Issue 206 - 17 October 2024
Welcome to Practice Connect, a fortnightly update for practice managers, principals, nurses and administration staff on relevant issues, upcoming events and education.
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With the first quarter of the General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) ending on 31 September, payments to participating practices are now being processed through Services Australia. A couple of new resources have been published to assist practices and providers in accessing General Practice in Aged Care Incentive payment related information in HPOS.
You can also find these resources in the MyMedicare tile on Services Australia’s Health Professional Education page. General Practices or Practitioners requiring more information or support on MyMedicare can contact the Practice Assist Help Desk on 1800 2 ASSIST (1800 2 277 478 or 08 6278 7900) or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
As part of our GP-centric depression management program approach, WA Primary Health Alliance has recently launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the early symptoms of depression and promote help seeking behaviours among your patients. Depression starts small, get help before it grows, plays into the age-old metaphor of the black dog, updating it to introduce the black puppy as a symbol for mild to moderate depression. General practice plays an integral role in this approach because GPs are the health professionals accessed most often by those experiencing mental health issues and/or engaging in suicidal behaviour. As a result of the campaign, some of your patients may bring up symptoms that they feel are linked to depression. To support the care you provide, you may wish to alert patients to the Head to Health website where they can find resources for understanding and managing what they’re experiencing. GPs can refer into Head to Health by calling 1800 595 212 and the intake clinician can organise to call the patient at a time that suits them to complete the assessment. Alternatively, your patient is welcome to call 1800 595 212 themselves. Clinician Assist WA also has useful pathways for depression management that your practice team may wish to consider.
APNA's Chronic Disease Management and Healthy Ageing (CDMHA) program provides an online, evidence-based education framework to support nurses in primary health care to increase their knowledge, skills, and confidence in key chronic disease management and healthy ageing topics. This supported, six-month, intermediate-level program includes monthly workshops on key health priority areas. Learning in workshops is supported by access to self-assessment tools and online learning modules, and participants are encouraged to share their learning, experiences and progress through a community of practice. The Australian Government subsidises the course, and it costs $220, with the next intake starting on Thursday 24 October 2024. To secure your spot, visit the APNA website. CDMHA is part of the Nursing in Primary Health Care Program, an Australian Government initiative.
Recently the Australian Government announced new funding for the APNA program to help show the next generation of nurses why primary health care is the place to be. The funding aims to place 6,000 nursing students over the next three years, and to do so, we need more workplaces to join the program. Benefit from a new income stream, build nursing talent, and APNA will organise everything else for you. Complete an expression of interest form today.
The Children and Adolescent Health Services Healthy Lifestyle Program is for our young generation affected by a higher weight who are wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes. They are welcoming families in the East Metropolitan region who would like to participate in a new pilot program, that is open to children aged 4 to 16 years. Referrals for eligible children will be accepted from health professionals, other professionals involved in care, or via self‑referral. View the Healthy Lifestyle Referrer flyer or the Healthy Lifestyle Family flyer for more information.
Young people living in and around Manjimup will soon be able to access youth-friendly support services closer to home with a headspace centre expected to open by the end of 2025. As the operator of WA’s three Primary Health Networks, WAPHA will be coordinating the tender process and supporting the successful provider to establish the centre. Read more
Explore the new library and access these free resources today.
The Central Referral Service (CRS) processes approximately 1,200 outpatient referrals daily, ensuring each referral is reviewed and allocated to the appropriate speciality and site. To ensure accurate and timely triaging by hospital clinicians, it’s crucial that referrals meet the minimum requirements for WA outpatient referrals, particularly adhering to Referral Access Criteria (RAC) - a set of mandatory clinical details defined by hospital specialists. Referral Access Criteria (health.wa.gov.au). If a referral lacks the necessary information or does not adhere to the RAC for that specialty, the CRS team are required to cancel the referral back to the GP for revision. If the CRS team were to send a referral that did not contain the required mandatory information to the hospital, the referral would be cancelled at site, and this can lead to delays in care for your patient. If a referral is sent to the clinicians at site for triaging and they do not accept the referral, a rejection letter will be sent to you. Some hospital specialties send rejection letters directly to the referrer with the reason. Other hospital specialties will provide the reason and CRS will send a rejection letter on their behalf quoting the reason provided by the clinician following triage. Whilst CRS manages the allocation of referrals, it is not responsible for setting the RAC or performing clinical triage. These responsibilities lie solely with the specialists and clinicians at the receiving hospital. Concerns about specific referrals can be discussed with the CRS team on 1300 551 142.
