Issue 218 – 17 April 2025
| Welcome to Practice Connect, a fortnightly update for practice managers, principals, nurses and administration staff on relevant issues, upcoming events and education. |
Campaign to boost child mental health literacy in Perth’s north
Psychoeducation in primary health is a key component of low-intensity interventions in the stepped care model for mental health. GPs are best placed to improve mental health in children at a population level by enhancing parental knowledge, including providing parents with evidence-informed information about children’s social and emotional wellbeing and incorporating regular mental health check-ins as part of routine practice.
As a part of the new child mental health literacy campaign by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, GP clinics within Perth North PHN will receive hard copies of evidence based, Emerging Minds Families Resources to refer to and display in their practices. The packs will be mailed out to practices on 28 May 2025, accompanied by information on associated measuring outcomes QI activities.
Interested GPs can also access the following accredited Emerging Minds’ educational resources on the campaign website:
Introducing the WA Mobile Radiology Pilot Project
The Mobile Radiology Pilot is an exciting partnership opportunity between WA Health, the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, WA general practice, and the WA aged care sector.
The WA Mobile Radiology Pilot Project will enable people living in aged care homes to receive x-ray and ultrasound services in the comfort of their residence with no out-of-pocket costs. The pilot will initially run for 18 months and commenced in March 2025.
WA Health has engaged Mobile Radiology Australia (MRA) (external site) as the service provider to deliver mobile imaging at almost 200 aged care homes across the Perth metropolitan area.
The mobile radiology service is a key initiative to improve healthcare access for older adults. The service is expected to positively impact healthcare delivery by enabling residents to receive care without leaving their homes.
Further information on the Pilot, including service availability, registration and referral processes and resources can be found on the WA Mobile Radiology Pilot Project webpage or by viewing the flyer here.
State Hazard Plan – Human Biosecurity
The State Hazard Plan – Human Biosecurity, which includes roles and responsibilities for primary health care practitioners, has recently been comprehensively reviewed and updated. Given the essential role of primary care health practitioners in disaster management your familiarisation with the Plan is encouraged.
The Plan provides an overview of prevention, preparedness, response and initial recovery arrangements for human epidemic and, very generally, the non-intentional release of biological substances capable of causing harm.
The Plan is available at WA.gov.au (search ‘human biosecurity’) and further information is available from the Department of Health via dpmd@health.wa.gov.au
Are your practice details up to date for WA public hospital discharge communication?
In the coming months, more WA emergency departments (EDs) will transition to securely messaging ED discharge summaries using the system already in place at Fiona Stanley, Rockingham and some rural hospital EDs.
Printed summaries will continue to be given to patients as usual and faxed to practices not registered for secure messaging.
To update your secure messaging details or current GP list, or to register to receive public hospital discharge and outpatient summaries by secure messaging, contact the tertiary hospital your adult patients most commonly attend:
- Fiona Stanley Hospital: Email FSH.HIMSHISS@health.wa.gov.au or see Fiona Stanley information for GPs on the Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group website.
- Royal Perth Hospital: Email RPH.GPN.Coordinator@health.wa.gov.au, telephone 9224 3673, fax 9224 2348 or see Communication on the Royal Perth Hospital website.
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital: Email SystemsSupportMailbox.SCGH@health.wa.gov.au, telephone 6457 3331 or fax 6457 3067.
Once updated, your new practice contact details will be available to other public hospitals in WA excluding some public-private hospitals which use different systems.
Royal Perth Hospital Ambulatory Unit open to GP referrals
The Royal Perth Hospital Ambulatory Unit (RPH AU) has 10 patient spaces delivering a dual, acute ambulatory care and frailty care model for patients aged 16 and over. The unit is currently staffed by a geriatrician and physician (emergency department/acute medicine), along with nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers and can also access Aboriginal health liaison officers.
Open Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.00pm (excluding public holidays), it is a multidisciplinary assessment and management area for those patients that are too sick/complex for community care but not sick enough for emergency care.
Educating practices about vaccine storage and cold chain management
All vaccine providers are required to complete a mandatory vaccine storage audit of their cold chain management every 12 months for the WA Department of Health.
