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Monday 19  February

In this edition

Professional development opportunities and events read more

Zostavax® vaccine now available for people 70-79 years 
Now's the time to follow-up, promote and report read more

Update: 2018 free meningococcal ACWY vaccination program for Year 10 (15-16 years)
Read the updated health advisory and get your promo kit read more

General Practitioner Education/Information Session: Borderline Personality Disorder in Primary Care
This is now a one-hour education session followed by 30 mins of info about an exciting GP initative read more

How has codeine rescheduling affected you and your general practice?
Please take two minutes to share your thoughts read more

Education: Managing Codeine Presentations and Lessons Learnt Thus Far
Learn management strategies from expert presenters read more

SafeScript: Victoria's real-time prescription monitoring
Check-out the updated FAQ for health professionals read more

Changes to privacy law - mandatory data breach notification
Get an overview of the changes and steps to take read more

Free Practice Software Training: Best Practice and Medical Director 
Learn how to get the most out of your software read more

Come to our Practice Networks 
Hear all about new mental health services read more

Alfred Health uploads discharge summaries to My Health Record
Good news for you read more

Does your practice want to get the Indigenous PIP?
Here's some training you might need read more

Nominate an exceptional volunteer!
Nominations are open until 4 March read more

Zostavax® vaccine now available for people 70-79 years

Since November 2016, a free shingles vaccine program has been funded under the Australian Government’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) for 70 year olds, with a time-limited catch-up program for people 71 to 79 years old until October 2021.

At the commencement of the program, the interest in the vaccine was unprecedented. Early shortages have been addressed and there is now ample stock available to meet ongoing demand under the program.

Zostavax® is available nationally and the vaccine is readily accessible to immunisation providers.

To assist in promoting the program and ensuring people 70 to 79 years old are protected against shingles, please:

  • follow up with patients or other eligible people 70 to 79 years old who would benefit from the vaccine and who may have missed out earlier in the program.
  • promote the vaccine to eligible people 70 to 79 years old by displaying the program posters and brochures in your clinic or facility.
  • report vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

Zostavax® supplies can be ordered through the same process currently used to order vaccines for the NIP through your state or territory Health Department.

For more information, clinical advice and promotional materials about the National Shingles Vaccination Program, visit the Department of Health’s immunisation website.

Tip: Use the Clinical Indicators report in POLAR GP to generate a recall list of your patients who are yet to receive their Zostavax vaccine.

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Update: 2018 free meningococcal ACWY vaccination program for Year 10 (15-16 years)

On 2 February, the Victorian Minister for Health officially announced the free meningococcal ACWY vaccination program for young people in Victoria for 2018.

As you're aware, the meningococcal ACWY vaccine (Menactra®) is free to all young people in Year 10 of secondary school, as well as those young people not in secondary school but of an equivalent age (15 or 16 years old) until 31 December 2018.

  • There is an updated CHO Advisory regarding the new, free vaccination program for 15-16 year olds to continue to combat increasing cases of meningococcal disease in Victoria.
  • If you're an immunisation provider, you will soon receive updated posters for the 2018 meningococcal ACWY vaccine program. Please display the promotional posters in waiting areas etc. You can order more here.
  • There's also an updated free meningococcal promo kit for immunisation providers, secondary schools, and community and youth organisations concerned with the health and wellbeing of young people in Victoria.
  • Please read the FAQs to support immunisation providers and use them to guide discussions with your patients. For any questions not covered, please email immunisation@dhhs.vic.gov.au.
  • To order the vaccine, use the Government funded vaccine order form.

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General Practitioner Education/Information Session: Borderline Personality Disorder in Primary Care

GPs, SEMPHN is offering an opportunity for you to receive extra support to manage the care of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder who present with chronic risk.

Did you know?

  • Individuals with a diagnosis of BPD are 45 times more likely to die by suicide
  • People with BPD make up around six percent of primary care sector patients
  • GPs are key first contacts for individuals in psychological distress.

