24 August 2023
WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders of this country and recognises the significant importance of their cultural heritage, values and beliefs and how these contribute to the positive health and wellbeing of the whole community. Throughout this newsletter, the term 'Aboriginal' is used to refer to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, unless stated otherwise.
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Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are regarded by the Australian Government as stewards of its Medicare reform program and are expected to support making MyMedicare a success for patients and practices.
To support the roll-out of MyMedicare, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has recently held several engagements with GPs and their practice teams to provide contemporary information and context on MyMedicare and to seek input on the barriers and challenges in implementing MyMedicare in WA general practices.
We hosted a GP Advisory Panel session, with context on MyMedicare provided by Dr Walid Jammal, a GP from NSW who has been closely working with general practitioners and practice managers, the Minister for Health and his advisors on the establishment of the MyMedicare policy.
WAPHA also hosted a face-to-face session on MyMedicare for GPs and Practice Managers, again with Dr Jammal providing context and advice to practices in planning positively for the implementation of MyMedicare once patients can register with a practice and provider in October this year. We have hosted a webinar that engaged GPs and Practice Managers to provide similar information for those unable to participate in an in-person event in Perth.
It is clear from these engagements that there are mixed views, and different interpretations of MyMedicare and voluntary patient registration, amongst WA GPs. There are some understandable concerns and frustrations that have been communicated during our engagement events and requests for further support from WAPHA. Some things we heard:
WAPHA will ensure that the views of WA GPs are communicated to Government as the MyMedicare roll out continues and that our support for GPs and their practice teams responds to their identified needs and priorities. Dr Kirsten Meisinger and Dr Walid Jammal at the WAPHA hosted face-to-face session on MyMedicare
MyMedicare is coming, but what does it mean for GPs? The RACGP, in partnership with the NSW/ACT PHNs invites general practice to attend a webinar focussing on the proposed MyMedicare initiative, set to roll out from 1 October 2023. This session will provide an opportunity to ask questions about the benefits and impacts of MyMedicare on general practice and patients. It will include:
A representative from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing will be delivering a presentation and taking questions from participants. Register here
Dr Wally Jammal shared his insights into the Government's primary care reform agenda with topics including:
WATCH RECORDING NOW
In Australia, most care for people with chronic conditions is provided in the primary health care setting. Primary health provides a range of services delivered outside of hospitals and represents the front line of Australia’s health care system.
The introduction of MyMedicare, as part of the Australian Government’s primary care reform agenda, includes changes to chronic disease management in general practice. In conjunction with a quality improvement (QI) driven process to aid patient registration for MyMedicare, practices can undertake a review of their current chronic disease management process and develop a chronic disease management strategy that systemises the ‘who’, ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘why’, while also considering the ‘what ifs’. Having robust systems and processes in place aids the maintenance of quality and efficiency, and provides team members with a clear model to follow, through reproducible detailed methods, procedures and routines, which can increase productivity and work satisfaction. To guide the development of the chronic disease management strategy, practices could focus on a series of targeted QI activities centred around the five components of the Quintuple Aim for Health Care Improvement. The QI activities could cover:
To find out more about how WAPHA’s Primary Care QI Team can assist you with QI activities to support the development of a chronic disease management strategy, contact Practice Assist to be linked in with a Practice QI Coach in your area. The Quintuple Aim for Health Care Improvement.
There is increasing emphasis on teamwork and the role of GPs in multidisciplinary teams supported by the current Strengthening Medicare Taskforce reform agenda. This is particularly important to providing care for those with chronic conditions and older people in the community. Best practice in multidisciplinary care for older, frail people with complex care, identifies GPs and general practice as having the central role1 in networking (communication), facilitating (organisation), team building, integrating care and leadership. Research published in Journal of the American Medical Association2 demonstrated that multidisciplinary primary care has the potential to provide better patient outcomes, reduced hospitalisations, and lower costs over a 10-year period. Results showed that team-based providers worked together to provide a holistic approach addressing chronical conditions - mental and physical - with much higher rates for screening for depression, adherence to care protocols such as diabetes and self-management plans implemented for 50% of those with a chronic condition compared to 9% in a traditional care setting. The 2019 General Practice Health of Nation Report also found that as the number of non-GP health professionals are co-located in a general practice, there is an increase in communication and improved access for patients. Having additional support from colleagues may also reduce GPs stress and burnout and provide the opportunity on to drive innovation and positive change. Patients have also reported benefits in team-based care in primary care such as increased knowledge and improved health outcomes3. For some further reading and guides:
Caring for patients with chronic and complex conditions is one of the greatest challenges facing general practice and other primary care providers. The latest National Health Survey found that 42% of Australian survey participants reported that they had a diagnosis of one or more chronic diseases. The same survey also found that 67% of respondents were overweight or obese. While early detection and managing risk factors such as weight and physical activity are key strategies to support healthy lifestyles, the health system is heavily focused on responding to huge burden of disease, with general practice at the frontline. It has been suggested that digital technologies can support general practice by decreasing the administrative burden of care delivery, improving quality of care, increasing practice efficiencies, and better supporting patient self-management.
