Professional development opportunities and events read more

New POLAR browser version to help with accreditation
Is your accreditation due within the next 12 months? read more

Closing soon: chronic disease management Expression of Interest: general practices in Greater Dandenong and Frankston
This EOI closes 4 May read more

Grants open: After Hours GP-led service in aged care facilities
This opportunity is open in six LGAs read more

Expression of Interest: Suicide Prevention Advisory Groups
Would you like to make a difference? read more

SEMPHN GP Symposium 2 June
Register now for our inaugural event read more

Dandenong: Do you know someone with lived experience of suicide who might like to help others?
Read about the free workshop in May read more

St Kilda event: Quality Improvement Strategies
Come to this 10 May workshop read more

Self-management program for diabetes
Would you like your patients to do better? read more

Pharmacists: real time prescription monitoring is coming to Victoria
Phase one starts October 2018 read more

Connecting communities and clinicians to PrEP
Have you read the latest PrEP clinical guidelines? read more

Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month - do you know the facts?
GPs, you have an important role to play read more

Is your accreditation due within the next 12 months?

The new POLAR browser version is available and can be used from any computer and any logged-in user within your practice.

POLAR can help you identify your active patients (compared to total records and inactive patients) and reduce the time it takes to improve the data. It can show active patients defined as visiting one or more times in the past three years or by the RACGP definition: patients who 'attended the practice/service three or more times in the past two years'.

More than 160 general practices in our catchment using Best Practice, Medical Director, and Zedmed have signed on to use POLAR. SEMPHN offers POLAR GP free to general practices, with ongoing licencing and support.

POLAR is used for clinical and business insight and planning in general practices of all sizes. It's used by practice principals and medical practitioners, nurses, practice and business managers.

It's also used by SEMPHN to improve population health planning and research across the catchment  For more information and a demonstration of POLAR, call the Digital Health team on 03 8514 4460 or digitalhealth@semphn.org.au.

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Are you a general practice in Greater Dandenong or Frankston?

Would you like extra resources and support to better manage your patients with chronic and/or complex issues?

SEMPHN is partnering with WellNet (by Sonic Clinical Services) to offer tools and resources to support the management of your patients with chronic/complex needs who are at high risk of complications and/or hospitalisation.

The aim of the 16-18 month program is to deliver better health outcomes through the Patient Centred Medical Home model of care.

If you're a general practice in Greater Dandenong or Frankston and are interested in this opportunity, please read and complete this Expression of Interest (EOI) by 4 May to help determine your practice's eligibility and suitability for this work.

If you would like more information please contact Cate Grindlay, National Program Manager, Sonic Clinical Services at cate.grindlay@scs.com.au.

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SEMPHN invites Approved Medical Deputising Services (AMDS), or general practice/s with an appropriate AMDS Licence, to apply for grants for an After Hours General Practitioner-led telephone triage and attendance service to Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF).

SEMPHN is offering grants of up to $150,000 (GST exclusive) per successful eligible AMDS to provide services to RACFs in the Local Government Areas of Bayside, Kingston, Greater Dandenong, Frankston, Casey and/or Mornington Peninsula over an 18 month period, including:

• a 'first point of call' telephone triage service delivered by a Vocationally Registered General Practitioner (VR GP) and,
• GP Attendance service by VR GPs or Non VR GPs (if Non VR GP attending, remote supervision from VR GP required) to RACFs as required in the After Hours period.

This tender opportunity is an expansion of the recent successful trial funded by SEMPHN for services provided to RACFs.

To see full details, register your interest and apply for these tender go to to SEMPHN's Tenderlink page. Please note, all questions about the tenders must be asked via the online forum on SEMPHN’s Tenderlink page.

Tenders close 3pm 7 May.

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Would you like to make a different in suicide prevention activities?

SEMPHN, in partnership with the Victorian Government, is supporting communities to reduce the incidence of suicide through a coordinated place-based approach to suicide prevention across the Greater Dandenong and Frankston Mornington Peninsula regions.

The suicide prevention place-based trials are part of an Australia-wide reform in suicide prevention, driven by the high rates of suicide and the need for a renewed approach.

The trials are one of the key initiatives identified in the Victorian Suicide Prevention Framework 2016 to 2025. The purpose is to trial a systemic, coordinated approach to suicide prevention with each site supported to implement proven suicide prevention initiatives.

SEMPHN is establishing a Greater Dandenong Suicide Prevention Advisory Group and a Frankston Mornington Peninsula Suicide Prevention Advisory Group to provide a local partnership approach for these trial sites. 

We are seeking representatives from a range of sectors and members of the community with lived experience of suicide.

