Professional development opportunities and events read more

Free mental health services and peer support
Do you have patients who can't afford services? read more

Practice Networks this month: Diabetes, HR strategies
Come to our April Network meetings read more

SEMPHN GP Symposium
Registrations are now open for our inaugural event read more

GP training for the management of opioid dependence
With the recent codeine changes, it's a good time to upskill read more

Our new address
Please note our new office details from 13 April read more

Immunisation news
Check-out this months' DHHS newsletter read more

Free interpreting service can save time and help understanding
The Doctors Priority Line is quick, easy and convenient read more

Medicines in diabetes, asthma and arthritis reduced
There are new additions to the PBS read more

NDIS commences in Bayside Peninsula area
Seven LGAs are starting NDIS services read more

Advance Care Planning - have you started the conversation?
National Advance Care Planning Week is coming up read more

Do you see patients with depression and anxiety who can't afford services?

Accessible Psychological Interventions (API) are short-term psychological supports for people who:

• live or work in South Eastern Melbourne
• have a health care card or can’t afford or get into similar services
• have a mental illness such as mild depression or anxiety.

Supports can include cognitive-behavioural therapy, skills training, psycho-education, relaxation strategies and other evidence-based interventions, in one-on-one, family or group sessions.

Psychologists, mental health social workers, occupational therapists and/or mental health nurses might be involved.

API services are part of Mental Health Stepped Care which means people can ‘step up’ into more intensive services, or ‘step down’ into less intensive services, as their mental health needs change.

Fax a referral and GP Mental Health Treatment Plan to 9793 9052
OR call SEMPHN Mental Health Intake ph: 1800 862 363 (9am-5pm)

Find clinical software templates and referral forms here

People who live, study or work in Greater Dandenong can also access beyondblue Connect, a free mental health peer support program. beyondblue Connect is led by trained, multilingual mentors from diverse backgrounds that support people experiencing stress and related emotions.

Participants can attend private or group sessions where they are supported to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to improve their wellbeing and community connections.

People can register for beyondblue Connect by calling 1300 036 418 or via SEMPHN Mental Health Intake ph: 1800 862 363.

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Practice managers and practice nurses, please join us for some interesting topics at this month’s Practice Network meetings.

Practice nurses will receive a diabetes clinical update including:

• medications update - current and new medications, when and how they are used
• best practice management of diabetes
• when to refer and who to refer to.

Practice managers will learn about HR strategy in general practice including:

• an overview of HR strategy in general practice
• documents required to successfully manage your HR workforce
• Q&A on current practice HR issues.

Cost: Free. Sandwiches and Tea/coffee provided.

Register here:

• St Kilda Practice Network: 12 April – St Kilda Town Hall, 6pm-7.30pm
• Dandenong Practice Network: 18 April – Greater Dandenong City Council, 6pm-7.30pm
• Frankston Practice Network: 19 April – Cube 37, Frankston, 6pm-7.30pm

Practice Tip: You could use POLAR GP to check the number of patients with a diagnosis of diabetes (including Type I, Type II and Type Unknown), and generate a patient recall list to help with the management of their care.

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GPs in South East Melbourne, please register now for our inaugural GP symposium on Saturday June 2 from 9am to 3pm.

The symposium will focus on mental health and young people, and will provide practical clinical information about eating disorders, depression, self-harm, suicide prevention and anxiety from experts in the field, as well as interactive sessions.

It will also be an opportunity to find out what we're doing in the mental health space, locally.

The event will be held at Pullman & Mercure Melbourne Albert Park and is RACGP-accredited for 9 Category 2 points.

Register here.

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With codeine now rescheduled to 'prescription only', it's an important time for GPs to understand opioid dependence.

Codeine dependence is treated in the same way as any type of opioid dependence – with Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD), also known as Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) or Pharmacotherapy.

RACGP provides MATOD training for GPs in two parts:

Module 1 – Safer Opioid Prescribing
A two hour online training presented by specialist GPs, accredited for four Category 2 RACGP QI&CPD points for the 2017-2019 triennium. Click here for learning objectives and registration.

Module 2
A full day interactive workshop presented by specialist GPs, accredited for 40 Category 1 RACGP QI&CPD points for the 2017-2019 triennium.  Register for the next available workshop on 21 April in Warragul, or register for the following workshop on 24 June in East Melbourne.

Learning outcomes:

• outline the potential benefits and risks associated with opioid prescribing
• recognise, prevent and respond to problematic pharmaceutical opioid use
• identify the legal issues regarding the prescribing of buprenorphine and methadone
• implement safe and effective opioid and or methadone prescribing as part of a broader pain management plan
• safely and effectively prescribe buprenorphine and or methadone for opioid dependence.