Primary care is usually the first contact a person has with health system with the majority accessing general practice. The last survey by the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that in 2021–22:
Following on from the successful Back to Basics webinar, WA Primary Health Alliance is pleased to host the second webinar in the series. Michele Cusack is returning to present a more in depth look at the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
The webinar is aimed at Primary Healthcare Nurses and Aboriginal Health Practitioners to help navigate the Australian Immunisation register.
This webinar will highlight:
(This webinar will be recorded) View the flyer here Register here
The PneumoSmart Vaccination Tool has been created using the pneumococcal disease vaccination recommendations in the online Australian Immunisation Handbook, and has been developed to assist GPs, medical specialists and other immunisation providers to comply with recommendations. As pneumococcal disease vaccination recommendations change, the tool will be updated by clinical experts at the Immunisation Coalition. Catch-up pneumococcal immunisations for children less than 5 years of age are complex. Appropriate catch-up vaccines should be offered as recommended:
The tool and further information can be accessed via here
Bowel cancer can develop without any signs. It usually starts as small growths called polyps, which can grow and become cancer. Regular screening saves lives. If found early, over 90% of bowel cancers can be successfully treated. The National Cancer Screening Register supports the program by inviting and reminding participants to screen. This is now done in 2 effective ways, through the mail out program and the new Alternate Access Model General Practices now have access to a small amount of kits to keep in clinic. You are then encouraged to have conversations with eligible clients, register the kit to them in NCSR and give to them to take home. Many patients are more likely to complete the test after discussing the process with a trusted healthcare provider. You play an important role in helping your patients make informed decisions about bowel cancer screening. For further information on how to order the kits and allocate them from you practice, head to the website or contact Jodie.Robins@wapha.org.au
In partnership with the Department of Health and Aged Care and the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP), the RACGP Specific Interests faculty is presenting a webinar to educate health professionals on self-collection for cervical screening – Speculum sabbatical: Supporting self-collection for cervical screening. The session will be presented by:
The education is aimed at general practitioners, but all health professionals have a role to play in encouraging self-collection and promoting its advantages and would benefit from this education.
Register here
Please review the National Cervical Screening Program update regarding the newly refreshed National Cervical Screening Program education course for healthcare providers (now updated to reflect the expansion of self-collection eligibility on 1 July 2022).
Dr Andrew Baird is a general practitioner in Elwood, Victoria. He will be presenting this webinar on behalf of the Immunisation Coalition, which will provide viewers with an update regarding pertussis epidemiology and current trends in vaccination rates. Low pertussis booster rates in Australian adults impact the epidemiology of the disease. This webinar explores what current literature indicates are the barriers and potential enablers to improving pertussis vaccination rates in Australia, and therefore reducing disease burden and complications. Register here
WA Primary Health Alliance are supporting practice nurses to complete the Understanding Vaccines and the National Immunisation Program (HESA Accredited). This Expression of Interest (EOI) is for Practice nurses who require training on immunisation. Please take the time to read the information below and in the link before completing the survey. This Program aims to equip health professionals with knowledge and skills to competently deliver a high quality and safe immunisation service. It is self-paced but must be completed within a period of 20 weeks from the date of registration. The course requires access to the internet. The system requirements are listed and should be checked prior to purchase. Animation, interactivity and audio may not be supported on some devices such as iPads or iPhones. Health Professionals must be registered with AHPRA to apply and those who successfully complete and meet all Program requirements will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. The course costs $350 inclusive of GST. Payment is made online through a secure PayPal system. On completion of the program, WA Primary Health Alliance will reimburse the cost of the course. All claims must be submitted to WAPHA prior to 31st December 2023. For further information on the course please click here
The EOI will take approximately 3 minutes to complete. Please fill out the questions and submit in one session by COB Friday 10th of November 2023.
Did you know that WA Primary Health Alliance has access to funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to support COVID-19 vaccination of Vulnerable Populations? This funding is available until 31 December 2023.
