11 July 2024
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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This week, from Sunday 7 July to Sunday 14 July, is NAIDOC Week which celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2024 theme for NAIDOC Week is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. The theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture with fire a symbol of connection to the land, to each other and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The 2024 NAIDOC Week poster was created by artist Deb Belyea from the Torres Strait Islands. The artwork is titled ‘Urapun Muy’ and means ‘One Fire’ in the Kalaw Kawaw Ya dialect of the Top Western Islands of the Torres Strait. For further information and download options, visit the NAIDOC Week poster webpage.
There are many ways that your practice can get involved and celebrate NAIDOC Week:
For more ways to celebrate and support NAIDOC Week, download the supporting NAIDOC toolkit.
The National NAIDOC Committee has announced Aunty Dulcie Flower as the 2024 National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Aunty Dulcie Flower was born in 1938 and raised in Cairns. After graduating as a registered nurse, she relocated to Sydney in 1960 to advance her career by studying midwifery. In the 1960s, Aunty Dulcie played a role with the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) which culminated in the 1967 Referendum to change the Commonwealth Constitution. In the 1970s, she was a founding member of the Aboriginal Medical Service Co-operative (AMS Redfern, New South Wales), where she is currently Director of the board. In 2019, Aunty Dulcie was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to the Indigenous communities around the country. She was also an appointed member of the Torres Strait Advisory Board of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. Throughout her career Aunty Dulcie has maintained a connection to her roots in health care as a member of Carers New South Wales, an honorary Fellow of the Australian College of Nursing and a foundation member of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives. Visit the NAIDOC website for further information about Aunty Dulcie and her 2024 National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Managing long-term illness can be difficult and stressful and people who have more than one chronic condition often need care from different types of health and specialist services, which can be overwhelming. The Integrated Team Care program, delivered by South West Aboriginal Medical Service in the South West, helps Aboriginal people to better coordinate the management of their chronic condition and improve their access to support and other services. Watch to see how this service is having an impact on the ground for Aboriginal people in the South West.
To find out more about ITC services around the state, visit the WA Primary Health Alliance Health of Aboriginal people webpage. -
Last week on Monday 1 July the new General Practice in Aged Care Incentive(1) commenced, providing incentive payments to practices and general practitioners for delivering regular visits and care planning to older people living in residential aged care. Eligible practices that meet the definition of a general practice can now register for the incentive, and link their Residential Aged Care patients to the incentive. New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are now available for Aged Care Providers, GP’s and practices, and consumers and carers.
Data this week shows that general practice bulk billing, along with MyMedicare participation for practices and Australians are on the rise. General Practice bulk billing rates have increased nationally by 3.4% over the last 7 months since triple bulk billing changes came into effect on 1 November 2023. This amounts to two million additional bulk billed visits for Australians. It’s a timely reminder for practices to continue to register for MyMedicare, which allows patients and practices to benefit from the triple bulk billing incentive for longer MBS telehealth consultations (Levels C, D and E) for children under 16, pensioners, and concession card holders. As of June 2024, over 6000 practices along with over 1.2 million patients have registered for MyMedicare, up from around 1.0 million patients and 5,800 practices in April 2024 From 1 July, the new General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) commenced, providing incentive payments to practices and general practitioners for delivering regular visits and care planning to older people living in residential aged care. This is the first incentive that requires MyMedicare registration and is voluntary for both consumers and general practices. MyMedicare is a new voluntary patient registration model. It aims to formalise the relationship between patients, their general practice, general practitioner (GP) and primary care teams. More information about registering for MyMedicare is available at MyMedicare. Information about how general practices can register for the GPACI is available at General Practice in Aged Care Incentive - Health professionals - Services Australia. If you need any additional support, or have any questions, please email practiceassist@wapha.org.au or call 1800 2 ASSIST (1800 2 277 478 or 08 6278 7900).
