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The critical nature of the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout and the need to protect our communities and reduce the impact of the pandemic, particularly on at-risk and vulnerable populations, has never been more apparent.
We are calling upon the West Australian community to take strong leadership roles within their workplaces and communities to get the #JABDONE.
With zero cases of COVID-19 in the WA community, now is the time for everyone to be vaccinated without delay.
Here’s how you can help:
One small action from you today that will combine with the subsequent actions of other Western Australians to become a powerful movement.
Download our useful resources and help us get the #JABDONE in Western Australia.
Book your free vaccination
WA Primary Health Alliance has a new process to support practices to organise COVID-19 vaccine stock redistribution between vaccine providers. We appreciate that despite best efforts in stock management, practices occasionally have a need for additional stock, or may have excess stock on hand that is at risk of expiring. If your practice requires assistance to redistribute stock, please complete the new stock redistribution form to help WA Primary Health Alliance allocate the appropriate support required for your practice.
There are a number of GP Respiratory Clinics located across Western Australia that can assess patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms and conduct COVID-19 testing. The full list of Western Australia’s GP respiratory clinic can be found here.
General practices can help vulnerable patients who may have difficulty in obtaining a printed copy of their COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Visit the Services Australia website for more information on how to help these patients obtain proof of vaccination.
► Information on and process for medical and temporary (non-medical) exemptions.
Significant updates have occurred in the COVID-19 vaccination training program on Friday 17 September. Module progress and completion have not been affected. Please note that certificates will display the date that the module was originally completed and will not be updated if the module is repeated.
You are expected to log-in and view the new information. A summary of the updates can be found in the COVID-19 Training Announcement Board. All new changes and updates within the modules for this week are identified by 'NEW' and 'UPDATED' in blue with white, all new changes relating to the Moderna (SPIKEVAX) vaccine are identified by ‘NEW’ in purple and white. All changes from previous updates will be identified as 'NEW' and 'UPDATED' in red and white.
Services Australia have a range of resources available to support employees and the community get proof of their COVID-19 vaccinations. There are also specific resources for Indigenous and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities. Printed products can also be ordered including the Get proof of your COVID-19 vaccination flyer and poster. Visit the Services Australia website for further information and to view the resources available.
Services Australia has identified a number of AIR records where the COVID-19 vaccine batch number has been entered incorrectly or left blank. Under the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 (AIR Act) it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) any COVID-19 vaccinations administrated on or after 20 February 2021, including:
Providers and sites may be contacted by Services Australia to update these details. Providers and locations providing COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged to check that clinical software is up to date to support efficient and accurate integration with AIR. Further information is available on the Australian Government Department of Health website including links to the detailed information in the Australian Immunisation Register Rule 2015.
COVID-19 active vaccine safety surveillance data have been updated on the AusVaxSafety website to enhance readability and user experience. The new data display now showcases dose 1 and dose 2 COVID-19 vaccine safety data side-by-side, and allows users to filter by population group and vaccine brand/type most relevant to them. These data provide individuals with a short-term adverse event profile of what to expect in the days following COVID-19 vaccination and are a great resource to assist immunisation providers when counselling patients or answering questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
The National Immunisation Catch-up Calculator (NICC) has undergone minor updates and refinements based on the feedback received from stakeholders. Some of the updates that have been made are related to:
If you identify any issues with the updated NICC, please contact the Handbook Team or email Immunisation Handbook inbox of the Australian Government Department of Health.
Authentication file access to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) will close on 30 September 2021 for all providers. A Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account is required to access the AIR via the Health Professionals Online Services (HPOS) portal. To set up AIR access:
Health professionals with a Medicare provider number
Medical practices with an AIR provider number
For assistance call the AIR Internet Helpdesk on 1300 650 039 Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm local time.
