Strengthening Care for Children Project Bulletin Issue #2
No images? Click here
Strengthening Care for Children Project Bulletin Issue #2
Welcome to the second issue of the Strengthening Care for Children (SC4C) project bulletin.
Project update
Thank you for the continuous commitment to the SC4C project, particularly during these uncertain and challenging times. The project recognises the significant impacts COVID-19 has had on general practice and the incredible contribution of general practice to the COVID vaccine rollout, testing and management of COVID positive patients and keeping GPs, staff, and the community safe.
Highlights
5 general practices have now commenced the intervention phase of the project i.e GP–paediatrician co-consults and case discussions.
Dr van Beek and Dr Khoiri have contributed to 133 co-consults (67 F2F, 49 telehealth, 17 phone/email), 12 monthly case-discussions, 19 informal discussions with GPs via phone, email or F2F.
Monthly case-discussion topics have included Developmental Delay, Autism, Unsettled Infants, Common behavioural and developmental issues, Newborn Check/Neck Masses/Neuroblastoma and Infant nutrition and growth. Attendees have included SC4C GPs as well as practice nurses and GP Registrars.
GP feedback regarding project participation
“Leichhardt GP has been participating in the SC4C project for almost three months. It is a fantastic initiative and one the best education activities we have undertaken. Having access to paediatric expertise weekly and undertaking co-consultations with Dr Khoiri allows quality, case-based learning to occur, with a consequent increase in the doctors’ confidence in managing common paediatric issues. And our patients love the co-consult model! Additionally, in the monthly case discussion sessions Dr Khoiri has provided us with practical tips for patient assessment and management and very useful local referral resources.” Dr Marcela Cox- Leichhardt GP
"Being part of the SC4C project has been a huge learning curve for me. Dr. Anna van Beek co-consulting has helped improved my examinations skills with paediatric patients. In addition, her tremendous knowledge and resources have improved my knowledge and confidence in paediatric patients'
care." Dr Vi Truong – Mascot Medical
Impact due to COVID-19
The SC4C project was impacted by the NSW lockdown orders which created some challenges and required modifications to minimise exposure and reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19.
Initiatives included:
- development of a COVID safety plan;
- supporting practices to pivot to telehealth for GP-Paediatrician co-consults;
- changing to virtual monthly case discussions;
- arranging alternative to in-practice collection of family surveys. Practices assisted by distributing family surveys via their SMS service systems like HotDoc, with costs for the SMS reimbursable through the project
We thank all practices for supporting the necessary changes to ensure the project continued in a safe manner during this time.
With easing of COVID-19 restrictions, discussions with Sydney Children Hospital Network (SCHN) and endorsement from practices, processes have been developed to enable the safe return of SC4C Paediatrician to practices from 1 November to conduct in-person co-consults and case discussions. We are all keen to resume the in-person SC4C model of care
The SC4C project will continue to support GPs using telehealth for weekly co-consultations and virtual monthly case discussions if this is the practice’s preferred model.
Healthdirect webinar
On 13 October we hosted (in collaboration with NWMPHN) a webinar with Healthdirect on video-telehealth for SC4C. The webinar outlined how video-telehealth can be implemented to support 3-way video-telehealth co-consults during times of higher risk to COVID-19 exposure.
Click here to watch a
recording of the webinar. Vimeo Password: telehealthphn
For further information regarding HealthDirect at your practice, please contact CESPHN Digital Health Team: digitalhealth@cesphn.com.au.
Project feedback welcomed
We appreciate and value your feedback anytime. Please complete the anonymous feedback form to let us know what is working well, suggested improvements or any concerns.
Click here to access SC4C feedback form.
SC4C 6 month celebration and feedback
Evaluation of the SC4C project will involve assessing the way it was implemented by collecting perspectives of GPs and families on factors that helped or hindered the project’s implementation. Ongoing feedback will strengthen our understanding of barriers and enablers that have been encountered during SC4C and will inform further adaption of the model and future scalability.
We will commence the general practice staff aspect of this evaluation process after the SC4C paediatrician has been in your practice for 6 months with a celebratory breakfast or lunch. Dr. Michael Hodgins and the project team will conduct a 30-45-minute feedback session with GPs and practice staff. We appreciate input from as many staff as possible and will be in touch with individual practices to arrange a suitable time.
Introducing Michael Hodgins (MQHR, PhD)
Michael is a Research Associate at the School of Women’s and Children’s Health at UNSW, with research experience reflecting a keen interest in qualitative methods and knowledge translation. He has over nine years’ experience conducting qualitative research in healthcare, with a specific passion for the implementation of complex interventions. This work has included exploring health priorities and knowledge translation in community-based palliative care, knowledge translation in youth health, the delivery of mental health services to rural populations, and the evaluation of integrated care interventions for children and families. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Western Sydney University and a Masters in Qualitative Health Research at The University of Sydney.
Online project resources
For those practices who have commenced the SC4C model of care, you should have received a suite of resources for your practice. Resources include family information flyers, general practice waiting room posters, referral pop-up guides and CPD activities guides.
Additional, individualised copies of these project resources and/or information for your general practice or GPs can be access via CESPHN website.
Click here to access Resources for participating practices.
If you have commenced the SC4C model of care, we encourage promotion of your participation in the project and availability of the in-practice SC4C Paediatrician for your paediatric patients. We have an approved statement for external use i.e website, social media sites and/or patient communications channels. Please contact sc4c@cesphn.com.au for copy.
NB All resources have been approved by Ethics HREC #65955. No additional resources can be developed by individual practices.
Upcoming practices will receive these resources following their Orientation Session.
HealthPathways: Sydney and South East Sydney
HealthPathways provide a valuable resource for the SC4C project. Paediatric pathways are being accessed during both co-consults and case discussions.
How to access HealthPathways
AIHI webinar featured SC4C
The Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) is an internationally recognised research-intensive centre within Macquarie University, Sydney. On 20 October, Professor Harriet Hiscock (SC4C Principal Investigator) presented on this SC4C project, pilot study results and progress and challenges to implementation during COVID-19.
Click here to watch a recording of the webinar: Strengthening Care for Children - Can integrated care reduce hospital demand and improve outcomes for children?
Kind regards,
The Strengthening Care for Children Project Team
strengtheningcare@mcri.edu.au
A collaboration between:
Central and Eastern Sydney PHN
1300 986 991
Tower A, Level 5, 201 Coward Street, Mascot
info@cesphn.com.au
