Professional development opportunities and events read more

Grants open for after hours general practice in 3 LGAs
Practices in Cardinia, Kingston and Frankston can apply read more

Tenders open for low to moderate intensity mental health services
New services will replace ATAPS later this year read more

Practice management masterclass
SEMPHN is hosting a full-day program for practice nurses who work in our catchment read more

General practice accreditation information session
AGPAL is holding two sessions in May read more

Help for families who are affected by addiction or substance abuse
The Strong Families Program can help in the SEMPHN catchment read more

GPs, are you interested in mobile health strategies to support patients with high BP? 
Be reimbursed for your time in this Heart Foundation-funded project read more

New lung cancer assessment service at Alfred Health
This new service offers a multidisciplinary approach read more

Free hepatitis B vaccinations for Aboriginal Victorians
This is in addition to groups who already get the vaccine free read more

Responding to Diversity Network relaunches
Come to the first network in the Kingston catchment read more

Working With Children Checks for kinship carers
From 1 May, this came into effect read more

SEMPHN is looking for general practices in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Cardinia, Kingston and Frankston to expand their face-to-face after hours services.

Grants of around $100,000 are available to around 15 general practices to expand their bulk-billed after hours services by a minimum of 12 hours during the ‘sociable’ and ‘unsociable’ after-hours period.  At least two of the additional hours must be on the weekend (after 12 noon Saturday) and services must start from 3 July 2017.

To support general practices to expand their operating hours, the funding is available for:

• marketing or promotional activities to enhance community awareness of after hours services (e.g. signage, brochures, advertising)
• staff costs for a nurse and/or administration
• short term (time limited) staff costs of general practitioner as patient numbers build
• recruitment of general practitioner(s) and/or miscellaneous GP incentives aimed at retention or supervision of registrars/overseas-trained doctors.

Tenders close 3pm 24 May.

Register your interest and apply for these tenders on SEMPHN's Tenderlink page. Please note, all questions about the tenders must be asked via the online forum on SEMPHN’s Tenderlink page.

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SEMPHN is seeking organisations to deliver an Accessible Psychological Interventions (API) service in one or more Local Government Areas (LGAs) within our catchment:

Accessible Psychological Interventions (API) are flexible services for consumers with a mental illness who will benefit from individual, family and/or group psychological services from allied health professionals.

The range of interventions is in line with those available under the Commonwealth Better Access to Mental Health Care program. API will be available for population groups that are harder to reach or underserviced, and cannot currently afford/access private psychological services.

API will replace Access To Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) later this year.

For now, there are no changes to referral processes. You can continue to refer appropriate clients to ATAPS (and MHNIP) via intake number 1300 292 971.

An information session about the tender will be held 8.30am-1pm on 11 May in Keysborough. Register here. The session will be recorded and available to view on the SEMPHN website after the session.

Register your interest and apply for these tenders on SEMPHN's Tenderlink page. A separate submission is required for each LGA.

Please note, all questions about the tenders must be asked via the online forum on SEMPHN’s Tenderlink page.

Tenders close 3pm 9 June.

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SEMPHN is hosting a masterclass for practice managers working in our catchment.

The full-day program is on 1 June in Sandringham. 

The course will be facilitated by Medical Business Network CEO Mark Danato and Manager Brett McPherson who have more than 50 years of health industry experience between them.

Participants will learn to: 

• Identify the difference between a practice manager and a business manager
• Outline the key profitability factors important in medical services
• Understand the importance of gathering critical information to analyse and evaluate their practice's performance
• Describe five strategic areas that will assist in creating a successful medical service
• Articulate what success looks like for your organisation, and begin to formulate a business plan outlining the process for achieving that success.

For more information and to register visit here.

Numbers are limited so be quick!

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General practice team members are invited to attend an information session by AGPAL on:

• updates on the General Practice Accreditation Scheme
• RACGP Standards 5th Edition.

Two events are offered at Rydges Melbourne:

• 25 May 5.30pm for 6pm start - 8pm OR
• 26 May 9.30am for 10am start - 12noon

RSVP by 19 May here.

More information will be sent upon registration. For more information email acartmell@agpal.com.au.

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Do you have patients with family members who are stuck in a cycle of addiction or substance abuse? Substances might include ice, methamphetamine, opiates, GHB, benzodiazepines, alcohol, cannabis and over-the-counter medications.

The Strong Families Program based at Genesis Medical Centre in North Brighton is accepting clients across the SEMPHN region.

The program, funded by a SEMPHN grant, is offered free for families and focuses on:

• effective and safe management of crisis
• education to understand substance dependency
• harm minimisation
• understanding the services and treatment available (accomodation, income support, private and public units for detox and rehabilitation)
• ways to strengthen families through support, improving communication, establishing boundaries and managing conflict.