Membership of the group will reflect the diversity of the local community and may include:

• key industry stakeholders
• representatives from organisations working in suicide prevention
• mental health service providers
• people with lived experience of suicide.

The PHN will provide secretariat support to the Advisory Group.

Please read and/or complete the following Suicide Prevention Advisory Group forms by COB 15 May:

• Frankston Mornington Peninsula EOI
• Frankston Mornington Peninsula EOI application form
• Frankston Mornington Peninsula Terms of Reference
   
• Greater Dandenong EOI
• Greater Dandenong EOI application form
• Greater Dandenong Terms of Reference

Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 15 June.

Please submit any questions in writing to suicideprevention@semphn.org.au.

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Join us for our very first general practitioner symposium on 2 June, Mental health and young people: Providing the best primary care.

This event is especially for South Eastern Melbourne GPs to give you the opportunity to build connections with your fellow GPs, share stories and learn from each other.

Among the speakers will be Dr Richard Newton, Clinical Director of Peninsula Health Mental Health Service. His session will cover alcohol use and depression and will summarise risk factors and/or prediction of patients with suicidal ideation, apply prevention strategies/early intervention for depressed/suicidal patients and how GPs can obtain information on local referral pathways to assist depressed and suicidal patients.

The event will be held at Pullman & Mercure Melbourne Albert Park and is RACGP-accredited for 9 Category 2 points.

Spaces are limited so register here now.

More about Dr Newton
Richard is the Clinical Director of Peninsula Health Mental Health Service and a consultant adult psychiatrist within the service. He is strongly committed to quality and safety systems in mental health, consumer and carer participation in mental health service development and the provision of safe, effective evidence-based interventions. Richard is a Board Member of the Butterfly Foundation and an alumnus of the Williamson Community Leadership programme. He has had a number of roles within RANZCP including Chair, Fellowships Attainment Committee and is currently Chair of the Victorian Branch of the RANZCP.

Richard is a surveyor with ACHS, an Editorial Board member of national and international academic journals and sits on numerous federal and state based planning or advisory committees. He has published more than 50 peer reviewed articles or book chapters on a range of topics including CBT, treatment of psychosis, eating disorders, psychosocial interventions in mental health services, health service redesign, and homelessness.  He teaches a Masters level course in Structured Psychotherapy at the University of Melbourne and an Advanced Training course in CBT accredited for RANZCP AT in Psychotherapy.

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Roses in the Ocean is offering a SEMPHN-funded two-day workshop, called 'Our Voice', on 10 and 11 May in Dandenong.

It's free of charge for participants (spaces strictly limited).

‘Our Voice’ is a program for people with a lived experience of suicide who are ready and keen to explore opportunities to be involved in suicide prevention activities.

Lived experience of suicide can be:

• being bereaved by suicide
• having experienced suicidal thoughts
• having survived a suicide attempt
• supporting someone who has been suicidal.

See the flyer or complete an expression of interest here.

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Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a daily part of life in general practice.

In this workshop at Novotel St Kilda on 10 May, Dr Dale Ford will share his expertise on CQI, why it’s important and how to implement it in your practice.

By the end of this workshop, you'll have developed and planned for the implementation of at least one CQI activity for your practice. This will help your practice meet the new 5th edition standards quality impovement module.

There is no cost to attend and a light supper will be provided.

Please register here by 2 May.

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Practice Nurses and GPs …. struggling to get your patients to self manage their type 2 Diabetes or have newly diagnosed patients who need some support? 

Consider encouraging them to enrol in DESMOND.

DESMOND is an award-winning, evidence-based health program for people living with type 2 Diabetes.  It’s designed to support patients to become the expert in their condition, and learn to better self manage their disease.  The DESMOND session is led by a Diabetes Educator and assists patients to gain practical skills;  learn about food choices, physical activity, medicines and more.  DESMOND is a one-day program, but may also be offered in two half-day (or equivalent) sessions.

Bookings and more information:

Central Bayside Community Health Service (CBCHS) - Parkdale, Clarinda and Chelsea Phone 03 8587 0200

Next sessions: 

• CBCHS, 335 Nepean Highway, Parkdale - 10 May, 9 August, 8 Nov (10am-4.30pm)
• CBCHS, 58 Viney Street, Clarinda - Thursdays 12 July, 11 October (10am-4.30pm)
• CBCHS, 3/1 The Strand, Chelsea - Thursdays 7 June, 6 September (10am-4.30pm).

