Thursday, 27 July 2023

Welcome to the July 2023 issue of the GP CALHN Link, which aims to create and improve positive communication and engagement between CALHN and general practitioners.

In this edition you will find information about:

• Upgrades to the Royal Adelaide Hospital ED triage and waiting room.
• Information from SA Prison Health Service about the care of patients who have recently been released from custody.
• How to refer patients to our Gynaecology Oncology service.
• Refugee Health Service general practice clinical sessions.
• Clinical trial recruitment for Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

As always, if you have suggestions for articles you would find helpful in future or feedback on how we can improve this newsletter for GPs and practice staff - send us an email at Health.CALHNGPIntegrationUnit@sa.gov.au.

Royal Adelaide Hospital ED triage and waiting room works

The Royal Adelaide Hospital emergency department is currently undergoing an internal works upgrade to help clinicians treat patients faster and improve flow.

The project will establish a rapid assessment and intervention zone, including seven chair spaces and one bed, allowing for increased assessment and intervention at the front of the emergency department.

The new area will enable faster treatment of walk-ins, as well as patients brought in by ambulance who do not require treatment in the resuscitation suite - freeing up emergency department beds for other patients.

A temporary emergency department triage and waiting room is currently in use to accommodate patients during the construction period.

The upgrades are expected to finish in October.

Information about patients released from custody

SA Prison Health Service is a state-wide service of CALHN. It provides healthcare services to people in custody at Yatala Labour Prison, Adelaide Women’s Prison, Adelaide Pre-release Centre, Mobilong Prison, Cadell Training Centre, Port Augusta Prison and Port Lincoln Prison.

People in custody can have complex healthcare needs, making the transition to community services and general practice so important, so that people can maintain their healthcare on release and are then less likely to return to custody. One of the challenges is that nearly half of people are released from court. This makes effective discharge planning difficult.

If you have a patient that has been released from custody and you have no information, have the patient sign a release of information form and send it to SA Prison Health Service on fax 7002 3199, email HealthSAPHSCorporateTeam@sa.gov.au or phone 7002 3100.

This is regardless of which correctional centre they were released from. All pathology is available be via SA Pathology. Radiology is via SA Medical Imaging (Jones Radiology for Port Augusta and Port Lincoln Prisons, and Bensons Radiology for Modbury Hospital and Mt Gambier Prison).

If you wish to contact a general practitioner who is responsible for healthcare services of people in custody, please call Medical Director Dr Tom Turnbull on 7002 3100 or email Tom.Turnbull@sa.gov.au

Immunocompromised immunisation workshop

Immunocompromised patients are at higher risk for severe outcomes from infections, many of which are vaccine-preventable diseases, however, vaccination of immunocompromised patients is challenging. Such complex cases raise several important issues of concern, so it is important for clinicians to have sufficient information regarding appropriate and timely vaccination of at-risk patients.

You are invited to view an online workshop on immunocompromised immunisation, presented by the Adelaide Primary Health Network.

This session reviewed:

• Diseases and/or treatments that cause immunocompromise.
• Appropriate antivirals for COVID infection.
• Vaccination pathway for post hemopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients (delivered by CALHN Cancer Outpatient team).
• Specialist and GP collaboration to increase vaccine uptake.

Referring patients to RAH's Gynaecological Oncology Department

The Royal Adelaide Hospital Gynaecological Oncology Department provides a wide range of services for women from South Australia, Northern Territory, Rural New South Wales, and Victoria through their cancer journey. The department adopts a multidisciplinary approach with involvement of patients and all relevant health professionals.

The Gynaecology Oncology referral template and direct email was developed to speed up treatment and access to supportive care. The referral template was developed to streamline the referral process to the department. It was found that referral information was generally poor and therefore referrals were being rejected, which in turn delayed patients from receiving timely diagnosis and treatment.

The referral template and email address can be found here.

We encourage referring clinicians to our unit to contact the on-call Gynaecology registrars at the RAH switchboard on (08) 7074 0000 to discuss referrals prior to submission, as there may be a requirement for further investigations.

Expression of Interest - Refugee Health Service

Located in the CBD, the Refugee Health Service (RHS) is a well-established primary care clinic, governed by CALHN, which delivers a state-wide health response for newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers. Refugee Health provides multi-disciplinary services including general practice, nursing, consulting medical specialists and allied health services. 

The RHS clinical team provide early intervention for new arrival refugees including comprehensive refugee health assessments, short term clinical management, psychosocial support, and transition to community general practice.

GP sessions are available to work alongside the experienced and supportive RHS multi-disciplinary team. Clinical work is both rewarding and interesting and will allow practitioners to gain valuable skills in cross-cultural care, as well as assisting families to access timely and comprehensive health care. Remuneration is fee for service.

Clinical co-location benefits include:

• Access to fully serviced consulting rooms
• Professional, experienced administration staff
• Multi-disciplinary care coordination
• Interpreters prebooked for onsite services
• Electronic medical records (best practice)
• Integrated technologies which support optimal face to face and virtual care delivery options
• Duress and medical emergency alert systems in all clinical rooms
• Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm service
• Doctor meetings after hours – case discussions, education (meet your CPD requirements).

Qualifications and requirements:

• AHPRA registration as a medical practitioner with specialist registration
• Fellow of the RACGP or ACCRM RACGP or ACCRM
• An unrestricted Medicare provider number
• Eligible for SA Health medical professional credentialing.

For further information please contact Dr Toni Maldari, GP Consultant, Refugee Health Service, Antonietta.Maldari@sa.gov.au, or 08 8237 3900.

Please provide a copy of your CV, with referees and a cover letter outlining your interest in this position.

Do you have a patient with Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy?

Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) affects a number of cancer patients and survivors. This painful condition causes inflammation or swelling due to nerve damage. Currently, there is no specific treatment for CIPN, but PARC clinical researchers are exploring a potential new treatment.

PARC clinical researchers (based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital) are looking for volunteers to participate in a research study. This study is exploring medication that is nearly identical to a natural protein already produced in the body when we exercise in order to help to reduce inflammation.

The study will be conducted in adult patients with CIPN that has been persistent for at least three months following completion of chemotherapy.

Discover the research driving world-class care at CALHN with articles, videos, podcasts and information on key research dates and events. Sign-up to the monthly newsletter to receive updates direct to your inbox.

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