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Monday 11  September

In this edition

Professional development opportunities and events read more

Doctors in Secondary Schools program - exciting opportunities
Do you practice in Endeavour Hills, Noble Park, Cranbourne East, Dandenong or Mornington? read more

Feedback on the draft RACGP Standards for after-hours services
Have a say by 29 September read more

New information will help predict breast cancer risk
Do you work in breast cancer management? read more

Immunisation news
Check out the latest issue of the DHHS Immunisation newsletter read more

Have patients needing help to manage type 2 diabetes?
Caulfield Community Health Service has a new specialised service read more

SEMPHN Board applications close this Friday
Apply now read more

Save 000 for emergencies campaign
Thousands of calls to 000 don't need an emergency ambulance read more

R U OK?
Show your support on 14 September read more

Doctors in Secondary Schools program – exciting opportunities

SEMPHN is seeking general practices with an interest in adolescent health to be involved in the Doctors in Schools program funded by the Victorian Government.

We are particularly interested in hearing from practices located in or nearby Endeavour Hills, Noble Park, Cranbourne East, Dandenong and Mornington.

The program, which runs until 30 June 2019, provides selected schools access to a general practitioner and an experienced Div 1 nurse for medical advice and health care onsite once a week. 

Funding for the program ensures:

  • GPs are guaranteed remuneration for the session, four hours a week.
  • Nurses are paid for 7.6 hours per week to provide critical support to GPs, care coordination and to be the clinical link between the general practice and the school.
  • Modern purpose-built onsite GP consultation facilities.
  • There should be no costs to the practice in providing these services.

By the end of term three there will be seven clinics operating in schools in the SEMPHN catchment, and another seven are in the pipeline.

Please see the operational guidelines for more information.

You can register your interest with Tracy McNeair or Nadera Rahmani via drsinschools@semphn.org.au

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Feedback on the draft RACGP Standards for after-hours services

The draft RACGP Standards for after-hours services have been released for consultation.

To ensure the Standards for after-hours services are meaningful to the profession and other stakeholders, individuals and organisations are invited to review the draft and provide feedback.

Revisions to successive drafts of the Standards for after-hours services will be made based on the feedback.

To be accredited against the Standards for after-hours services, a service must first meet the RACGP’s definition of an after-hours service for the purposes of accreditation. Similar to the requirements for general practices, the after-hours services would then be required to meet the following modules:

  • Core
  • Quality Improvement
  • After-Hours Services.

The draft Standards can be found here.

Please submit your feedback to standards@racgp.org.au by 29 September. All stakeholder feedback will be published, unless you state otherwise.

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New information to help predict breast cancer risk

Do you work in breast cancer management?

BreastScreen Victoria (BSV) is now collecting information on a woman’s family history of both breast and ovarian cancer when they have a breast screen through BreastScreen Victoria.

This information is part of the BSV Family History Tool, which helps predict an increased risk of breast cancer, and in turn determines if tailored screening is required.

The tool allocates women to one of three groups based on their calculated risk (relative to the general population) of developing breast cancer.

Women are then referred back to their GP for a more comprehensive assessment of their risk factors.

GPs can read about the changes in the Referral and management summary for general practice

If you have any questions, please contact familyhistory@breastscreen.org.au or call (03) 9660 6861.

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The latest immunisation news

Read the latest issue of the DHHS Immunisation newsletter:

Topics include:

  • Zostavax® GP Decision Aid
  • Rotarix® vaccine replaces RotaTeq® vaccine
  • Immunisation and pregnancy – who, what, when and why?
  • Want to promote the free Meningococcal vaccine? Here’s how
  • Recommended needles for vaccination
  • Report adverse events following immunisation
  • Get The Facts – the childhood immunisation education campaign

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Have patients needing help to manage type 2 diabetes?

Caulfield Community Health Service (CCHS) has a new specialised service funded by SEMPHN to help adults with Type 2 Diabetes to self-manage their condition.

The service offers access to a diabetes nurse educator, a dietitian and an accredited exercise physiologist. Referrals to other CCHS allied health services such as podiatry are available.

Self-management goal setting and care planning with regular reviews is provided.

Eligible patients include people over 18 years who live in the Alfred and SEMPHN catchment areas who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, have long-term type 2 diabetes, are needing to start a new diabetes medication including insulin or other injectable medication or have recently started on any new diabetes medication.

Referrals can be faxed to Caulfield Access on (03) 9076 6773.

For clinic enquiries please contact Lynette Schroen, CCHS Diabetes Nurse Educator (Mon, Wed, Thurs) on 9076 6666 or l.schroen@cgmc.org.au.

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SEMPHN Board applications close this Friday

The Board is constantly seeking to enhance its structure to meet the skills and experience required for the effective oversight and governance of SEMPHN’s activities. 

Applications are open for a General Practitioner non-executive director.

In line with SEMPHN’s priority areas, SEMPHN is particularly interested in applications from GPs with an interest or specialty in chronic disease, digital health, mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population health or aged care.

Applications are also open for a second non-executive director where being a general practitioner is not a requirement.  People working in primary care in the SEMPHN region who have a strong governance background are encouraged to apply for this position.

Applicants for either position should complete the application form and email this to Elizabeth Deveny at ceo@semphn.org.au by 15 September 2017. 

More information

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Save 000 for emergencies campaign

You might have seen the 'Save 000 for emergencies' campaign' running in screen, radio and digital display advertising lately.

Each year, tens of thousands of calls to 000 do not need an emergency ambulance, and the problem is growing.

In 2015/16, calls for ambulance grew by 5.7 per cent, while the population of Victoria grew at a rate of just 1.7 per cent. This means the answer to improving response times is not always more paramedics, vehicles or stations.

The aim of the campaign is to help people know the right time to call an emergency ambulance, and when health issues can be better managed by GPs, pharmacies and nurse-on-call.

More information on the campaign, including the television commercial, can be found here.

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R U OK?

More than 3,000 Australians suicide each year. That’s about 8 people every day, across all ages, gender and socio-economic status.

R U OK?Day is 14 September –  a national reminder that we’ve all got what it takes to ask, 'Are you ok?' and support those struggling with life. While the question is quite small, its impact can be lifesaving.

A place where asking the question “are you ok?” can really work is in the workplace. As employers or staff, we can all create a culture where people feel confident asking and answering this important question.

R U OK? has developed a four-step strategy to guide people through a conversation.

  1. Ask R U OK?
  2. Listen
  3. Encourage action
  4. Check in

Sometimes conversations are too big for friends and family and professional support is needed. This is where mental health and suicide prevention service providers can help.

Tips and numbers to call for extra support can be found here.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

13-14
Sep 
   Victorian Homelessness Conference -Let's Talk Solutions
All
Melbourne
Details and registrations
 
14
Sep
  Putting the pieces together: Working with BPD clients in the AOD
Allied Health Professionals, Case workers, Mental Health Nurses
Fitzroy
Details and registration
 
14
Sep
  Cabrini GP Lecture Series - Acute medical emergencies in the GP setting
GPs
Malvern
Details and registration
 
15
Sep
  Medical Practice IT User Group
GPs, Practice Nurse, Practice Administration, Practice Manager
Berwick
Details and registration
 
16
Sep
  Demystifying the diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome
GPs
Prahran
Details and registration
 
20
Sep
  SANE Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention Workshop
Mental Health Workers
Heatherton
Details and registration
 
23
Sep
  Build Your Practice Conference and Exhibition 2017
GPs, Practice Managers, Allied Health Professionals
Melbourne
Details and registration
 
6
Oct
  2017 Successfully Working with Women and their Health
GPs
Melbourne
Details and registrations

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

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