Although the recently published Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Referral Access Criteria (RAC) are not yet mandatory, we encourage GPs to become familiar with and start using the Respiratory RAC as soon as possible. There are long waiting times for non-urgent Respiratory referrals at RPH, and adequate referral information, and in some cases, spirometry, is essential to assist safe and timely triage and review. Additional information is also available under Respiratory on Clinician Assist WA. Especially useful for Spirometry are Clinician Assist WA » Spirometry Testing and Evaluation or if you need to refer to another community provider to perform spirometry or other Respiratory function tests, Clinician Assist WA » Respiratory Function Testing. GPs can self-log CPD hours for the time spent learning about RACs and/or reviewing referrals to ensure they comply. Adult Immunology RAC are also available but not yet mandatory. In light of long waiting lists, please start using these immediately also. Other mandatory RACs include:
More information is available on Referral Access Criteria (health.wa.gov.au).
On November 8 last year, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia (IFA) launched Australia’s very first Whooping Cough Day to shine a spotlight on pertussis and encourage Australians of all ages to remain up-to-date with booster vaccination. The campaign reached millions through mainstream media coverage, sounding a warning that Australia was at risk of a whooping cough epidemic. Continuing with the theme “November 8. Stay Up-to-Date. Vaccinate”, IFA will continue to raise awareness of the impact of whooping cough in the community.
Although the potentially devastating impact of whooping cough on babies is now better understood, community awareness of the threat to adolescents and adults and the need for boosters remains concerningly low. Research shows that most adults cannot recall receiving a whooping cough booster, and only one-in-five Australians aged over 50 years is up-to-date with the booster. The campaign is based on the evidence and insights that:
Our hope is that Australians from all walks of life will take action to remain up-to-date with whooping cough vaccination. As we navigate the current epidemic, we all have a role to play in controlling the spread of whooping cough and reducing the risk of infection, no matter our age. Further information can also be found here.
Ensure that your Cold Chain Management is update to date with all staff. Responsibility for cold chain begins from the time the vaccine is manufactured, continues through to the state or territory vaccine distribution centres, and to each immunisation service provider, and ends when the vaccine is administered.
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance has grouped together its most popular resources and made them even easier to find.
NCIRS fact sheets have been developed for immunisation professionals by NCIRS experts.
NCIRS fact sheets, FAQs and other resources | NCIRS
Australian and international expert speakers covering a range of topics related to immunisation and vaccine preventable diseases.
AusVaxSafety is an active vaccine safety surveillance system that monitors the safety of vaccines in Australia Safety data | AusVaxSafety
SKAI - Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation - a suite of vaccination communication support tools. Home | Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation | SKAI
The Australian Immunisation Handbook mpox chapter was updated this week to reflect ATAGI’s most recent interim statement on mpox vaccination in Australia, amid an ongoing upswing in cases across the country. The ATAGI interim statement removed the previous age restriction for mpox vaccination, and people of all ages who are at risk of exposure to mpox are now recommended to receive a two-dose course of JYNEOSS vaccine – which studies suggest is moderately to highly effective in both preventing mpox infection and reducing the severity of symptoms if mpox infection does occur. The latest National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System data show 884 mpox cases have been recorded in Australia in 2024 to date – more than five times as many as in 2022 and 2023 combined. Case numbers have been highest in Victoria and New South Wales. While outcomes from mpox infection in 2024 have been less severe in Australia than in central and eastern Africa – which have been suffering the effects of a severe clade 1b outbreak – people in Australia at risk of mpox infection are urged to get vaccinated as a matter of priority. ATAGI is monitoring the evolving epidemiology of the disease in Australia and globally and will issue new recommendations if and as required. Access the chapter here.
The Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning and Accreditation Course – formerly the Yellow Fever Vaccination Course – is now being hosted at the interim Australian Communicable Disease Control. The new arrangement will not change the content of the course – which immunisation providers must complete every three years to maintain accreditation to prescribe and administer yellow fever vaccine in Australia. A simple registration process is required to sign up via the course link (accessible below and available on the Department’s yellow fever webpage). The course – a key pillar of Australia’s National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers – includes detailed information about the viral disease, best-practice administration of yellow fever vaccine and related international health requirements. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for people aged 9 months and over who are travelling to an area where there is a risk of yellow fever virus transmission. To register and access the course, click here.
Immunisation Coalition, in collaboration with Inovating, is pleased to announce the Primary Care Infectious Diseases meeting in Sydney. This hybrid event is specifically designed for General Practitioners and Nurses who immunise/vaccinate against infectious diseases. Topics include:
To register for this activity, simply:
Registration Open.
