Poisonous mushrooms growing in Melbourne

Poisonous mushrooms including Death Cap mushrooms and Yellow-staining mushrooms are currently growing abundantly around Victoria as a result of the recent heavy rains.

A number of serious mushroom poisonings have occurred in Victoria the last two weeks. Eating just one Death Cap mushroom can kill an adult.

In most cases the sooner treatment can begin, the better the outcome.

Contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Australia wide). Keep and photograph a sample of the mushroom that was consumed, as the Victorian Poisons Information Centre may be able to obtain expert identification of the mushroom in some cases.

Victorians are being told:

• If it is suspected that you or your child have eaten a poisonous mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to occur before seeking medical attention.
• Unless you are an expert, do not pick and eat wild mushrooms in Victoria. 
• Cooking, peeling or drying these mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison.
• There is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms.
• Mushrooms purchased from a supermarket, greengrocer or other reputable source are safe to eat.
• Dog owners should take particular care whilst walking their pet in areas where mushrooms may grow and where possible remove any mushrooms from their yard before they have a chance to eat them.

Read the full health advisory here. 

Why all prescribers need to look for the barcode!

All prescribers need to be set up for Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (ETP) to participate in ePrescribing, which will be available by the end of May, and for easier access to SafeScript, which became mandatory on 1 April.

To check for this, look for a barcode on your prescriptions as shown in the image below.

Absence of the barcode means that either the practice or the individual prescriber has not been set up properly for ETP. You can read our Health VitalIT article, which explains how to do it.

You can also view an on-demand (available at any time)  RACGP webinar on “Initiatives to support Medicines Safety”. Its topics include Electronic Prescribing and SafeScript. It's available until midnight Friday 5 June 2020.

For any further questions contact SEMPHN's Digital Health team on  03 8514 4460 or email digitalhealth@semphn.org.au.

New SEMPHN pathways available: HIV

Most new cases of HIV in Australia are diagnosed in primary care, and much of the person's care will also occur in primary care. HIV is a manageable chronic condition and with treatment, people are expected to have a near-normal life expectancy. 

The statewide HIV pathways will improve general practice capacity to screen, treat and manage HIV. Access SEMPHN Pathways for:

• assessment and management advice, regarding monitoring and immunisations, on the Ongoing Management pathway
• the PrEP pathway for access to clinical guidelines and resources to help clinicians understand the relationship between viral load and HIV transmission and the relatively new concept of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable)
• Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) advice for people who have experienced a recent high-risk exposure to HIV
• a Treatment and Support Services page providing information to HIV specialist services, multicultural resources, legal and financial resources, community-based support and advocacy groups.

The Victorian HIV and Hepatitis Integrated Training and Learning (VHITTAL) program has funded the development of the HIV pathways to improve general practice capacity to screen, treat and manage HIV.

Clinical guidance for cutaneous melanoma during the pandemic

As part of the Victorian COVID-19 Cancer Network (VCCN), the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Expert Group has developed clinical guidance for management of cutaneous melanoma during COVID-19 pandemic.

This short-term guidance is helpful for primary care professionals and aims to ensure optimal care (cancer) pathways are maintained, but are flexible and standardised across Victorian centres and community-based practices during this period.

Medical and nursing staff can access this document, as well as the online cancer community, by signing up via the VCCN or MPCCC websites or via accessing this direct link: https://www.viccompcancerctr.org/victorian-covid-19-cancer-network/clinical-guidance​

View SEMPHN's Optimal Care (Cancer) pathways here. 

SafeScript - Tackling the Difficult Conversations

SafeScript presents an opportunity to reduce harms associated with high-risk medications, to promote quality use of medicines and to support patients with substance use disorders such as opioid dependence. Join us for this live Webinar to learn more about how to navigate the honest, and sometimes difficult, conversations which have the potential to make a significant difference in the lives and health outcomes of your patients.

This webinar will take into consideration changes to practice due to COVID-19, such as physical distancing and telehealth, and the current mandatory SafeScript period. 

Topics and Speakers 

• Prescribing Suboxone to manage opioid dependence in primary care - Dr David Jacka, Addiction Medicine Specialist at Monash Drug and Alcohol Service
• Effective conversation strategies to address substance misuse - Dr Anne Marie Diggins, GP and Area 4 Pharmacotherapy Network GP Mentor
• SafeScript-related role-plays and case-based discussions - Dr Ferghal Armstrong, GP and Addiction Medicine Registrar at Turning Point, Eastern Health

When: 26 May,  7pm - 9pm. 
Where: Online
Register here. 

Voluntary Assisted Dying: someone's asked me about it, now what?

Find out more about more about the voluntary assisted dying laws that came in to effect in Victoria last year.

The session will provide an opportunity for you to consider your level of involvement in voluntary assisted dying and how you will support any patients who ask you about it:

• Your roles and responsibilities
• The assessment process for individuals seeking voluntary assisted dying
• The training requirements for doctors
• The personal and professional impact of participating in voluntary assisted dying
• Available financial, practical and peer support for doctors, individuals and families.

This session is specifically for GPs – it will include a discussion between Dr Nick Carr (Metropolitan GP) and Dr Greg Mewett (Regional GP & palliative care physician), a brief presentation and an opportunity for Q&A.

The session will be facilitated by the voluntary assisted dying care navigators (Susan Jury & Mel van Diemen).  You will be able to send or ask questions during the session.

When: Thursday 28 May 2020, 12.30 – 1.30pm
Where: Online – you will receive the link after registering
CPD points: Applied for (2 RACGP CPD Activity points)
Register here.

For more information:

•  contact voluntary assisted dying care navigators on 0436 848 344 or vadcarenavigator@petermac.org 
• Or, read more about voluntary assisted dying here.

 Chronic Disease Management and Healthy Ageing online workshop

Never change out of your comfy clothes again - APNA's Chronic Disease Management and Healthy Ageing Program is now online!

Register by Sunday 7 June to gain access to the self-assessment, community of practice, online learning suite AND online workshop. 

The workshop is divided into four parts and is modelled on a one-day workshop, so will take around six hours to complete.

Our skilled presenters will take you through an overview of chronic disease and healthy ageing, communication and engagement, getting things happening in your workplace, care planning and how to put it all together to facilitate change.

During the workshop you can also ask questions and post comments LIVE to our community of practice. This highly interactive and motivating session will provide you with the skillset and toolkit that you need to start your learning journey. 

After the workshop, you will have 12 months of online learning, access to a professional community and nurse support to build your knowledge and confidence.

Member Price: $220.00 Register
Non-member Price: $220.00 Register

After registration, you will be contacted by APNA via email with instructions on how to access the program.

 Disability Information Helpline for people with disability

Your patients can contact the Disability Information Helpline to talk about their concerns in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19), for example if:

• a support worker has not turned up
• their provider has stopped services
• it’s hard for them to get food, groceries, medications or other essential items
• someone close to them has symptoms of coronavirus
• they are feeling really upset.

To contact the Disability Information Helpline, call 1800 643 787.

The Helpline is available Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm (AEST) and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 7pm (AEST). 

• If your patients are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, they can call the National Relay Service on 133 677.
• If your patients require support in another language they can call the Disability Information Helpline on 1800 643 787 and asking for an interpreter.

The Disability Information Helpline is free, private and fact-checked. The Disability Information Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.

For more information about the Disability Information Helpline, including Easy Read and Auslan resources about coronavirus, visit www.dss.gov.au/disabilityhelp.