Professional development opportunities and events read more

Health Alert: Legionnaires' disease
Five cases have been identified in the last fortnight read more

Grants closing soon for general practice
Multiple grants of up to $100,000 are available read more

Seasonal influenza vaccines
You play a key role in informing patients about the vaccines read more

Do you have patients who are current or former members of the Australian Defence Force?
DVA has issued a letter to GPs and mental health providers read more

Improving the use of medicines and services by veterans
The latest topic is Keeping your COPD patients well read more

Last chance to register - Hepatitis C in Drug and Alcohol Settings Workshop
It's happening this Sunday read more

Are you treating patients with chronic pain?
Would you like a nurse to provide support to your practice? read more

New website for families affected by alcohol and other drugs Do you have patients who are worried about someone else's substance use? read more

New multidisciplinary meetings
A GI-Oncology MDM has started at Holmesglen Private Hospital read more

Do you advise or support people who need housing help?
Come to the Mornington Peninsula Housing Expo read more

Would you like to do patient engagement better? 
Attend this free workshop in May read more

Victoria's Chief Health Officer issued the following health alert on 12 April:

Key messages

• Five cases of Legionnaires’ disease (Legionella pneumophila, serogroup 1) have been identified in the last fortnight involving individuals who have spent time in the eastern half of Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) and/or Southbank.
• Be alert for Legionnaires’ disease in patients with influenza-like symptoms, particularly those with severe pneumonia, who have been around the Melbourne CBD or Southbank areas since the end of March 2017.
• If you suspect Legionnaires’ disease, request urinary antigen testing through your normal pathology provider. As a priority, order Legionella culture on sputum, and undertake serology on blood at baseline and 14 days later.
• Legionnaires’ disease is a Group A notifiable condition which requires immediate notification on suspicion to the Department of Health and Human Services on 1300 651 160.

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There are only a few days left for general practices in the SEMPHN region to submit tenders for grants up to the value of $100,000 (GST exclusive).

Tenders close 3pm 27 April and must be submitted via SEMPHN's Tenderlink page.

The aim is to help build General Practice capacity to manage patients with chronic and complex conditions to achieve one of the key PHN national priorities - reducing Potentially Preventable Hospitalisations (PPH).

A recording of the tender information session held on 12 April is available on the SEMPHN website.

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The 2017 National Immunisation Program seasonal influenza vaccines are currently being distributed around the country.

As a vaccination provider, you play a key role in informing patients about the vaccines.

Please:

• promote the vaccine to eligible people through displaying the posters and brochures in your clinic.
• offer vaccination throughout the influenza season. Those in risk groups, especially pregnant women, can benefit from vaccination at any time of the year.
• ensure vaccine safety by checking you have the correct vaccine for the person’s age.  Note all 2017 NIP vaccines include the age indication on the barrel of the syringe to make it easier.
• report all influenza vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register.

Materials are being mailed to general and specialist medical practitioners and Aboriginal Medical Services to promote the 2017 seasonal influenza vaccines.

Copies of the materials and translated brochures for people from non-English speaking backgrounds will be available on the Immunise Australia Website.

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The Department of Veterans’ Affairs would like to inform GPs and mental health providers of the following in relation to patients who may have experienced sexual or physical abuse during their defence service:

• Anyone who has provided full time service in the Australian Defence Force, even for a single day, can receive treatment through the Australian Government’s Non-Liability Health Care program for certain mental health conditions without needing to prove a link between the treated condition and their service. Visit here or phone 133 254 (metropolitan) or 1800 555 254.
• DVA has broadened the use of survivor statutory declarations as evidence to establish that an incident of sexual and/or physical abuse occurred.
• Veterans in need of immediate mental health and wellbeing support can seek help from the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS) by calling 1800 011 046.

Read the full letter here.

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The Department of Veterans' Affairs and Veterans' Medicines Advice and Therapeutics Education Services (Veterans' MATES) has completed the latest topic Keeping your COPD patients well this winter. The topic highlights interventions that can help prevent exacerbations and improve the wellbeing of patients with COPD.

In late March, copies of the therapeutic brief and veteran brochure, along with other topic-related materials, will be mailed to GPs who treat the selected veterans identified in the RPBS dispendsing data.

In early May, the veteran brochure Taking action with your COPD before winter, will be mailed to veteran patients who have been dispensed medicines indicated for COPD.

The information is available here.

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Are you a clinical professional working in drug and alcohol settings? Do you work with people who inject drugs and would like to effectively test for, treat and manage hepatitis C?

If you're a GP or other clinician able to prescribe, this online learning and face-face workshop will give you the skills to confidently prescribe the new DAAs.

