with long COVID symptoms

International and national keynote speakers:

• Dr Justine Karpusheff, Associate Director of the COVID-19 Guidance Team, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), United Kingdom
• Dr Gail Allsopp, Clinical Lead for Clinical Policy, Royal College of General Practitioners, United Kingdom
• Dr Samantha Chakraborty, Senior Evidence Officer, National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, Australia

The evening will be facilitated by Dr Norman Swan with local experience shared by Dr Ewa Piejko, Medical Advisor, Murray PHN.

When: Thursday, 27 May 2021,  7 pm - 8.30 pm
Where: Online
Register here.

Practice managers, want to learn more about Quality Improvement? (16 June)

Recently, we hosted a webinar covering the basics of Quality Improvement (QI) in general practice. Now, we are inviting practice managers to join us on Wednesday, 16 June at 12.30 for Part 2. 

Did you miss Part 1 of the Quality Improvement series? Don’t worry, we have a recording available! Contact your provider support officer (providersupport@semphn.org.au) for the link. 

In this second session, led by Dr Paresh Dawda and Angelene True, we will be looking at the next steps of QI, translating theory into practice.

Learning outcomes for Part 2:

• Outline the Model for Improvement
• Utilise data to both identify the need for improvement and measure change and improvement/success over time
• Develop an approach to effective change management and mitigate the risk of failure

When: Wednesday, 16 June, 12.30 pm
Where: Online, Zoom
Cost: free
Register here.

Little Lungs: paediatric asthma update (17 June)

This webinar is brought to you by SEMPHN and the National Asthma Council Australia.

This 1-hour session focuses on managing asthma in the paediatric population.

The Australian Asthma Handbook details the latest guidelines for paediatric asthma from 0-12 months, 1-5 years, 6-11 years old. 

Participants will learn how to:

• Identify the steps involved in the diagnosis of paediatric asthma - referring to the Australian Asthma Handbook
• Describe the management of asthma across the different ages in children
• Summarise the important information to be included in a Written Asthma Action Plan
• Define the steps in managing acute asthma in primary care.

This webinar is for both practice nurses and general practitioners.

When: 17 June, 7 pm - 8 pm
Where: Online, Zoom
Accreditation: RACGP & ACRRM points will be available.
Register here.

A guide for GPs to manage work related injury