For example, an activity we can fund may include staffing support including administration, clinical staff and other staff involved in engagement activities focused on vaccination (noting that we are unable to fund activities not related to vaccination and there must be no duplication of activities already provided or funded in line with WA DoH and DoH guidelines) For more information, please view the Vulnerable Populations Vaccination Program flyer.
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care is funding WA Primary Health Alliance to reimburse general practices to support non-Medicare patients being vaccinated against COVID- 19.
Practices can be reimbursed to the rebate value of the relevant MBS item number and reimbursement can be backdated to January 2023.
To make a claim, please complete the survey.
Please note: We no longer require an invoice to support reimbursement, only completion of the survey. For further information, contact Practice Assist.
From upgrading IT systems allowing GPs to better deliver digital health, to isolation room fit outs and upskilling practice staff in data driven clinical care improvements, general practices across WA are investing their Strengthening Medicare General Practice Grants to expand patient access and support safe, and accessible, quality primary care.
Over the past three months, WA Primary Health Alliance has directed a total of $17.5 million in Strengthening Medicare General Practice Grants to 653 general practices. This funding is allowing practices to start working towards achieving their selected practice development goals in a timely manner.
The grants are available to use across three investments streams. The majority of practices choose to invest part of their grant funding across all three streams as follows:
If your practice has received its grant, and you are seeking general guidance on how to invest the funds, you may find our Investment Stream Activities General Guidance useful.
You might also find it helpful to see how other practices have been using their grant funds.
A reminder that practices with extenuating circumstances (are part way through the application process in the WAPHA system or have been identified for review with the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care) can still be considered for grant approval. Any practice that has not yet begun their application process will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please continue to send any queries to the Practice Assist Team or GPgrants@wapha.org.au
Each year a theme for NAIDOC nationally is chosen. For 2023 the theme for NAIDOC was “For Our Elders” and in honouring our Goldfields Elders health and wellbeing, WAPHA was warmly invited to be a stallholder at the Kalgoorlie-Boulder inaugural Aged Care Expo. It provided WAPHA staff the prime opportunity to connect and engage with many of our older respected Aboriginal locals and discuss, in a culturally safe and appropriate manner, the sensitive topic of palliative care and other primary care services to support those who were or had loved ones going through their end-of-life journey. Tish Morrison, WAPHA’s Palliative Care Project Manager, and Sarah Brown the Goldfields Regional Integration Manager, manned the stall and found the day hugely beneficial in raising awareness on the need of Advance Care Planning and to understand what support services are available to help individuals, family and friends. Tish said, ‘Coming to these grass roots lead community events is vital as it helps WAPHA understand communities needs and to help people most at risk of poor health to get better access to care closer to home’. Tish also manages the WAPHA’s Greater Choices Palliative Care at Home project, which is being piloted in the Goldfields. Greater Choices focuses on improving the uptake of Advance Care Planning for people who have advanced chronic conditions and supports services working with Aboriginal people who have progressive chronic illness(es). This activity will help people to understand the importance of “hoping for the best and planning for the rest” to ensure that everyone knows their wishes. WAPHA’s Tish Morrison with Frank Martin, Community Relations Officer, and Chair of the Eastern Goldfields First Nation Council at the Kalgoorlie-Boulder inaugural Aged Care Expo
WA Primary Health Alliance recently held face to face training sessions for practices focusing on using the Primary Sense tool. These sessions were well attended reaching 94 participants. Of these, over 80% reported that the sessions enabled them to understand how to use the tool in their practices. The following resources and information may help you understand the Primary Sense tool and how you can best use it in your practice.
To get the most out of Primary Sense, ensure that the desktop application is installed and configured within your practice. Please see the instructions below:
To access these PDSA templates please reach out to your local QI Coach via Practice Assist.
For all other support and information on Primary Sense please contact Practice Assist.
Over the past few months, WAPHA’s Primary Care Quality Improvement (QI) Team has been undertaking a QI activity to review and revise the Practice Assist QI Tool Kit. The aim of the review is to update the information in line with recent developments in the general practice space, including the Australian Government’s primary care reform agenda, MyMedicare and the implementation of Primary Sense. The QI Tool Kit is in the final stages of the review and the updates will go ‘live’ in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for further information in future editions of Practice Connect, where the QI Team may even share examples of the PDSAs, demonstrating the QI activity undertaken. In the meantime, if you need any support or guidance with QI activities in your practice, contact Practice Assist to be connected with a Practice QI Coach in your area.