This webinar provides viewers with an update on shingles epidemiology, changes to the NIP schedule, and current trends in vaccination rates. Low shingles vaccination rates in Australian adults impact the epidemiology of the disease. This webinar explores what current guidelines advise regarding vaccination to reduce disease burden and complications associated from contracting Shingles. For more information and to register, click here.
October, Australia’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, provides an opportunity for us all to focus on breast cancer and its impact on those affected by the disease in our community.
Any woman can develop breast cancer, even if no one in their family has had it, and unfortunately, one in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s why it’s important to ask your patients to check their breasts regularly. Finding cancer early can save their life. Thinking about cancer can be scary, but finding it early can also mean easier treatments, so if your patient is 50 to 74 years old, they should get checked every 2 years. It’s free, quick, and private. To learn more, visit the BreastScreen Australia Program.
The National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) supports the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and the National Cervical Screening Program by inviting and reminding eligible people to screen, as well as creating a safety net by prompting participants and their healthcare providers to take the next steps on their screening journey.
By integrating your clinical software with the NCSR, you're not just improving practice efficiency — you're contributing to a nationwide effort to reduce deaths from bowel and cervical cancer. To find out more download the Communications Toolkit.
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has provided funding to WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) 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. Please note: The non-Medicare vaccine reimbursements will cease in December 2024. The last day to submit a claim will be 1 December 2024, to align with WAPHA’s end of year payment processing. To claim, practices will be required to declare reimbursement (i.e. 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. To make a claim complete the survey or for further information please email our COVID-19 team gpvaccination@wapha.org.au
WA Primary Health Alliance wants the COVID-19 vaccination support program acquittal process to be as easy and effective as possible for all involved. We have created a ‘How to Guide’ to assist program participants in making sure everything is included when writing their Activity Summary Report/s. Each section in the guide will provide prompts whilst you answer each survey question so we receive accurate and useful information on those outcomes your activities achieved. Every organisation that is funded through the COVID-19 Primary Care Vaccination Support Program (Program) is required to provide an activity summary report promptly following the completion of the activity/s. Once you have completed your pop-up clinic or home visit/s where COVID-19 vaccinations were administered, organisations will need to complete an activity summary report to indicate how the funding has been utilised in line with the signed agreement and Program guidelines. Program participants will not need to submit receipts for purchases, but will be required to retain them in line with Australian Taxation Office requirements.
For further information please visit our COVID-19 Vaccination & Resources webpage or email gpvaccination@wapha.org.au
The Department of Health and Aged Care released a Provider Bulletin on 10 October 2024. Key Messages included:
To read the full bulletin, click here.
In a recent interview WA Primary Health Alliance spoke with Albany Medical Centre’s Dr Mark Victor to discuss the capabilities of the new telehealth carts. Dr Victor has patients at Juniper Korumup, one of 180 residential aged care homes (RACHs) with a telehealth cart, looking to further incorporate telehealth to enhance primary care for residents. The telehealth carts are equipped with cutting edge technology. When speaking to its benefits, Dr Victor declared the telehealth cart were an invaluable aid. In addition, Dr Victor commented that the telehealth carts help reduce travel time and treatment delays for residents. “As it stands at the moment in GP land when we are busy with our practice during the course of the day, we might get a call from the nursing home where a nurse needs guidance and the patient might be quite ill. Under ordinary circumstances it might take 4 or 5 hours to get to the nursing home because we have to wait for the day to finish but if we can utilise the machine [telehealth cart], which I am sure we will, then you've got your patients virtually with you and you can cut out the time it takes from when the nurse has alerted you up to the time you get to see the patient.” Dr Victor also affirmed that better access to his patients during the day and after hours through this virtual care technology will help residential nursing staff avoid unnecessary hospital transfers and keep residents in their homes. For more information or support with telehealth and virtual care, please contact the Practice Assist Help Desk on 1800 2 ASSIST (1800 2 277 478 or 08 6278 7900) or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
To make sure PHN clinical and referral pathways platforms continue to meet the evolving needs of GPs and their patients, WA Primary Health Alliance wants to learn more about user needs and expectations now and into the future. To gather valuable insights from GPs, experienced researchers from the Behaviour Change Collaborative have been engaged to conduct two phases of research. Phase one will consist of paid interviews and focus groups to gather detailed insights from GPs about their use of current platforms: potential participants can opt-in now via a short expression of interest questionnaire. Phase two will gather detailed quantitative survey responses from GPs across Australia, to gain deeper insights into individual experiences, attitudes and expectations as they relate to existing platforms and any potential future solutions.