The Australian Government has announced a new review process to allow general practices to challenge the Distribution Priority Area (DPA) classification for their area. Federal Regional Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie, announced the new exceptional circumstance review with the intent that the review process will help regional and rural areas respond to unforeseen workforce and population changes affecting local GP services. The review process has been welcomed by the RACGP and the AMA. Similarly, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA), Rural Health West and WAGPET support the opportunity this affords practices to bring critical GP workforce shortages in specific regions to the attention of the Australian Government when considering DPA status. WA general practices applying for a DPA classification review can request a letter of support from WAPHA, which will support applicants who can demonstrate the following:
To request a letter of support from WAPHA, general practices are required to email their request with the above information to practiceassist@wapha.org.au and it will be escalated to the Strategy and Engagement team. For further information about the DPA exceptional circumstance review, refer to the media release and assessment criteria from the Australian Government Department of Health. To find out more about the review application process, visit the Rural Health West website or email dpaqueries@ruralhealthwest.com.au
A limited number of fully funded places are available for the University of Melbourne and The Benchmarque Group Pty Ltd online authorised immunisation courses. Registered nurses are encouraged to access the websites below for selection criteria and to register their interest by completing the Expression of Interest Form. Please note that some allocations may have been exhausted.
Older people on multiple medications are at greater risk from cumulative anticholinergic burden. This occurs when the anticholinergic effects of individual medicines add together to produce unintentional consequences. Some of the side effects of this anticholinergic burden, impact on quality of life, but others, particularly dizziness and falls, can be far more serious. Exposure to high anticholinergic and sedative burden has been associated with a 60% increase in fall-related hospitalisations. This educational visiting program has been developed to:
To book please click here
Dementia Training Australia (DTA) has released a series of podcasts about improving the lives of people living with dementia. The content is designed for GPs and primary health care professionals by GPs.
Dementia in Practice: Now we’re talking! features GPs, Dr Hilton Koppe, Dr Marita Long and Dr Steph Daly as they share their professional and personal experiences with dementia to help other GPs better understand what dementia is and how to prevent it, diagnose it, manage it and live with it.
There is a suite of “Cognitive Impairment and Dementia” HealthPathways.
The Department of Health has extended the grace period for the Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Program until 31 January 2022. A significant number of eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have not yet been correctly registered for the Program. The grace period will continue to prevent CTG annotated PBS prescriptions being rejected at the time of dispensing if the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is not formally registered for the Program through Services Australia. Read the full update here from Australian Government Department of Health.
The NSQHS Standards User Guide for Health Service Organisations Providing Care to People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds aims to support health service organisations to implement the NSQHS Standards and provide safe and high-quality care that meets the needs of people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Download the user guide here.
Nominations for the 2022 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards are now open! The 2022 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards recognise and acknowledge health professionals who have dedicated their careers to caring for rural communities, and celebrate the achievements of health professionals who have enhanced the range and quality of medical care available in Western Australian rural locations. Having access to quality healthcare is extremely important for rural communities and these awards are an opportunity to shine the spotlight on health professionals who have contributed to rural health in Western Australia. Categories for the 2022 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards are:
Additional information on each of the award categories and the criteria is attached and can be found on the 2022 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards website. Nominate Now Nominations close Monday 8 November 2021. Should you have any enquiries, please contact the WA Rural Health Excellence Awards Coordinator at awards@ruralhealthwest.com.au or 08 6389 4500. Thank you.
People experiencing hardship often lack the financial and legal capability to address court fines, which can result in adverse consequences that compound their level of disadvantage. This includes single parents, people in disadvantaged housing, people on government benefits, people with a disability and unemployed people. The WA Government’s Work and Development Permit (WDP) Scheme offers an alternative pathway for people experiencing hardship to reduce or eliminate their court fines by participating in activities or treatment provided by approved sponsors, including their GP. For example, GP’s can sponsor patients through recording their participation in mental health, drug or alcohol treatment. The Work and Development Permit (WDP) Scheme is a joint initiative involving Department of Justice, Legal Aid WA and Aboriginal Legal Service WA. Download the Sponsor Application Fact Sheet or visit the Department of Justice website for more information.
