SEMPHN turns 5!
Watch the highlights through a series of short videos Health advisory: Congenital Syphilis in Victoria
Read the latest health advisory and advised testing during pregnancy Don't miss out on this cancer care webinar series!
Register for 11, 18 and 25 August Network meeting: Asthma Update 2020 (webinar, 11 August)
GPs and practice nurses, book your spots today! Practice Managers, ever thought about growing your clinic's digital presence?
Webinar, 13 August: growth marketing through digital and social media Join us on 20 August for a new immunisation update: NIP changes
We'll cover changes to the Pneumococcal and Meningococcal B recommendations Registered nurses, would you like to work at an aged care facility?
Short term opportunities are available Support services for older Australians
Learn more about the range of free services available New edition: Management of type 2 diabetes handbook
The handbook includes new sections and significant updates Professional development and events
A list of upcoming education events
This July, SEMPHN marked its five year anniversary! It's been an exciting few years and we're grateful for all the work we have accomplished alongside our numerous service providers, general practices and health professionals across the catchment. Together, we all make a difference to health of our communities. Thank you to everyone who attended our five-year celebration on Zoom. If you'd like to watch the celebrations (30 mins) click here. Password 1V?*9B?8 Here's to five more years!
Health advisory:
Congenital Syphilis in Victoria
Untreated or inadequately treated syphilis in a pregnant woman can result in congenital syphilis in the baby, a serious public health problem that has re-emerged in Victoria, with 8 cases reported in the past three years. Congenital syphilis can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight and a variety of other possible adverse consequences in an affected baby. All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis during routine antenatal testing in the first trimester and these tests should be repeated in any pregnant woman presenting at any stage of pregnancy with signs and symptoms suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease (such as a genital lesion). Syphilis testing should be repeated at 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, and at delivery, in pregnant women who may be at high risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Syphilis can be easily treated with long-acting (benzathine) penicillin, and advice on the appropriate treatment and follow up of a pregnant woman diagnosed with syphilis can be obtained from any Infectious Diseases Clinic or the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. Preventing congenital syphilis requires active intervention and follow-up on the part of treating clinicians. Babies born to mothers who had been diagnosed with syphilis during pregnancy require specialist follow-up. Read the full advisory: Congenital Syphilis in Victoria
Don't miss out on this cancer care webinar series!
Each session will build upon the previous session. The series will help GPs gain insight into: - The role of Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) and online pathways;
- The barriers and enablers to implementation of OCP recommendations;
- The GP’s role during and immediately after cancer treatment and in
survivorship care (long term management of cancer as a chronic disease);
- Health literacy, survival rate, treatment side effects, finance, employment, carer, mental health, recurrence.
Register for the webinars below: All webinars take place on a Tuesday at 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm
Network meeting: Asthma Update 2020 (webinar, 11 August)
GPs and practice nurses are invited to the Network Meeting: Asthma Update 2020 webinar on 11 August from 7pm-8pm. This webinar will cover the essentials of best-practice asthma and respiratory management for practice nurses and GPs and is brought to you by the National Asthma Council and SEMPHN.
Learning Objectives - Define the pathophysiology of asthma
- Identify the steps involved in the diagnosis of asthma, referring to the Australian Asthma Handbook
- Summarise the important information to be included in a written asthma action plan
When: Tuesday, 11 August, 7pm–8pm
Where: Online webinar
Cost: Free
Register here.
Education, practice managers
Practice Managers, ever thought about growing your clinic's digital presence?
Connecting through digital platforms is now more important than ever. SEMPHN, in conjunction with Thinktank Social, are inviting practice managers to a live webinar on Re-assurance and growth marketing through digital and social media. In this 60-minute webinar Practice Managers will discover: - Current and relevant examples of what different service providers are sending to their clients, consumers, and members to continuously engage, inform, and educate to retain and acquire.
- Navigate the digital landscape in the new normal and how to make better-informed decisions for your Practice in uncertain times.
- Be aware of what is possible - ways to reassure your patients that it is ok to visit, leading to increased inquiry/visitation/bookings.
- How to differentiate your Practice in a crowded digital market to gain and retain attention leading to increased patient visitation.
- 5 practical steps you can implement immediately post this session to grow your Practice via digital and social media.
Presenter: Sam Mutimer from Thinktank Social
When: Thursday, 13 August, 12.30-1.30
Where: Online webinar
Register here.