The Strengthening Medicare GP Grants program has now come to an end. Practices who have not yet completed the financial acquittal and self-evaluation survey forms should make every effort to complete these forms no later than 31 July 2024. The links to the forms can be found below:
Please do not hesitate to email gpgrants@wapha.org.au with any questions, including to confirm your Agreement ID number & which Primary Health Network (PHN) the practice is located within.
The Australian Government’s Pre-Fellowship Program (PFP) was announced as part of the 2023-2024 Strengthening Medicare initiative, replacing the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program. The PFP offers non-vocationally recognised (non-VR) doctors the opportunity to gain valuable general practice experience prior to joining a general practitioner College-led Fellowship pathway. The program will improve access to health care for Australians where it is most needed and Rural Health West will administer the program in Western Australia. The PFP is open to international medical graduates and other non-VR doctors who are Australian citizens, permanent or temporary residents. Doctors can have general, provisional, or limited registration. Eligible doctors can work in general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in Modified Monash (MM) 2-7 locations, as well as MM 1 locations with Distribution Priority Area classification. Refer to the DHAC website for detailed program objectives and eligibility criteria for both doctors and participating practices/health services or contact the Rural Health West PFP team at PFP@ruralhw.com.au for more information.
Allied Health is the largest clinical workforce in primary care, and the second largest clinical workforce overall. WA has more than 30,000 Allied Health professionals in areas such as acute and subacute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, and community settings. In recognition of the passion and dedication of Allied Health to delivering high-quality patient-centred care, WA Primary Health Alliance is proud to sponsor the 2024 WA Excellence in Allied Health Awards. Nominations are now open across eight award categories plus the Lifetime Achievement Honour. Nominate an allied health colleague today.
Chronic wounds affect approximately 450,000 Australians each year, significantly diminishing their quality of life. Without proper management, these wounds can lead to severe infections, prolonged disability, and even amputation. As chronic wounds become more prevalent and complex, the need for healthcare professionals with advanced wound care skills becomes increasingly urgent. By specialising in wound care, you can address a critical need, enhance patient outcomes, and boost healthcare efficiency. The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is proud to administer wound care scholarships on behalf of the Australian Government and the Department of Health and Aged Care. These scholarships equip you with the skills to accelerate healing and prevent the costly medical complications associated with chronic wounds. Scholarships are open to Enrolled Nurses, Registered Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers in Australia committed to improving wound care standards in primary care settings. Applicants should have at least one year of professional experience in a health-related field. For more information and to apply click here.
Looking for cost-effective musculoskeletal physiotherapy for your clients? The Curtin Health and Wellness Centre provides affordable physiotherapy assessment and care for musculoskeletal conditions and is for everyone. Care is provided by physiotherapy students in their final years of study, and intermittently, post-graduate physiotherapy students. All consultations are closely supervised by experienced physiotherapists in our professional treatment areas. The treatments offered are patient centred and evidence-guided. The Clinic offers treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including:
Clients can self-refer by calling 9266 1717. Medical practitioners or health professionals can also provide the Clinic with client details using the referral form. To find out more about the Curtin Physiotherapy Clinic, including opening hours, visit the Physiotherapy Clinic website.
The laws on vaping (use of e-cigarettes) in Australia have changed to protect our community from the harms of vaping and nicotine dependence. Effective from 1 July 2024, all nicotine (and zero-nicotine) vapes in Australia are now only available at pharmacies. This means it’s illegal for any other retailer, including tobacconists and convenience stores, to sell any type of vape or vaping product. Until 30 September 2024, everyone will need a prescription from a doctor or nurse practitioner to buy vapes that contain nicotine. From 1 October 2024, people 18 years or over will be able to buy nicotine vapes from pharmacies without a prescription. People under 18 years will still need a prescription. Individuals who have a vape on them for personal use will not be targeted under the changes to the laws. Read more here.
Raw to Roar: Lionheart’s Grief Pathway is WA’s first ever comprehensive grief support program for children, teens and families who have lost a parent, sibling or significant loved one.