Pia Charlebois, Treatment Room Coordinator at Mead Medical in Kalamunda and Forrestfield, explained that vaccine providers in the Perth metropolitan area submit the audit information via RedCap to Boorloo Public Health Unit (Boorloo PHU) and one of the last questions asks whether the provider would like a site visit and education about vaccine storage and cold chain management.
“We recently asked for some extra education via the audit and Susie Ridderhoff, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Boorloo PHU, visited on site with our nursing staff. In addition to providing education, she also shared with us a new resource about packing a cooler with vaccines, and made sure we were aware of the RedCap reporting tools for catch-up plans,” Ms Charlebois said.
The nursing staff at Mead Medical have robust cold chain management protocols in place and the relevant websites are bookmarked on the team’s computers, including the WA Immunisation Schedule, National Immunisation Program Schedule, Australian Immunisation Handbook, WA Health Cold Chain Management, National Vaccine Storage Guidelines: Strive for 5, Boorloo PHU and the Practice Assist Immunisation Tool Kit.
“We are proud of the nursing team and support staff who respond promptly when a cold chain breach occurs. The guidelines are followed with tools and materials to facilitate the response and quick reporting as per the Strive for 5 guidelines and our own protocols,” Ms Charlebois said.
If your practice would like further information or education about vaccine storage and cold chain management, contact the Boorloo PHU team via bphu@health.wa.gov.au or 1300 62 32 92, or email WAPHA’s Immunisation team via immunisation@wapha.org.au
The team at Mead Medical (left to right) Laura Salminen (RN), Rubie Goodrick (EEN), Diane Taylor (CN-Nurse Manager), Shamsia Mohamed (RN), Sue Griffiths (RN) and Pia-Anna Charlebois (RN-Treatment Room Coordinator).
An overview of WA Primary Health Alliance’s role in COVID-19 management
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has been involved in managing the COVID-19 response in Western Australia from the early days of the pandemic to the transition of COVID-19 into normal immunisation practice for respiratory illness.
In 2021, the Australian Government established the National COVID Vaccine Campaign Plan to mitigate the global impact of COVID-19. Primary Health Networks (PHNs), including WAPHA, played a crucial role in the vaccine rollout by supporting vaccination providers with onboarding, ensuring timely updates, vaccine ordering, and effective management of vaccine wastage.
In 2023, as Western Australia transitioned to managing COVID-19 like other respiratory viruses, WAPHA’s role evolved to include promoting testing, supporting the coordination of vaccine sites, and encouraging the co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. The focus shifted towards a “steady state” where prediction and management within normal systems were pursued.
In 2024, WAPHA continued to support equitable access to vaccines, particularly for at-risk populations, by developing the COVID-19 Primary Care Vaccination Support Program. This program aimed to support primary care vaccine administrators to provide access to COVID-19 vaccinations via activities such as pop-up clinics and home visits that focused on at-risk populations, including residential aged care homes.
In 2025, WAPHA will continue to support existing local access solutions to enable all population groups in Western Australia to have fair and timely access to vaccines, whilst working with the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care on a transition strategy for COVID-19.
WAPHA has developed the following webpages with information and resources to support continued promotion of immunisation and COVID-19 vaccinations:
- WAPHA Immunisation webpage
- Practice Assist Immunisation Tool Kit
- Useful links for aged care providers
- Clinician Assist WA
For further information or assistance, email WAPHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination team via gpvaccination@wapha.org.au or call the Practice Assist help desk on 1800 2 ASSIST (1800 2 277 478 or 08 6278 7900) or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
Angela Crawford (Nurse Practitioner from Pramana Medical Centre in Gosnells) administering a COVID-19 vaccination at a pop-up clinic in 2024.
Letter from the Chief Medical Officer
Professor Anthony Lawler, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Aged Care has written to all vaccine service providers emphasising the importance of measles vaccination across Australia.
Measles is a very serious and highly transmissible disease. In an unvaccinated or under-vaccinated population, a single contagious person can potentially infect up to 18 other people. Measles can cause complications in up to one in three unvaccinated people.
Vaccination is safe and highly effective in protecting against infectious diseases. In Australia, two doses of measles vaccine offers 99% protection against illness and serious complications.
The measles vaccine is available for free for:
- Eligible children under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
- Eligible people under 20 years of age and humanitarian entrants or refugees of any age can also get free NIP catch-up vaccinations.
- In WA, A state funded program enables people born after 1965 to receive a booster. Adult measles vaccination program.
