This page is designed to keep general practices informed on the latest information and updates relating to the management of COVID-19 in the community. This includes practices resources, news and updates and COVID-19 vaccine information.
This wellness checklist focuses on managing chronic conditions during the pandemic. Acknowledgement of the centrality of culture is critical to an Aboriginal person.
The Vaccine Acceptance Checklist is designed to assist practices to practices in managing the arrival and management of vaccines whilst complying with the ATAGI recommendations.
This guide provides details on how to ensure you have undertaken the appropriate planning and considered responsibilities to run efficient vaccination clinics. This resource will continue to be updated as the vaccine information expands.
With WA's borders now open, now is the time to prepare for directions to isolate in the event of a positive COVID-19 result. This Checklist will ensure that you can check items off as you prepare.
If your practice has a Pen CS licence supplied by WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA), you can use the recipes in the table below to help identify patient cohorts at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The risk factors are based on information from the Australian Government Department of Health.
This resource is designed to support preparedness and response in General Practice through the changing landscape of living with COVID-19 in our community.
This tool is designed to help create a Pandemic Response Plan. It is a place to write down the specific changes to the practices day to day operations at each stage as the pandemic progresses. This plan will be specific to your practice. Each part is customisable for the practice including escalations, triggers and responses for each stage. With each section there is a suggestions, guidance and resources. Edit as appropriate for your team.
These Spreadsheets are designed for clinics that have opted to separate clinics into first and second doses for ease of management. The spreadsheet will automatically allocate the second doses quantities at the correct time of the schedule. This has shown to be effective in managing vaccine stock levels and ordering processes.
This document is to be used as a flow chart when a practice is faced with a COVID-19 Positive patient at/in their practice. This resource steps practices through the steps of what to do and provides various links to resources to support them.
This questionnaire is used to manage a COVID-19 close contact within your team. It provides a platform to ask a range of questions and document the responses in order to allow the necessary people within the practice to manage and take the next steps.
This questionnaire is used to manage a COVID-19 positive case within your team. It provides a platform to ask a range of questions and document the responses in order to allow the necessary people within the practice to manage and take the next steps.
We recently heard from a practice manager in Victoria who had to double her practice’s administration support staff to manage the increased operational demands during a sustained outbreak. To find out more, view the recording of our webinar about Practice Preparedness for COVID - Lessons from the East Coast.
This resource has been created with useful links to resources to assist with your ongoing COVID-19 Practice Preparedness.
To make it easier for practices to engage and communicate with members of their local CALD communities, we have collated a list of COVID-19 Resources for CALD Patients which includes a range of posters, social media tiles and videos in some of the most common languages spoken in Western Australia, other than English.
WA Primary Health Alliance has prepared a new See Your GP campaign to help patients keep their health on track.
In a rapidly changing and challenging environment, general practices are busier than ever. Many practices are involved in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations, facing staff shortages, and all have had to put new procedures in place to manage infection risk.
Simultaneously, some patients are putting off routine checks for chronic conditions. Others may be confused about how to access their GP, if they should be making routine appointments, and have concerns over their exposure to COVID-19 when visiting the practice.
Patients need to understand and navigate changes to the way primary health care is being delivered. They need to feel comfortable that their heath care needs can still be met in a safe and effective way. Additionally, as we move into our first winter where we are living with COVID in the community, it is more important than ever to remind patients of the importance of having their influenza vaccination.
This campaign is designed to support practice staff with tools and resources to educate and reassure patients to keep their health on track.
It was informed by feedback from members of a GP Advisory Panel WA Primary Health Alliance runs in partnership with RACGP WA and Rural Health West.
This campaign is designed for your practice to use on your own communication channels such as website, social media, in practice and voicemail. Many of the resources can be customised to meet your practice’s needs.
It includes:
Find a range of videos and images below to share on social media with suggested messages, wording for your Practice website, a patient guide, an on-hold recording script, and more.
COVID-19 is becoming part of usual business and life. In response to this transition, GP respiratory clinics will be closing by the end of February 2023, so it is likely that patients with respiratory symptoms will be returning to General Practice. This fact sheet has been created to support practices review their procedures and infrastructure to be able to sustainably accommodate respiratory patients.
Get your practice ready with these essential tips.
The Australian COVID death rate was two-and-a-half times higher in people born overseas compared to people born in Australia, according to the latest ABS statistics.
Engaging with migrant populations regarding vaccination is one easy way to bring down the death rate.
Funding is available from 4 April 2022 to support the vaccination of Medicare ineligible patients to the value of the equivalent MBS item number. Immunisation providers can request a 10A report from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), to identify Medicare ineligible patients who might be due or overdue for immunisations.
To request a 10A report, you will need to login to PRODA and access your HPOS account. For more information, refer to Services Australia for detailed steps on accessing this report.
If you would like further support with this important data-driven quality improvement (QI) activity or for further information about this funding, contact Practice Assist and one of WAPHA’s Practice QI Coaches or a member of the vaccination team will be in touch as soon as possible.
Supply and delivery of COVID-19 vaccine stock is controlled by the Australian Department of Health, in partnership with the Vaccine Operations Centre.
COVID-19 vaccinations are available at participating general practices, Commonwealth Vaccination Clinics (GP Respiratory Clinics), Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHs), selected community pharmacies and State-run vaccination clinics. If you are aged 5 years or older, you can book a COVID-19 vaccination. Children aged 6 months to <5 years with severe immunocompromise, disability, and those who have complex and/or multiple health conditions which increase the risk of severe COVID-19 can also book a COVID-19 vaccination. ATAGI does not currently recommend vaccination for children aged 6 months to <5 years who are not in the above risk categories for severe COVID-19. The ATAGI recommended doses and vaccines outlines which vaccines and doses are recommended for each age and population group. On 22 December the WA government announced boosters would be mandatory for staff working within primary care. Vaccines can be booked using the Vaccine Clinic Finder or at State-run community COVID-19 vaccination clinics using VaccinateWA
WA Government Department of Health
Authorised COVID-19 vaccination providers must complete COVID-19 vaccination training to ensure our workforce is competent in the safe management and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. For further information, visit the following links:
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 5 and over can access a COVID-19 vaccine. The Australian Department of Health has developed campaign materials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
HealthPathways WA is a secure, online portal with a suite of comprehensive COVID-19 pathways that provide general practitioners with information on patient assessment, management and referral pathways. View COVID-19 HealthPathways
To register for login details, submit the online form or email the team at healthpathways@wapha.org.au