Raw to Roar offers a wrap-around model of care with telephone, email and face-to-face support by a dedicated team with specialist knowledge and experience in bereavement. The Raw to Roar program is available to families from time of death or earlier in the circumstances of terminal illness, right through the first 24 months of the grief journey. For more information on their programs and how to refer a child or family, view the flyer, visit Lionheart Camp For Kids or contact them directly at 0481 199 758.
The South West Healthy Lifestyles Working Group, a collaborative between WA Primary Health Alliance and WA Country Health Service, recently hosted an education event in Bunbury focused on equipping health professionals with the skills and confidence to start the conversation about weight with their patients and empower behaviour change. For information on supporting patients within your practice read more here.
The release of a new Australian Immunisation Handbook chapter on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) last week represented another ‘leap ahead’ in relation to RSV in Australia, during a year that has seen major progress in prevention options for the disease. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), RSV resources have now been substantively updated to reflect and support the new Handbook chapter. The resources – including the handy RSV FAQs – summarise the latest clinical and general information on RSV, ‘distilling’ the Handbook’s RSV-related recommendations for older adults, pregnant women, infants and young children. They also include information for health professionals on the safest, most effective use of the RSV vaccines Arexvy and Abrysvo and the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab.
During the recent round of Vaccine fridge audits being conducted by the Boorloo Public Health Unit, several light sensitivity breaches have been found. All vaccines MUST be left in their original packaging until they are administered. Under no circumstance should vaccines be removed and stored outside of their original packaging. You should only order what can comfortably fit within your vaccine fridge. Vaccines are sensitive to light and can become ineffective if exposed to sunlight or UV light, including fluorescent light. If you have vaccines at your site that have been exposed to light during storage, please complete a Cold chain breach and vaccine wastage form for your public health unit immediately. Immediately isolate the vaccines and mark as ‘DO NOT USE’ while your public health unit investigates. When providing this information please include the length of time the vaccine(s) have been outside of their original packaging for storage purposes. Please advise the public health unit if any of the vaccines have already been administered to patients. For more information, see the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines (3rd edition) page 38. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact your public health unit or vaccineorders@health.wa.gov.au
NCIRS is publishing a series of short guides to help immunisation providers navigate the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). A new AIR Tip that covers how to enter information about vaccine types on the AIR has been released on the NCIRS website this week. Access the AIR tip here.
The Communicable Disease Control Directorate (CDCD,) wrote to Providers this week advising that Mpox has been detected in Australia again. Over 100 cases were notified in April 2024, mainly in Victoria, with most of these cases acquiring the infection in Australia. Consider testing for Mpox (as well as other sexually transmitted infections) when a patient presents with a genital lesion or proctitis, particularly amongst those with risk factors. Ensure suspected cases with clinical and epidemiological evidence are notified urgently to your local Public Health Unit (or the on-call Public Health Physician on 08 9328 0553 if after hours). Vaccination of eligible people is encouraged. For further information of vaccine eligibility and the clinical management of Mpox please click here. To read the full statement from CDCD please click here.
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world, and it's a major cause of cancer-related death for both men and women, with around 100 Australians dying from the disease every week. Many will receive their free bowel screening test kits during the cooler months which coincides with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Despite daunting numbers of people passing from bowel cancer, it remains one of the most treatable types of cancer when detected early. In June, Bowel Cancer Australia and the National Bowel Cancer Screening program encouraged practices to educate the public about the importance of early detection and regular screening. With 299 Australians expected to be diagnosed with bowel cancer this week alone, and 15,531 annually, awareness and proactive health measures are more crucial than ever. Approximately 30% of bowel cancer cases have a hereditary component or family history.
From 1 July 2024, the eligible screening age for the program has been lowered from 50 to 45 years.
For those aged 45 to 49, they can either request a kit from the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) or they can access one through their GP if the practice has registered and received bulk kits through the Alternate Access Model.