Please note: any GP can prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone for up to five patients without doing the above training. For more information click here or contact A4PN@semphn.org.au to access GP and specialist support through your local pharmacotherapy network.

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Please note for your records and meetings/visits to our office, that from Friday 13 April (20 April for the Dandenong SEMPHN Office), our new address will be:

South Eastern Melbourne PHN          
Level 2, 15 Corporate Drive                  
Heatherton 3202.                                    

We look forward to welcoming you into our exciting new space!

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Check-out this month's DHHS immunisation newsletter which covers the following topics:

• 2018 seasonal influenza vaccine program
• pre-allocation of the 2018 government-supplied influenza vaccine
• report all vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register
• vaccine cold chain breach management
• recommended adult vaccines - national or state funded programs
• the second booster DTPa dose is recommended at four years of age.

Tip: You could use the Immunisation page in POLAR GP to check the number of influenza vaccines performed last year to help better plan for the upcoming cold and flu season. You can also generate a patient recall list of children under five and notify their parents about the free influenza vaccine service.

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The Department of Social Services has expanded and simplified patient eligibility requirements for the Free Interpreting Service, delivered by TIS National.

Here is updated information on the service and how to use it, as well as some useful resources for working with patients with low English language proficiency. 

Eligibility and access
Eligible medical specialists can now access the free interpreting service when providing Medicare-rebateable services in private practice to anyone with a Medicare card. Nursing and practice support staff working with medical specialists who are registered with TIS National can also access the service using the same client code.

Accessing the free interpreting service is quick, easy and convenient, especially when using the Doctors Priority Line (DPL) 1300 131 450. The DPL is an immediate telephone interpreting service which provides priority access to TIS National interpreters (a four step guide is included here). When using the DPL you will be connected to an interpreter in a major community language in just a few minutes. If you're not already registered for the free interpreting service, you or your practice support staff can register here.

Why use an interpreter
Professional interpreters, speaking more than 165 languages, can increase mutual understanding and save you time. They can help increase the accuracy of communication and help protect you from professional risk.

Using a professional interpreter is particularly important when you are:

• dealing with patients in a crisis
• dealing with complexity
• assessing patient competence
• seeking informed consent.

If you have questions about the free interpreting service please contact TIS National on 1300 575 847 or tis.lpl@border.gov.au. 

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From 1 April, the Australian Government has reduced the cost of medicines to treat diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma and eye disease with new additions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The 11 new and expanded listings mean Australian patients will save hundreds, and in some cases thousands of dollars, paying a maximum of $39.50 per script. Concessional patients - including pensioners - will only pay $6.40.

New and improved treatments for diabetes are included, helping to address one of the biggest challenges facing Australia’s health system, with around 280 people developing the condition every day.

Read more

Tip: You could use POLAR GP to find patients with these conditions, review their medications and advise them of the reduced pricing.

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From 1 April, The NDIS became available in the Bayside Peninsula area, covering the local government areas of:

•     Bayside
•     Frankston
•     Glen Eira
•     Kingston
•     Mornington Peninsula
•     Port Phillip
•     Stonnington

More information.

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During National Advance Care Planning Week April 16 – 24, all Australians are encouraged to discuss their future health care preferences with their loved ones.

Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is funded by the Australian Government to increase national awareness and uptake of advance care planning.

The ACPA website has resources for you to promote, initiate and continue discussions with your patients about their future health preferences in routine care.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

12 Apr		St Kilda Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Practice Managers St Kilda Details and registration
17 Apr		GP anaesthetists (GPAs) discussion forum and networking evening GP Anaesthetists East Melbourne Details and registration
18 Apr		Dandenong Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Practice Managers Dandenong Details and registration
19 Apr		Frankston Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Practice Managers Frankston Details and registration
19-20 Apr		Course in Wound Closure and Suturing Nurses, GPs South Yarra Details and registration
1 May		Cultural Respect & Appreciation Workshop GPs, Practice Nurse, Practice Manager Doveton Details and registration
2 May		Holmesglen Multi-disciplinary meetings (MDM) 2018 GPs Moorabbin Details and registration
5 May		Mending Hearts - A Comprehensive Update in Cardiology GPs Malvern Details and registration
7 May		Heavy menstrual bleeding: Delivering best practice care forum GPs, Nurses, Women's health services, Surgeons, gynaecologists/obstetricians Melbourne Details and registration
10 May		Quality Improvement Strategies GPs, Managers, Practice Nurse, Owner/Principal, Practice Administration St Kilda Details and registration
10 May		APNA National Conference Nurses Brisbane Details and registration
16 May		Diagnosis and Management of Syphilis, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia in Primary Care GPs & Sexual health clinicians Melbourne Details and registration

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

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