The measles vaccine can also be purchased privately by patients who are not eligible for a free vaccine under the NIP or state based program.
To read the full letter from Professor Lawler, click here.
Free Influenza for all Western Australians throughout May and June 2025
From 1 May to 30 June 2025, immunisation providers will be able to administer free state-funded influenza vaccines to people aged 5 to 64 years not otherwise eligible for a free vaccine under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
The Free Influenza Vaccine Program May and June 2025 aims to provide influenza vaccines for persons aged 12 to 64 years who are not otherwise eligible for a free influenza vaccine through other programs. This program will join the state funded programs for 5 to 11 year old and the state funded vulnerable co-hort program aimed at homeless or people who are in congregated living arrangements.
From Tuesday 15 April, immunisation providers will be able to order the free vaccines through the Onelink ordering system. Some ordering limits may apply, but weekly ordering will be enabled for a short period of time.
For the full vaccine update please click here.
OneLink account details
If you order government-funded vaccines and have a Onelink ordering account, it is essential that your contact details are current to receive important communications from the Department. If you miss important communication about programs, ordering, or miss deadlines, you may not be able to receive vaccines ahead of program commencement. Please ensure that the ordering email address on file is not to an individual who may be on leave or not available, the preference is for shared or generic email addresses, such as reception@xyzclinic.com.au
If you are not receiving regular communications from the Department, including order confirmations, review and/or update your contact details now.
To check and update your details:
- Login to your Onelink account here
- Click on My Account
- Click on Account Details and check the email address listed (note that there will also be Onelink email addresses for record keeping purposes)
- If the email needs to be updated, please click on the Request Address Change at the bottom left of the window or click here.
If you have any questions about this process, please email customerservice@onelink.com.au or for any other questions, please email vaccineorders@health.wa.gov.au
Co-administration of vaccines for adults, an updated NCIRS resource
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) has released an updated guide on co-administration of vaccines for adults.
This resource supports immunisation providers to identify vaccines that can be co-administered for people aged 18 years and over.
View the resource here.
Subscribe to Vaccine Updates
With winter nearly upon us and the recent measles outbreak the Department of Health is encouraging all vaccine service providers to ensure they are subscribed to receive Vaccine Updates.
These important publications are the best way to stay informed about the changes occurring within the immunisation program.
You can also subscribe to Virus WAtch, WA Needle and Syringe Program and The Infectious Disease Health Alerts.
To register, click here.
Access now: Influenza, RSV and COVID-19 prevention in 2025 webinar videos
Video recordings of the recent webinar, Triple protection: Vaccines for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV in 2025, are now available on the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) website.
Catch up on all the latest on influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemiology, vaccination recommendations and programs in Australia, and global trends.
Expert speakers gave practical advice on vaccine delivery and maximising uptake ahead of the 2025 respiratory illness season.
The event, hosted by NCIRS Director Professor Kristine Macartney, concluded with a live Q&A session.
Access the webinar here.
Immunisation Coalition – Annual Immunisation Forum
Presented by Immunisation Coalition
Friday 13 June 2025 (7.00am – 3.00pm AWST)
The 9th Annual Immunisation Forum (AIF) hybrid event will take a place at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Adelaide on 13 June 2025.
The meeting is ideal for GPs, practice nurses, specialists, pharmacists and other immunisation specialists.
The program covers the following topics: a look into aged care, new vaccines for the elderly, adjuvanted vaccines, vaccinations in primary care and pharmacy, managing vaccine hesitancy, targeting at-risk populations and addressing the vaccine gap of First Nations peoples.
This is a free CPD accredited (for online participation) meeting for a national audience.
To register, Online attendance – via Zoom.
Cancer Council WA “GP Ready” Campaign
The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) launches in July 2025, offering free biennial low dose CT scans for eligible individuals aged 50–70. Eligibility is based on a history of at least 30 pack-years of tobacco cigarette smoking, in those who currently smoke or have quit within the past 10 years. Assessments and referrals will be managed entirely by GPs. General practice is central to the program’s success, and preparing for the NLCSP will require involvement from the whole practice team.
To prepare, your practice should:
- Integrate patient management software with the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) for streamlined eligibility checks, referrals, access and reporting of clinical data, and managing follow-ups. The NCSR also supports the national bowel and cervical cancer screening programs.