No referral is needed. Call 9596 6422 or Fax 9596 1077.

Sessions are with an experienced clinician who has qualifications in mental health, drug and alcohol counselling, relationship and family therapy.

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Monash University is pilot testing a mobile health strategy to improve patient adherence to lifestyle and medication recommendations for high BP.

They are seeking GPs who work half-time or more to help:

• recruit 10 patients aged 45-49 years with high BP (as part of the 45-49 years health assessment)
• contribute to program content by preparing two 2-3 minute video messages (with assistance from Monash Uni)
• share their views about the acceptability and feasibility of this strategy in a 20 minute phone interview.

Participating GPs will be reimbursed $750 for their time.

Visit here for more information and to express your interest.

This project is funded by the National Heart Foundation and is being conducted by the Department of General Practice with the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

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The multidisciplinary team at The Alfred has created a single access point for all patients with suspected lung cancer.

The service offers:

• a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, management and treatment of lung cancer
• access and expertise in up-to-date treatments for lung cancer as well as novel clinical trials and research projects
• daily triaging of referrals by a consultant
• appointments within 14 days of receiving the referral.

More information can be found here.

To ensure timely triage, please include all demographic and clinical details as well as relevant investigation results.

Fax your referral to (03) 9076 7631.

Contact the service registrar on-call 0407 524 911 if there is any deterioration in your patient’s condition or if you have any concerns to discuss.

For more information, email lungcancerassessmentservice@alfred.org.au or phone 9076 2025.

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Did you know that the Victorian Government provides free hepatitis B vaccinations for all Aboriginal Victorians?

It was made available in December 2016 in recognition of the disproportionately higher rates of hepatitis B among Aboriginal Victorians.

The free hepatitis B vaccination is already available for the household contacts and sexual partners of people living with hepatitis B, people who inject drugs or who are on opioid substitution therapy, people living with hepatitis C or HIV, men who have sex with men and prisoners (or those who initiated vaccination whilst in prison).

An updated order form for the vaccine can be found here.

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The Responding to Diversity Network has undergone a redesign in response to recent changes in aged care and young people with a disability (and their carers).

The Network is focusing on the Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) catchments in the southern metropolitan region - the first being Kingston (which includes Dandenong, Kingston and Bayside). There will be a focus on Aboriginal health, highlighting programs, initiatives and opportunities in the area.

The network is targeted at:

• ACAS workers
• regional assessment services
• service providers
• access and support workers
• practice nurses
• hospital discharge planners

Details:
21 June 2017
1.30 – 4.30pm
Monash Health Translation Precinct
27-31 Wright St, Clayton

To register interest in attending please contact Kellie Hammerstein kellie.hammerstein@monashhealth.org or 0418 503 643.

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From May 1 2017, new kinship carers approved by child protection will be required to apply for a Working with Children Check within 21 days of a child being placed in their care.

Approved kinship carers who already have a child placed with them by child protection will also need to apply for a check before 22 August.

The change to include kinship carers is one of a number of amendments to the Working with Children Check, which also includes an expansion of the definition of ‘direct contact’ with children, and the removal of references to ‘supervision’ so that people who are supervised in their contact with children still need to apply for a Check.

Kinship care is the preferred placement type for children in out-of-home care in Victoria and is considered to provide greater stability of care, preserve the family, promote cultural identity, keep siblings together and reduce separation trauma.

For more information about the changes, visit www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

10 May	Old School, Cognition, depression, dementia GPs Melbourne Details and registration
11 May	Accessible Psychological Interventions (API) - tender information session for low-moderate intensity primary mental health services Allied Health Professional, Case worker, CEO, Community member, Consultant, Coordinator, General Practitioner, Manager, Medical Specialist, Mental health Nurse Owner/Principal, Practice Manager, Psychologist Keysborough Details and registration
11 May	Youth Mental Health First Aid (2 days 4 and 11 May) Case worker, Community member, Other Cheltenham Details and registration
12 May	2017 Successfully Working with Women and their Health GPs Melbourne Details and registration
16 May	Our elders' emotional wellbeing and mental health matters - Full Day Aged care staff (PCAs through to RNs) who work with clients either in RACFs or community care. Dandenong Details and registrations
16 May	Suicide Prevention Workshop Allied Health Professional, Case worker, Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse South Melbourne Details and registration
22 May	Suicide Prevention Workshop Allied Health Professional, Case worker, Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse SEMPHN Heatherton Details and registration
25 May	Hepatitis C - Networking Dinner General Practitioner, Nurse - Practice Nurse, Nurse - Other, Pharmacist Glen Waverley Details and registration
25 May	Cabrini GP Lecture Series Term 1 Lecture 2-Common areas of risk in General Practice GPs Malvern Details and registration

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

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