This free webinar presented by the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) provides nurses with useful skills in the identification, immunisation and prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) Register here
This 2021 Foot Health Week campaign will run from 11-17 October with the theme, ‘Love your feet and… they’ll love you back!’ highlighting how taking care of your feet can positively impact the rest of your body and encouraging better overall health outcomes for all Australians. View the patient resources here and further information here.
Are you interested in hearing more about COVID-19 vaccine safety? Or need more information to support your patients in making decisions? Perhaps friends, family or colleagues are asking questions or you are still unsure and want more information?
In this next National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance(NCIRS) webinar:
Register here
WA Primary Health Alliance, in partnership with the WA Department of Health, invite metropolitan-based GPs with an involvement or interest in the delivery of care within Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) to participate in a Forum on end-of-life and palliative care in WA RACFs
Who should attend? GPs in metropolitan areas of WA with are providing care to people who are living in RACFs.
The Forum will bring together metropolitan-based GPs to consider primary care in the RACF setting and how future service improvement projects can best support them to meet the end-of-life and palliative care needs of RACF residents and their families. Further information on this forum here
Don’t miss out on the next heart failure management workshop! This is your chance to hear from cardiologists on the latest updates, connect with primary health professionals and learn ways to change your patient’s approach to their heart failure management. From September to November 2021. This masterclass has been designed for primary health care professionals: GPs, nurses, pharmacists, Aboriginal community health workers. The masterclass builds on understanding of current evidence and guidelines for optimising outcomes in heart failure patients within the primary care setting. Attendees will also learn and utilise principles of change management to establish a vision and strategies for ensuring optimised patient care for people with heart failure. Attendees will be challenged by a diverse array of case study scenarios. For more information view the flyer here or register here
The Annual Review of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes (ARMED) 2021 is presented by South Metro Health Service, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Diabetes WA in partnership with WA Primary Health Alliance and HealthPathways WA. During this free event for general practitioners (GPs) the following topics will be covered:
Morning tea and lunch will be provided. For more information, refer to the event invitation.
To register, submit the online registration form by Monday 4 October.
Registrations are now open! The Aboriginal Health Conference, hosted by Rural Health West will celebrate culture, strengths and successes in Aboriginal health – a time to reflect on past achievements and how we can address the challenges. The conference will provide a space to rejoice and reconnect with colleagues after a challenging year in terms of environmental impacts and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Aboriginal Health Conference is open to:
Please visit the website for further information.
Perth metropolitan general practices are being offered the opportunity by Edith Cowan University (ECU) to have a free education session in their own practice 'Enhanced understanding of specific drugs and comorbid conditions'. ECU will organise an addiction medicine specialist to visit your practice over your lunch hour to provide education on alcohol addiction, including information on the prevention of FASD and parent child attachment from an Aboriginal culturally appropriate framework. They will also provide lunch and submit RACGP points for the GPs too.
Please email sirch@ecu.edu.au to register your interest.
Sexual health update: Spotlight on syphilis Presented by ASHM Wednesday 6 October
Mental Health Week Opening Ceremony in Bunbury Presented by WA Association for Mental Health Saturday 9 October
WA Primary Health Alliance has been advised by the Australian Department of Health that the National Medical Stockpile is a strategic reserve and not a general supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Stockpile is only intended to provide PPE where commercial supply is unavailable and there is a demonstrated need or clinical advice for its use. We appreciate that some providers have been accessing the Stockpile regularly until now. Due to the widespread commercial availability of PPE supply, as per Government advice, WA Primary Health Alliance will request a declaration from your organisation as proof it has been unable to source a commercial supply. WA Primary Health Alliance can only provide PPE where commercial supply is unavailable and requests meet the following criteria:
If you are experiencing difficulties obtaining PPE from a commercial supplier, please email WA Primary Health Alliance via practiceassist@wapha.org.au addressing the above points.