The Australian Government Department of Health has provided funding to WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) to compensate for the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations for non-Medicare patients within primary care. WAPHA can reimburse general practices to the value of the relevant MBS item number to support non-Medicare patients being vaccinated against COVID-19, and this reimbursement can be backdated to July 2023. Note: To claim, practices will be required to declare reimbursement (ie. private fee charge) has not already been received for the services claimed. WAPHA understands that some practices have withdrawn or are not administering COVID-19 vaccinations. Practices with a large cohort of Non-Medicare patients can be supported to submit an expression of interest to join the program. For further information please contact Practice Assist or email the COVID-19 team GPvaccination@wapha.org.au
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has a new funding model to assist COVID-19 vaccination providers and expressions of interest have just opened online. The program aims to increase COVID-19 vaccination for vulnerable populations within WA. This program will offer immunisers the opportunity to participate in a targeted program to support vulnerable people who are unable to receive a vaccination through usual channels. This could include housebound individuals or those facing significant challenges in attending vaccination centres or practices during routine business hours. Vulnerable populations in Australia are often disadvantaged when it comes to accessing vaccines and attending a general practice. For further information please go to our COVID-19 Vaccination & Resources webpage. If you have any queries, please email our COVID-19 Team: gpvaccination@wapha.org.au
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) recently had two Residential Aged Care Homes (RACH) reach out for assistance in locating a provider to help them administer COVID-19 vaccinations. Acacia Living Group Meadow Springs and Amana Living Wearne House were both having difficulty accessing a vaccination provider. WAPHA was able to provide both facilities with a list of local, COVID-19 vaccinating providers, including practices and pharmacies and now both facilities have support to deliver COVID-19 vaccines within the homes. Thank you to Optimal CoPharmacy and Mandurah Central Pharmacy for agreeing to visit and vaccinate one of our most vulnerable populations. If you would like more information on how to become a vaccination provider or you are requiring assistance to be matched with a provider please email the team RACFvaccination@wapha.org.au
For many general practices it might be time to renew your NASH certificates. A National Authentication Service for Health (NASH) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate allows health care providers to securely communicate and exchange health information electronically. NASH certificate expiry can therefore affect access to digital services such as electronic prescribing and My Health Record. Only the responsible officer (RO), or an organisational maintenance officer (OMO) appointed by the RO is granted access to renew a NASH certificate. RO’s are commonly the GP business owner or CEO and thus may need to appoint an OMO to assist in administrative tasks such as NASH certificate renewal. An OMO role might be assigned to a nurse manager or other clinical member of staff. It is important that an OMO has been appointed in instances where the RO is not always available which may be the case in larger organisations. For some organisations, their contracted service provider (CSP) will hold the NASH certificate. This can be the case in a larger organisation with many service branches and therefore a different process for renewal will be required. An OMO or RO should reach out to their CSP if they are unsure what process of certificate renewal to follow. If your practice needs support with assigning roles in PRODA or renewing a NASH certificate, there are several resources available to assist you.
Health data linkage is an established method of securely linking different de-identified data sets to better understand your patients’ journey across primary and hospital care. Data linkage can help WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) to better understand the patient journey throughout the health system and support general practices and their patients’ through delivering the right services where they are needed most.
Utilising the de-identified data on patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) available within Primary Sense, WAPHA will soon be undertaking a pilot project to better understand the needs of GPs and their CHF patients’ across primary and hospital care.
The data linkage process will be governed by your Primary Sense Data Sharing Agreement, ensuring privacy will be protected and data will be securely accessed, stored and managed in Australia by the Primary Health Insights hosting platform. However, practices will still be given the opportunity to opt out of the CHF Data Linkage Project prior to commencement.
More information on data linkage is available here and practices are encouraged to email WAPHA Analytics and Insights Manager, Dr Christina Read with further questions christina.read@wapha.org.au
Digital health is playing a larger role in not only how a person’s information is gathered, stored and accessed, but also how it relates to all aspects of the community, social and healthcare systems. Mobile technologies, telehealth, virtual care, remote monitoring solutions and web-based services are allowing patients, clinicians and providers of health care to be connected quickly and efficiently across long distances. Increasing availability of health data and recent advancements in analytics and artificial intelligence are also making it possible to drive new insights and improve decision making related to health care and operations. The WA Primary Health Alliance 2024-2026 Digital Health Strategy describes how WAPHA intends to support the delivery of secure, digitally enabled health care and drive the meaningful use of digital health to enhance the quality, efficiency and accessibility of care. Visit the WAPHA website to download your copy of The Strategy or accompanying easy read Strategy Snapshot.
