Opioid Pharmacotherapy Needs Survey

Do you work in the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) sector? Are you aware of areas where your clients have difficulties in accessing opioid pharmacotherapy services (suboxone and/or methadone, prescriber and/or pharmacy)? 

Please complete this short survey that will help the Area 4 Pharmacotherapy Network better understand the areas of pharmacotherapy prescriber and pharmacy shortages within our region.

The survey is available until 22 June and is open to all staff working in the AOD sector in Southern and Eastern Metropolitan Melbourne (see A4PN region – scroll down to our catchment).

The Area 4 Pharmacotherapy Network will use the survey results to inform their prescriber/pharmacy recruitment and support activities, with an increased focus on areas identified as having a greater level of need.

Please contact A4PN@semphn.org.au if you have any questions in regards to this survey.

GP Business Acumen – support and resources

SEMPHN has contracted Jim Grant & Associates to develop support and resources to help develop GP Business Acumen in the current and post-COVID environment.

Please keep your eye out for a survey email to general practice managers or owners for an email sent on 4 June, check your junk/spam folder.

Your feedback in this survey will help with the development of this important initiative.

Practical support is available for your patients with mental illnesses

The SEMPHN-funded Psychosocial Support Services (PSS) program helps people with mental illnesses to take the next steps in their recovery journey. It is ideal for people who:

• Have a mental health issue or a mental illness
• Feel their mental health is holding them back from what they want to achieve in life
• Struggle to work or study because of their mental health
• Have difficulty with relationships, making friends or managing money
• Turn to drugs or alcohol to cope

Delivered by ermha365, the PSS program provides practical support for:

• Social isolation and anxiety
• Connection to housing services
• Accessing food and planning meals 
• Self-care
• Accessing alcohol and other drug treatment services
• Establishing social and daily routines
• Exploring work and study pathways
• and connections to transport, legal, health, mental health and family support.

How to refer
Contact SEMPHN Access & Referral on 1800 862 363 (8.30am-4.30pm weekdays)  or visit the SEMPHN website and download the referral form.

Webinar series: Flattening the curve of mental ill-health

Prevention United is hosting a series of online webinars that discuss how Australia can ‘flatten the curve’ of mental ill-health in the wake of COVID-19.

These sessions provide a range of expert views on the mental health and wellbeing impacts of coronavirus and discuss important ways that these impacts can be reduced through evidence-based promotion, prevention and early intervention programs in the months and years ahead.

Places for each webinar are limited and will be allocated in order of registration.

Flattening the curve of substance use harms

• Speakers: Dr Lexine Stapinski, Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist; Dr Louise Birrell, Postdoctoral Research Fellow; and Professor Maree Teesson AC, from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use
• When: Wednesday 10 June, 12.30pm–2pm
• Register

Digital Interventions for Suicide Prevention

• Speakers: Professor Helen Christensen AO, Director and Chief Scientist, Black Dog Institute
• When: Monday 15 June,  12.30pm–1.30pm
• Register

Putting the missing steps in stepped care: low intensity support in the COVID-19 era and beyond

• Speaker: Georgie Harman, CEO, Beyond Blue
• When: Friday 19 June, 12.30pm–1.30pm
• Register

Hearing Loss, Cognitive Impairment and Hearing Aid Solutions

The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital is excited to announce that they will be running their first GP webinar in partnership with the North West Melbourne PHN, on Tuesday 16 June, 7-8pm.

The Head of The Eye and Ear's Otology Unit, Dr Jean-Marc Gerrard will be presenting on Hearing Loss, Cognitive Impairment and Hearing Aid Solutions.  

Learning outcomes 

• Describe hearing loss types and causes and the association between hearing loss and cognitive dysfunction and dementia and the suggested mechanics of hearing loss and cognitive change
• Describe the treatment of hearing loss and cognition impacts and how efficient and effective they are
• Evaluate hearing loss in patients and refer appropriately.

More details can be found on the NWMPHN website.

Have you seen our Familial Cancer pathways yet?

Assessing familial cancer risk is not straightforward and is often challenging. After a close relative is diagnosed with cancer, a patient may turn to their GP to help them determine their risk of familial cancer.

Familial Cancer Syndromes pathways can assist GPs in providing comfort and advice to patients as well as to assess genetic risk and navigate local referral pathways into genetic testing.

It provides information on risk factors based on family history and cultural considerations, as well as preventative strategies affected families can undertake.

The new Familial Cancer Syndromes pathway has been aligned with the nationally recognised and endorsed Optimal Cancer Care Pathways, which acts as a quick and interactive reference tool with local resources. The pathway guides GPs to assess and refer patients onto genetic testing.

Free for general practice to access, the pathway is written by GPs, for GPs, in collaboration with specialists in familial cancer syndromes. 

View the pathways here. 

Immunisation update from Health.Vic

Health.Vic has produced an immunisation update covering:

• Vaccine schedule change 1 July 2020 – new eligibility for free pneumococcal vaccines
• Which influenza vaccine to use for people aged 65 years and older?
• Vaccine schedule change 1 July 2020 – new eligibility for free meningococcal B (Bexsero) vaccine
• Are you injecting vaccines correctly to prevent shoulder injury?
• Principles of catch-up vaccination
• Zostavax updated on the Vaccine side effects pad
• Links to further information

Read the full update here.  

• Learn more about the NIP Schedule changes at the next NCIRS Webinar.