Come along to a one hour education session presented by Prof Sathya Rao, Psychiatrist.

If you're a GP working in the Frankston, Mornington Peninsula or Greater Dandenong LGA, stay an extra half hour to learn more about the BPD in Primary Care initiative.

This 12-month initiative will provide GP’s with intensive support from psychiatry and allied health including:

  • on-call support, including after-hours for patients who present to you in crisis
  • secondary consultations to address complex presentations and issues of suicidal risk
  • support with clarification of diagnosis
  • increasing your capacity and confidence with risk assessments and putting crisis management plans in place
  • identifying and accessing services through the development of clinical and community referral pathways.

RSVP your attendance to one of these sessions:

We'll be seeking expressions of interest on the night to participate in the BPD in Primary Care initiative.

For more information see the flyer or contact Alison Asche at suicideprevention@semphn.org.au.

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Tell us how codeine rescheduling is affecting you and your general practice

As you know, codeine was rescheduled to being prescription-only from 1 February.

Over the next few months, we'd like to give you the opportunity to feedback about the rescheduling, identify support you might need and to be a voice for your patients.

Please take two minutes here to tell us how codeine rescheduling has affected you and your general practice to date.

Responses are open until 27 February.

Thank you for your time!

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Evening education session: Managing Codeine Presentations and Lessons Learnt Thus Far

What has been your experience with the rescheduling of codeine?

Come to an evening education session on 6 March in Doncaster and learn management strategies from expert presenters, as well as discuss your concerns with the panel and other health professionals.

Presenters

  • Dr Paul McCartney: Experienced Alcohol and other Drug GP, RACGP Presenter, Pharmacotherapy Prescriber and GP Mentor – CoHealth, Fitzroy
  • Angelo Pricolo: Experienced Pharmacotherapy Pharmacist, PSA Educator and Guild Representative – Tambassis Pharmacy
  • Dr Clayton Thomas: Pain Specialist, MBBS FAFRM FFPMANZCA MPH – Melbourne Pain Group.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify which codeine formulations are available on prescription and when it is appropriate to prescribe them
  • Apply best practice management approaches to respond to issues that have emerged since codeine rescheduling
  • Establish collaborative multi-disciplinary strategies to optimise patient health outcomes for codeine-related requests
  • Implement practice-wide systems for responding to the codeine changes.

This activity is approved for 4 Category 2 RACGP Points.
Activity Number 122254

Please register here by 2 March.

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SafeScript: Victoria's real-time prescription monitoring

To reduce the growing harms (including deaths) from high-risk prescription medicines, the Victorian Government is putting a real-time prescription monitoring system (SafeScript) in place.

In 2016, there were 372 Victorian drug overdose deaths involving pharmaceutical medicines. This is higher than the number of overdose deaths involving illicit drugs (257), and higher than the road toll (291).

SafeScript, which will start to roll-out this year, will provide health professionals with access to their patients’ prescription history for certain high-risk medicines to enable safer clinical decisions on whether to prescribe or dispense a medicine.

Check-out these FAQ for health professionals about SafeScript.

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Changes to privacy law - mandatory data breach notification

On 22 February, a change to the privacy law will mean that reporting a data breach is mandatory.

Make sure you know what it's about and what you may need to change - particularly around your IT policies and procedures.

An overview of the changes and the steps to take are in an article in our GP ImproveIT resource: Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

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Free Practice Software Training: Best Practice and Medical Director

Are you a GP, Practice Principal or Manager who's responsible for reporting and quality improvement initiatives? Don't miss our Practice Software Training!

Getting the most from your practice software: for users of Medical Director
When: 7 March, 4.30pm-9pm
Where: Atura Dandenong
Register here.


Getting the most from your practice software: for users of Best Practice
When: 8 March, 4.30pm-9pm
Where: The Dandenong Club
Register here.

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Come to our Practice Networks

GPs, practice managers and practice nurses, if you want to know more about local mental health service options for your patients, don’t miss this month's Practice Networks!