Join us on 20 August for a new Immunisation Update: NIP Changes
Have you had time to absorb the National Immunisation Program (NIP) changes to the vaccination schedule that commenced 1 July 2020? Dr Peter Eizenberg will present a one hour webinar Thursday, 20 August at 7 pm clarifying very significant changes to the Pneumococcal recommendations. These changes have far-reaching implications for scheduling and funding especially for the medically at-risk and older Australians including people with existing reminders for Pneumococcal vaccination. Also covered will be the updated meningococcal recommendations including the targeted funding of meningococcal B for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander children less than 2 years, as well as
Meningococcal B and ACWY vaccines for people of all ages with some medical risk conditions. When: 20 August, 7 pm–8 pm
Where: Online webinar
Cost: free
Register here.
Registered nurses, would you like to work at an aged care facility?
As part of the Australian Government’s Surge Workforce Program, the Department of Health is looking to fill immediate gaps in residential aged care facilities who are experiencing a shortage of Registered Nurses. An urgent expression of interest from qualified staff who are available to work in aged facilities, including those with known COVID-19 outbreaks, is currently open. Short term work will be of one to two weeks duration, and may also include coverage of one-off shifts on an ad hoc basis. If you are interested and are prepared to work in an aged care facility with a COVID outbreak, please submit your interest to AgedCareCOVIDWorkforce@health.gov.au.
Support services for older Australians
Senior Australians are at greater risk of more serious illness if they catch coronavirus. As we move towards a COVIDSafe Australia, it is important for people at greater risk to take extra steps to protect themselves. Older people should continue to maintain 1.5 metres distance from people they do not live with and practise good hygiene. These are the best defences against coronavirus. There are support services available for older Australians if they would like to continue to stay at home to protect themselves. - Telehealth appointments with their GP
rather than face-to-face appointments.
- Delivery of prescriptions through their pharmacy.
- The new Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line provides information, support and connection Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 6 pm on 1800 171 866.
- People over the age of 65 can access prepared meals or priority online and telephone grocery shopping. They can contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 from Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.
- The Community Visitors Scheme is available for people feeling isolated and would benefit from friendship and companionship. Visit www.health.gov.au/cvs for more information.
- The FriendLine is for anyone who needs to reconnect or just wants a chat on 1800 424 287. All conversations with FriendLine are casual and anonymous and friendly volunteers are ready to talk about anything and everything.
If you or your patient would like further information about support services available or about COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health website.
New edition: Management of type 2 diabetes handbook
The RACGP and Diabetes Australia is pleased to advise the latest edition of the Diabetes Handbook, Management of type 2 diabetes: A handbook for general practice is now available in a new online format. Updates to the diabetes handbook include completely new sections on the following topics: - Early-onset type 2 diabetes
- Mental health and type 2 diabetes
- Management of type 2 diabetes in the elderly and residential aged care facilities
- The use of technology in managing type 2 diabetes
Additionally, significant updates to existing sections include: - Reproductive health: removal of advice on management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Managing cardiovascular risk: new recommendation for the use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in people with type 2 diabetes in the setting of cardiovascular disease and suboptimal glucose control.
- Managing risks and
other impacts of diabetes: inclusion of a new section on diabetes management for people fasting during Ramadan.
The handbook is only available online and can be accessed by visiting www.racgp.org.au/diabetes-handbook
Professional development and events
6 August: Rural Health Webinar Series: Recognition and Treatment of Anaphylaxis
General practitioners 11 August: Webinar series: Cancer care after initial treatment and recovery
General practitioners, cancer clinicians, Aboriginal health workers and nurses 11 August: Webinar: Asthma Update 2020
General practitioners, allied health, practice nurses 12 August: Webinar: GP update with SEMPHN
General practitioners, practice managers, practice nurses 13 August: Webinar: Re-assurance and growth marketing through digital and social media
Practice managers 18 August: Webinar series: Managing recurrent, residual and metastatic cancer
General practitioners, cancer clinicians, Aboriginal health workers and practice nurses 20 August: Immunisation Update: NIP Changes
General practitioners, practice nurses 25 August: Webinar series: End-of-life cancer care.
General practitioners, cancer clinicians, Aboriginal health workers and practice nurses
For an overview of all events, visit SEMPHN's event calendar.
For more information, contact events@semphn.org.au
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