WA Primary Health Alliance is seeking GPs and their clinical teams to participate in interviews to give insight into the attitudes, barriers and enablers to supporting children with weight related health concerns. This consultation will inform current gaps in resources to support children in primary health care. We are looking to interview general practice staff from the following fields:
In 2022, WAPHA launched the SHAPE website and Conversations about Weight modules to support health care professionals to play a more central role in supporting patients with weight concerns. To build this, we will be developing additional tools and resources to assist the delivery of accessible, patient-centred weight management care to support children and their families. Interviews can be conducted in person at your practice or virtually, and will take a maximum of one hour. A participation payment of $120 per interview for GPs and $90 for allied health staff and practice nurses is offered for your time. Register your interest to participate in this research by contacting Andrea Vermeersch, Healthy Weight Program Coordinator, WA Primary Health Alliance Andrea.Vermeersch@wapha.org.au Interviews will begin the week commencing 29 July 2024.
This 28 July is World Hepatitis Day and the global theme for 2024, "It's time for action", acknowledges the need to mobilise action on the elimination of viral hepatitis. General practitioners in Australia play an integral role in achieving hepatitis C elimination by testing for, diagnosing and treating this curable infection. The Australian recommendations for the management of hepatitis C virus infection: a consensus statement (2022) developed by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia and the Hepatitis C Virus Infection Consensus Statement Working Group, provides important hepatitis C testing and treatment updates including:
Note: Some pathology labs in Western Australia have already commenced or will soon commence reflex NAT testing on all samples that are HCV antibody reactive or indeterminate, if specimen volume is sufficient. Reflex testing decreases the burden on medical practitioners and patients and minimises delays between initial testing and treatment commencement. Refer to the WA Health Silverbook for hepatitis C clinical guidelines. Thank you for your on-going contribution to the elimination of hepatitis C in Australia.
Education & Events
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance 18 July 2024 (5pm to 6pm AWST)
Aboriginal people have higher rates of some vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) than non-Aboriginal people. For this reason, extra vaccines are available free through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) or they are offered at different age points. By utilising quality improvement processes, general practice staff can play an important role in encouraging Aboriginal patients to consider the benefits of being vaccinated. This webinar will cover the following topics:
Find out more and register today.
Tune in on Thursday, 18 July from 7:00-8:30 pm AEST, for the Heart Foundation’s second health professional clinical webinar of 2024. Accredited with the RACGP, the webinar ‘Weighing in’ will explore the profound relationship between obesity and CVD. The event will be chaired by Prof. Garry Jennings, Chief Medical Advisor of the Heart Foundation, and will be joined by a stellar panel featuring international experts Prof. Liesbeth Van Rossum (Netherlands), and Prof. John Deanfield (London, UK.) along with highly esteemed Australian experts. Watch live as they offer practical insights and explore strategies to enhance CVD risk factor management in primary healthcare settings. See the details below on speakers and topics to be covered. This webinar has been accredited with the RACGP for 1.5 hours. Register here
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is providing GPs in WA with paid online Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) training, designed to help practitioners and clinicians recommend the most appropriate level of care for a person seeking mental health support. GPs and GP registrars who attend the two workshops in the one online session will be remunerated $300 and CPD hours are available.
Presented by Black Dog Institute Multiple Dates & Times
Please make your GPs and GP registrars aware that they can attend free online training sessions throughout the 2024 calendar year with a choice of target topics including:
CPD hours are available for the online training sessions. For more information, dates and registration links, visit WAPHA’s suicide prevention webpage.
The Chronic Conditions of the Foot workshop will focus on building a practical skillset for foot assessment that enables a healthcare practitioner to be competent and confident in chronic conditions of the foot basic care. This workshop is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health under the Chronic Disease Support Project. For more information, view the flyer.