Dandenong: 21 February - Greater Dandenong City Council, 6pm-7.30pm
Frankston: 22 February - Cube 37, Frankston 6pm-7.30pm

You will:

  • Hear key statistics about mental health in Dandenong and Frankston LGAs
  • Get a basic run-down of the Stepped Care Model for mental health
  • Learn about eligibility and referral processes for the new SEMPHN mental health services
  • Meet local mental health providers and explore relevant cases, covering mild-moderate and severe/complex mental illness

Register here.

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Alfred Health uploads discharge summaries to My Health Record

Alfred Health is now uploading discharge summaries for inpatient episodes to My Health Record.

From November 27 last year, patients who have registered for the My Health Record and are discharged from Alfred Health will have their discharge summaries uploaded, unless the patient has withdrawn consent for this to occur.

The discharge summary will be uploaded to My Health Record when the discharge summary is sent to the patient’s nominated GP.

AHPRA-registered healthcare providers including GPs, nurses and pharmacists who are registered for My Health Record can now view these discharge summaries through their practice software or the provider portal.

Contact the digital health team if you have any questions on (03) 8514 4460 or digitalhealth@semphn.org.au.

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Does your practice want to get the Indigenous PIP?

Did you know that if you want to receive the Indigenous Practice Incentive Payment (PIP), at least two staff members from your practice (including one GP) must complete appropriate cultural awareness training within 12 months of your practice signing on to the incentive?

This Cultural Respect and Appreciation Workshop on 1 May in Doveton, subsidised by Enliven, is accredited to meet the PIP requirements.

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Nominate an exceptional volunteer!

Nominations are open online for the 2018 Victorian Minister for Health Volunteer Awards.

The awards highlight and celebrate volunteering and its significant contribution to public healthcare in Victoria, as well as recognise the individuals and teams who demonstrate outstanding dedication and commitment.

Nominations are accepted from any Victorian or Victorian Government-funded healthcare provider and organisation that delivers public healthcare programs.

Organisations eligible to apply include, but are not limited to:

  • hospitals
  • community health services
  • mental health services
  • aged care services
  • integrated care centres
  • ambulance services
  • volunteer, charity and non-government organisations delivering public healthcare initiatives.

Entries close 5pm, 4 March.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

21 
Feb
  Dandenong Practice Networks
Practice Nurse, Practice Managers
Dandenong
Details and registration
 
22 
Feb
  Frankston Practice Networks
Practice Nurse, Practice Managers
Frankston
Details and registration
 
28
Feb
  Information session: Assisting GP's to support patients with Borderline Personality Disorder who present with chronic risk in primary care
GPs
SEMPHN Dandenong
Details and registration
 
28
Feb          
  Holmesglen Multi-disciplinary meetings (MDM) 2018
GPs
Moorabbin 
Details and registration
 
28 Feb
-
1 Mar           
  FlexIT: Flexible Insulin Therapy for Health Professionals
Diabetes Nurse Educators and Dietitians
Melbourne
Details and registrations
 
1
Mar
  Front of House health staff: Working with people from refugee backgrounds
All staff working at the front line reception
Brunswick
Details and registration
 
6
Mar
  Managing Codeine Presentations & Lessons Learnt Thus Far
GPs, Pharmacists, Practice Managers, Practice Nurses, Practice Staff, AOD workers, Allied Health Professionals
Doncaster
Details and registration
 
7
Mar
  Getting the most from your practice software: For users of Medical Director
GPs, Practice Principles and Managers
Dandenong
Details and registration
 
7
Mar
  STI Management in General Practice
GPs
Clayton
Details and registration
 
8
Mar
  Getting the most from your practice software: For users of Best Practice
GPs, Practice Principles and Managers
Dandenong
Details and registration
 
14
Mar
  Information session: Assisting GP's to support patients with Borderline Personality Disorder who present with chronic risk in primary care
GPs
Frankston
Details and registration
 


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

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