This project aims to identify areas of improvement with the existing clinical referral pathways offerings to deliver better patient care within general practice. You can learn more about the project here.
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association’s annual Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Survey is the only one nationally that focuses exclusively on nurses and midwives working in primary health care. APNA use what you tell them about your working conditions, concerns, and aspirations when helping governments and policymakers better understand primary health care nursing and midwifery and how they can better utilise, attract, and retain this vital workforce. If you work outside of a hospital, you provide primary health care, and APNA want to hear from you! You do not need to be an APNA member to complete the survey. The survey takes about 30 minutes to complete, and completed surveys go into a draw to win one of two $1000 Red Balloon vouchers or 10 x $100 cash cards. Complete the survey here.
The National Needs Assessment of the Blood-borne Virus and Sexual Health Workforce is a valuable opportunity for health care professionals working across the HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, mpox, and/or syphilis disease areas to contribute to the future of continuing professional development training and education. Your feedback and insight will help the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine to create more engaging and relevant training opportunities delivered when and where they’re most needed. Take the survey now.
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Movember 1 to 30 November 2024, is the time to unite. To take on mental health, suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. And you coming along for the ride only makes it stronger.
Work isn’t all about work. Connection between colleagues matters. So bring the whole team closer through moustaches, movement and fun.
Taking on Movember at your workplace is perfect if you’re looking to:
Visit the Workplace Fundraising Resources to learn more, and access toolkits and guides to host your workplace Movember movement.
WA Primary Health Alliance invites you to this GP Telehealth Networking Event at MYVISTA Mirrabooka. This Virtual Care Awareness week, we welcome all GPs and Practice Manager to join us in person for a relaxed panel discussion on the use and benefits of telehealth in primary care from different perspectives. There will be a telehealth medical cart demonstration, and a networking opportunity with other GPs and practices. Sitting on the panel to share their experiences and advice, we have View Street Medical's Dr Belinda Wozencroft and Gordon Stacey, Nurse Practitioner Shallyse Loveland and Residential Aged Care Home Clinical Project Lead Rebecca Glass. We look forward to seeing you join us for an engaging evening. Catering will be provided. View the flyer here for more information, and register now here.
WA Primary Health Alliance is pleased to host a two part webinar series on Immunisation in aged care. The first will show Residential Aged Care Homes (RACH’s) how they can access their residents immunisations and give an over view on My Health record.
Join health care experts at Silverchain’s Silver Learnings CPD education session to learn about evidence-based therapies for primary care patients with respiratory conditions. This presentation will focus on bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), home services available, potential access barriers and how to address them, and referral pathways. This free accredited session provides 1.5 CPD hours (1 hour educational activity, 0.5 hour reviewing performance). It also includes buffet dinner and refreshments. Expert speakers include SJOG Midland Private and Public Hospital Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Specialist Dr Francesco Piccolo, Silverchain GP Liaison Dr Erin O'Donnell-Taylor, and Silverchain Clinical Nurse Manager Louise Papps. Each speaker will share their knowledge and support you to work through different case studies during the session. Event places are limited so please register quickly to secure your seat before 21 October.
Clinician Assist WA is a free to access, secure website providing GPs and other health professionals with guidance for assessing, managing and referring patients across Western Australia. It has replaced HealthPathways WA and provides access to the same trusted local guidance, features and functionality. The Clinician Assist WA team will run online demonstrations facilitated by a GP Clinical Editor monthly until November 2024 to support users. These sessions will demonstrate how to maximise integration of Clinician Assist WA into your clinical practice. Learn key functionalities of the website and how to access condition specific tools and resources, Referral Access Criteria (RAC) (where available), GPbook Specialist Directory and specialist regional rosters. Sessions have been approved for 1 CPD Educational Hour with the RACGP and will be held online on the following dates:
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.
For the October, November and December IAR-DST training dates and registration links, visit the WAPHA IAR-DST webpage.
What every doctor needs to know about providing best practice telemedicine.
Available for both members and non-members this is an education and skills development program on how to plan and deliver telehealth services.
Featuring a live online workshop and exercises to complete in your own time, the program explores consultations with patients, remote GP supervision, assessing patients through nursing and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health staff, and family conferencing. More information here.
As a proud sponsor of the annual WA Mental Health Week (October 5-12), WA Primary Health Alliance is committed to promoting awareness, reducing stigma and encouraging people to get the support they need to improve their mental health and wellbeing. WA Mental Health Week is a great to time to highlight the suite of online depression management and suicidality education courses we support via the Black Dog Institute, and deliver at no cost to GPs and GP Registrars:
Find out more and register for upcoming sessions in October and November.
Acknowledgement 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.