The Royal Australian College of GPs has secured an important confirmation that the Western Australian Government does not intend to change the way its existing payroll tax provisions apply to general practice. RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman received written confirmation from the government after raising member concerns that WA might follow other states in putting an additional payroll tax burden on GP practices. Learn more here
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has funded Wilson Medic One to provide medically necessary planned community transport at no cost to eligible patients. Services include:
Eligible community patients who are in receipt of an aged pension receive a free transport service, with 100 per cent of the cost met by the Australian Government. Eligible community patients who are not in receipt of an age pension are required to pay 50 per cent of the cost of transport, with the remaining 50 per cent met by the Australian Government.
A range of vehicles to accommodate differing patient transport needs are available, including cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles and stretcher vehicles.
Staff all hold nationally recognised qualifications from qualified patient transport officers to AHPRA registered paramedics.
Bookings for patient transport can be pre-booked or booked on the day by calling 1300 284 940.
For more information visit Wilson Medic One or the HealthyWA Community patient transport services webpage to view other service providers.
Know a veteran or family member who may benefit from improving their stress management skills, while building connections with others with similar experiences? Encourage them to enrol in one of DVA’s free online Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) forums. Learn more here
A team of nutrition and education professionals at the University of Queensland, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care have launched the Grow and Go Toolbox. This toolbox provides a repository of evidence-based Australian resources that support healthy food habits in the first five years of life.
Do you know an outstanding rural health professional who deserves recognition for their hard work and commitment to the community? Nominate a peer, colleague or health team to help shine a spotlight on the health professionals making a difference. The WA Rural Health Excellence Awards celebrate health professionals who have dedicated their careers to caring for rural communities, and showcase the achievements of health professionals who have enhanced healthcare across country WA. Additional information on award categories and criteria can be found on the 2024 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards website.
The ALIGNED study is a double-blind randomised-controlled trial of pharmacogenomics-guided therapy versus standard care for adults with major depression who have either:
The study will examine whether tailored therapy based on the individual patient’s DNA testing from a simple buccal swab can improve remission rates and reduce any side effects of medication. Each participating patient’s prescribing clinician will receive an individualised treatment guide prepared by a practising consultant psychiatrist and/or geneticist with recommendations reflecting current RANZCP practice guidelines. Download the flyer to share with potentially suitable patients, and learn more here
Emerging Minds is conducting the National Workforce Survey for Family, Parent and Child Mental Health again, following the success of the inaugural survey in 2020-21. The survey will inform strategies and policy to meet the needs of health, social and community services workers across Australia, and support improved outcomes for infants, children and families. Complete the survey for your chance to win an iPad. There are 5 iPads to be won over two draws. The first two prizes are drawn in September 2023 and the last three prizes are drawn in November 2023. Be sure to complete the survey early for a chance in both draws.
The survey closes on Wednesday, 15th November 2023. Check out the Emerging Minds website for the latest resources or to read, download, watch or listen to the results of the previous survey in 2020-21.
Every two years a survey is sent to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Program participants.
Participants are asked to provide information on their experiences and views about the CVC Program, which is used to help shape future program improvements and efficiencies.
The next CVC Program participant survey is planned to commence in late August.
Veteran patients enrolled in the CVC Program may ask you about their participation in the survey. Learn more here
The Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) has commissioned the Nous Group (Nous) to review the use and uptake of the Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) for mental health care across Australia. This includes the IAR Guidance and Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST). They are seeking the views and experiences of clinicians in relation to the IAR. This includes general practitioners, nurses, social workers and other clinicians that conduct mental health assessments. They are looking to speak to clinicians who are trained in and currently use the IAR and those with less knowledge and/or practical experience of the tool. Learn more here
(This webinar will be recorded) VIEW THE FLYER HERE REGISTER HERE
In a world of ever-evolving challenges, it's crucial to embrace innovative solutions and prioritise the well-being of individuals and communities. Our conference theme, "Looking Beyond," will delve into the realms of People, Resilience, and Innovation, exploring new pathways to enhance mental health services and support in rural and remote areas. Registration details:
Conference registrations close 5.00pm 16 October 2023 To register and secure your spot, visit our conference website For any inquiries or assistance, please contact us at RRMHC@ruralhealthwest.com.au or 08 6389 4500.
We are excited to welcome health professionals from across rural WA to Walyalup, Fremantle on the 18 and 19 November for the 2023 Aboriginal Health Conference. The 2023 conference theme is Dedication: The Story of our Elders and will provide opportunity to learn from those who came before us, hear their stories, reflect on how we can move through the challenges faced by so many, and find a way forward together. More information, including details on the travel support available for delegates and their families, can be found on the Aboriginal Health Conference website