Peninsula Health – Frankston, Mornington, Rosebud and Hastings Phone 1300 665 781
Sessions are held quarterly. Contact Peninsula Health for upcoming dates

Diabetes Victoria - CBD Phone: 1300 136 588Sessions:     Diabetes Victoria (training room), 51 Leicester Street, Carlton

• Friday 18 May (9.30am-5pm)
• Friday 20 July (9.30am-5pm)
• Monday 13 August (9.30am-5pm)
• Wednesday 19 September (9.30am-5pm)
• Monday 15 October (9.30am-5pm)
• Thursday 22 November (9.30am-5pm)
• Monday 3 December (9.30am-5pm).

https://www.desmondaustralia.com.au/

Tip: POLAR can help you identify your diabetes patients according to their Past History (Active) so you can contact them using your practice reminder/recall system.

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In 2016, more people died from overdose of a pharmaceutical medicine (372) than were killed on our roads (291).

To reduce the death rate, the Victorian government is rolling out a real-time prescription monitoring (RTPM) system. The new system is called SafeScript and it will monitor all Schedule 8 medicines, all benzodiazepines, zolpidem, zopiclone, and quetiapine.

SafeScript will give doctors and pharmacists real-time alerts at the point of prescribing or dispensing. It will also give a comprehensive prescription history of the patient. SafeScript promises to fit within the existing prescribing and dispense workflows.

Phase one of the rollout begins in October 2018. Anyone prescribing or dispensing monitored drugs must be using Safescript by January 2020.

What does this mean for you?

From 1 July 2018, all Victorian pharmacies must turn on their dispensing software’s connection to one of the prescription exchange services: eRx Script Exchange or MediSecure. Registration and activation is a simple and quick process.
For more information and to register for one of the services contact: eRx Script Exchange on 1300 700 921 or MediSecure on 1800 472 747.

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The latest PrEP clinical guidelines from ASHM suggest facilitating social support to improve medication adherence.

Whether it's supporting adherence or any aspect of the PrEP journey, peer-based online support communities are available for anyone using or interested in PrEP in Australia.

Information on choosing if PrEP is right for someone and how to access it can be found alongside maps to locate PrEP prescribers and pharmacies:

Visit PrEP'D For Change or PAN (PrEPaccessNOW)

PAN also offers a community purchase assistance coupon scheme to help cover the price of medication for anyone in financial hardship anywhere in Australia, including people who are ineligible for Medicare.

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Oesophagogastric cancers have a low incidence and poor prognosis, with five-year survival rates ranging from 20% to 30%, depending on location. 

While oesophagogastric cancer is rare in Australia, GPs have an important role in prevention and care, including:

• delivering preventative health messages on smoking cessation and moderation of alcohol intake 
• increasing awareness of risk factors and symptoms for earlier diagnosis
• making referrals to appropriate specialists, and
• monitoring and supporting patients through treatment.

SEMPHN is working to promote the adoption of the oesophagogastric cancer Optimal Care Pathway into primary health in 2018. This project is supported by the Victorian Government.

Check out the Optimal Care Pathways for oesophagogastric cancer here.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1 May		Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention training workshop - Prahan Manager, Practice Administration, Practice Manager Prahan Details and registration
1 May		Cultural Respect & Appreciation Workshop GPs, Practice Nurse, Practice Manager Doveton Details and registration
1 May		PrEP - Prescribing in the community GPs, Practice Nurses, Practice Managers, Practice Staff, Pharmacists Melbourne Details and registration
2 May		Holmesglen Multi-disciplinary meetings (MDM) 2018 GPs Moorabbin Details and registration
2 May		Targeting Anxiety in Youth Psychologists, Counsellors and other mental health professionals working with children and adolescents.  Melbourne Details and registration
2 May		Service provider Workshop - Doing it Differently with NDIS NDIS Service Providers Dandenong Details and registration
5 May		Mending Hearts - A Comprehensive Update in Cardiology GPs Malvern Details and registration
5 May		Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention training workshop - Prahan GPs, Practice Nurses Prahran Details and registration
7 May		Heavy menstrual bleeding: Delivering best practice care forum GPs, Nurses, Women's health services, Surgeons, gynaecologists/obstetricians Melbourne Details and registration
10 May		Our Voice for people with a lived experience of suicide Dandenong Details and registration
10 May		Quality Improvement Strategies GPs, Managers, Practice Nurse, Owner/Principal, Practice Administration St Kilda Details and registration
10 May		APNA National Conference Nurses Brisbane Details and registration
16 May		Diagnosis and Management of Syphilis, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia in Primary Care GPs & Sexual health clinicians Melbourne Details and registration
24 May		Older Person Mental Health First Aid Course Mental health Workers, Aged care, Gps Frankston Details and registration
25 May		Primary Care Asthma Update Aboriginal Health Worker, Allied Health Professional, GPs, Nurses, Pharmacist Dandenong Details and registration

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

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