You will be able to:

• describe the risk factors for HCV infection to enable effective practice screening and prevention education
• interpret clinical and other relevant information to provide effective care for people living with HCV infection
• demonstrate competence in liver disease assessment
• demonstrate understanding of DAA therapy for the treatment of HCV and competence in selecting and prescribe appropriate therapy
• monitor patients on treatment and post-treatment appropriately.

For more information and to register visit here.

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Did you know:

• treatment of chronic pain should be managed differently to that of acute pain?
• long term use of prescription opioid medication can lead to tolerance and withdrawal issues?
• better chronic pain management can lead to improved social, occupational and recreational activities?

SEMPHN, Peninsula Health and the Peninsula Model are offering a limited number of practices the use of specialist Pharmacotherapy Support Nurses to provide free one-on-one patient support and GP guidance aimed at providing improved primary health care and management of patients with chronic pain.

It includes:

• in-reach clinical support to identify and engage patients with chronic pain that may benefit from a medication review
• improved management of chronic pain and improved access to appropriate support services for patients who have complex psychosocial issues
• GP training and support provided on the medical management of opioid dependence
• support by the pharmacotherapt support nurse for several weeks.

To see if your clinic is eligible, please contact Jacqueline Apostolopoulos, Pharmacotherapy Liaison Coordinator on 0429 808 317 or email jacqueline.apostolopoulos@semphn.org.au.

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Do you have patients or clients who are worried about someone else's substance use?

The First Stop is a new website for families affected by alcohol and other drugs developed by the Connect4Health consortium - a partnership between Access Health and Community, Carrington Health and Link Health and Community.

The website is an easy-use-guide to information and support services for families who are worried about someone else's substance use.

The website can be used to find what treatment services are available in Victoria and how to refer to them, including support services for families. There's also information about types of substances as well as tips and resources for families.

There is detailed information about services in the Inner East Region of Melbourne, as well as contact details for services in other parts of Victoria.

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A GI-Oncology multi-disciplinary meeting (MDM) has started at Holmesglen Private Hospital to assist with the best management of patients with GI cancers.

Twenty seven specialists are supporting the MDM including gastroenterologists, GI surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and a nuclear medicine and PET specialist.

Holmesglen Private invite and encourage General Practitioners to take part, particularly when your patients are being discussed. Coffee and refreshments will be supplied.

The next multi-disciplinary meeting is 7.15am 26 April at 490 South Road, Moorabbin. The meetings will be held every four weeks.

For more information email Dr Adam Gordon (MDM Chairperson) at dr.adamgordon@gmail.com.

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Find out about housing pathways and other assistance at the Mornington Peninsula 2017 Housing Expo on 28 April in Hastings.

• Hear speakers from housing support and related services.
• Get to know other workers
• Find out the best way to refer
• Improve your understanding of the housing sector.

For more information contact Salvocare Eastern on 5986 7122 or Mornington Peninsula Shire on 5950 1099 or email CYFCCustomerfocus@mornpen.vic.gov.au.

Register here.

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The Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service and the Health Issues Centre are holding a free consumer engagement workshop.

Learn how to work with your patients to plan, design, measure and evaluate care and services.

This workshop aims to help you

• incorporate meaningful consumer engagement into everyday work activities
• improve your responsiveness to patient and carer needs.

When: 23 May 8:30am — 1:00pm
Where: Sails on the Bay, Elwood Foreshore, Elwood
Register here or for more information contact Seleena Sherwell
on (03) 9928 8171 or seleena.sherwell@monashhealth.org.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

27 Apr	Advance Practical Workshop Practice Nurses Dandenong Details and registration
27 Apr	St Kilda Practice Networks Practice Nurse, Owner/Principal, Practice Manager St Kilda Details and registration
27 Apr	Perinatal Mental Health Allied Health Professional, General Practitioner, Nurse - Other Clayton Details and registration
30 Apr	Hepatitis C in Drug and Alcohol Settings GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacist, Specialists Dandenong Details and registration
3 May	2017 Comprehensive day course in Infection Control for GP staff GP nurses, practice managers, receptionists Parkville Details and registration
4 May	Youth Mental Health First Aid (2 days 4 and 11 May) Case worker, Community member, Other Cheltenham Details and registration
4 May	Consumer Participation in the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector event Aboriginal Health Worker, Allied Health Professional, Case worker, GP, Practice Nurse, Mental health Nurse, Pharmacist, Practice Manager, Psychologist Melbourne Details and registration
5 May	Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) training, Module 2, session 2 GPs, Nurse Practitioners Collingwood Details and registration
10 May	Old School, Cognition, depression, dementia General Practitioner Melbourne 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
16 May	Our elders’ emotional wellbeing and mental health matters. Aged care staff (PCAs through to RNs) who work with clients either in RACFs or community care. Dandenong Area Details and registrations
12 May	2017 Successfully Working with Women and their Health GPs 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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