- Complete the patient smoking status audit to ensure your patient records are up to date, facilitating accurate eligibility assessments once the NLCSP begins, and help identify patients who may benefit from smoking cessation support.
To prepare, your practice should:
- Learn how to integrate with the NCSR
- Register for the smoking status audit – CPD hours available!
Lung cancer is Australia’s biggest cancer killer, and the NLCSP will save lives.
Preparing your practice will support screening participation and help improve patient outcomes
through the earlier detection of lung cancer.
Breast screening resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
Cancer Screening Programs Branch have developed new resources for BreastScreen Australia to increase First Nations women’s awareness of, and participation in, breast screening. The resources include posters, brochures, animated videos, social media tiles and fact sheets.
These resources have been created by Wayarang, in close collaboration with state and territory jurisdictions, NACCHO and First Nations women across the country. The resources use bespoke artwork ‘Breast and Beyond’ by proud Gomeroi artist Caitlin Trindall to embody women from all across the country.
Visit ‘ Screen With Your Sistas’ to download and/or print the new resources.
Practices are encouraged to use these resources with all audiences, but particularly when promoting the importance of breast screening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Voluntary Assisted Dying Workforce Survey
The Department of Health End Of Life Care Program is investigating opportunities to improve the sustainability and wellbeing of the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) workforce.
They are seeking to understand the factors that influence eligible medical and nurse practitioners to undertake VAD Approved Training and roles under the Act. This feedback will help identify enablers, barriers and additional resources needed to ensure that equity of access to VAD is upheld alongside other end of life care choices.
They are looking to hear from medical and nurse practitioners that meet the eligibility requirements to provide VAD services in Western Australia, including those who have not completed VAD Approved Training.
The survey is available on Citizen Space and closes on 22 April 2025.
World Immunisation Week 2025 – ‘Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible’
World Immunisation Week 2025 will be celebrated from 24 to 30 April 2025, with the theme ‘Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible’.
According to the World Health Organisation, since 1974, vaccines have saved 154 million lives and have contributed to a 40% reduction in global infant deaths.
Despite this progress, millions of children still miss out on essential vaccinations each year.
This year, the campaign highlights the need to reach unvaccinated individuals and strengthen immunisation programs to ensure equitable vaccine access worldwide.
Read the full article here.
Webinar – Prescribing drugs safely in end-of-life care
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
30 April 2025 (6pm to 7pm AWST)
Join us on Wednesday 30 April for the fourth instalment in our educational series about palliative care in general practice.
For our fourth webinar, we will hear from guest speakers Penny Tuffin, WA Consultant Palliative Care Pharmacist, and Dr Sarah Pickstock, Palliative Care Consultant at WA Country Health Service and Joondalup Health Campus.
Webinar topics:
- Recognising the transition from chronic disease management to a palliative approach.
- Triggers for deprescribing/choosing wisely.
- Triggers for anticipatory prescribing.
- Managing the terminal phase/dying at home.
- Care after death.
This webinar is accredited for 1 RACGP EA CPD hour.
To find out more, view the flyer and register today.
Paediatric Weight Management Event
Presented by Perth Children’s Hospital and WA Primary Health Alliance
3 May 2025 (9am to 4.15pm AWST) In Person
The Perth Children’s Hospital Healthy Weight Service and WA Primary Health Alliance invite GPs to a face-to-face event focused on effective weight management strategies.
This RACGP-accredited event will combine interactive learning with case study workshops, providing a well-rounded educational experience.
The following topics will be covered during the event:
- Raising the issue when weight is not the primary concern.
- The language of weight management.
- Goal setting with patients.
- Local opportunities, where to go for information and resources, and referring on.
- How to improve dietary intake.
- How to improve physical activity.
- Pharmacotherapy.
There are 50 places available for GPs at this event, which is accredited for 7 RACGP EA CPD hours.
To find out more, view the flyer and register today.
Gambling and Its Links to Mental Health and Other Addictions
Presented by ACRRM & Self Help Addiction Resource Centre)
7 May 2025 (5.00pm to 6.30pm AWST)
Join ACRRM for a powerful webinar exploring gambling harm and its intersection with trauma, mental health, alcohol and drug use, and family violence. This session features lived experience stories from the Three Sides of the Coin project, aiming to build empathy, reduce stigma, and promote practical screening and referral approaches in rural healthcare.
Includes video screenings and live Q&A with storytellers.
Gain tools to confidently address gambling-related harm with patients.
For more information and registration here.
GP Telehealth Networking Event
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
8 May 2025 (6.30pm to 8.30pm AWST)
Join us for a relaxed panel discussion and networking event focused on the use of telehealth in primary care from different perspectives.
Using telehealth can significantly improve GP workload by streamlining workflows, improving efficiency and providing faster, more convenient patient care.
Offering telehealth services at your practice, in conjunction with standard face-to-face consults, expands primary care opportunities for you and your patients.
WA Primary Health Alliance is currently providing support to GPs who are interested in using telehealth within their practice or within a residential aged care home.
To find out more, view the flyer and register today.
Expressions of Interest Shared Care Model: Healthy Weight Webinar
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance and WA Country Health Service
20 May 2025 (6pm to 7.30pm AWST) MS Teams (online)
Currently, almost 1 in 4 children are overweight or obese and those with complex medical comorbidities are often referred to the Perth Children’s Hospital – Healthy Weight Service (PCH-HWS).
Regional referrals to the PCH-HWS represent 25% of all referrals and waitlists for this service are long and increasing.
To better address childhood obesity in regional areas, a shared model of care for managing children living in regional WA with high Body Mass Index (BMI) has been developed.
The key principles of the service delivery model include:
- Improving the equity of service provision for children across regional WA.
- Enhanced triage for appropriate support for obesity-related medical conditions.
- Providing obesity management support closer to home wherever possible.
The model will be rolled out in WA Country Health Service (WACHS) regions, using a phased approach throughout 2025.
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) and WA Country Health Service (WACHS) are hosting an information session for General Practitioners (GPs) to learn about the important role they can play in supporting children within the shared care model and hear from clinical and public health experts in the field, including Perth Children’s Hospital – Healthy Weight Service.
If you are a GP interested in the shared care model for managing children with overweight or obesity in regional WA, please register your interest. Registration is capped by region for equitable access and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
Complete an Expression of Interest here in attending this event. Successful applicants will be notified and provided with link to event. Remuneration provided in accordance with WAPHA’s Paid Participation Policy.
Aboriginal cultural diversity training – free online training for all practice staff
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
Available until June 2025
To help improve health outcomes for Aboriginal people, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is offering free online Aboriginal cultural diversity training for all general practice staff.
The free online training is the SBS Inclusion Program (First Nations) that includes short learning modules, which take approximately an hour to complete in total, with the following learning outcomes:
- Improving knowledge about the history of Aboriginal culture and experiences.
- Understanding how to identify myths versus facts. Comprehending some of the stereotypes and assumptions sometimes made about Aboriginal people.
- Recognising the importance of spirituality in Aboriginal culture.
- Recognising the importance of family and kinship in Aboriginal culture.
- Grasping the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal people.
- Comprehending the trauma felt by the Stolen Generations and the intergenerational trauma still being felt today.
- Implementing tools to actively participate in the reconciliation process as both an individual and a business.
- Explaining what the Uluru Statement from the Heart is and how it came about.
- Describing the events that led to the referendum in 2023, which proposed Aboriginal people be recognised in an enshrined Voice to Parliament.
To find out more view the flyer here and register today!
Register now for a Clinician Assist WA live demonstration
Presented by Clinician Assist WA
Multiple Times & Dates Online
Clinician Assist WA is a secure website providing GPs and other health professionals with guidance for assessing, managing and referring patients across Western Australia. It has replaced HealthPathways WA, offering the same trusted local guidance, features and functionality and remains available at no cost.
The Clinician Assist WA team will run online demonstrations facilitated by a GP Clinical Editor throughout 2025 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 visiting specialist rosters.
Sessions have been approved for 1 CPD Educational Hour with RACGP and will be held online on the following dates:
- Thursday 12 June 2025 – 12:30pm to 1:15pm
- Wednesday 17 September 2025 – 12:30pm to 1:15pm
- Tuesday 18 November 2025 – 12:30pm to 1:15pm
Demonstrations are open to general practitioners, general practice staff and other health professionals registered to practice in WA.
Other Webinars, Events & Workshops
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.
