Issue 229 – 18 September 2025
| Welcome to Practice Connect, a fortnightly update for practice managers, principals, nurses and administration staff on relevant issues, upcoming events and education. |
MyMedicare practice promotion resources
New resources are now available to assist general practices to promote MyMedicare registration and the benefits to your patients.
In addition to the existing resources available on the MyMedicare resources page of the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website, the following resources are now available.
Posters
Social media tiles
For support with MyMedicare in your practice contact the Practice Assist Help Desk on 08 6278 7900 or via email practiceassist@wapha.org.au for more information.
General Practice in Aged Care Incentive hints and tips
A new General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) hints and tips resource has recently been published on the Health Professionals tab on the Services Australia website to support practices: MYMEDINFO15-General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) – Hints and tips to ensure you get paid correctly.
If you would like support on managing GPACI within your practice please contact the Practice Assist Help Desk on 08 6278 7900 or via email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
Upcoming event: Support at Home – Essentials for primary & community care professionals
Presented by Silverchain
12 November (6.30pm to 8pm AWST) Online
Learn about the new Support at Home aged care program, referral pathways, services available, and how to support your patients to receive in home care.
Silverchain Head of Policy and Advocacy, Dr Ronelle Hutchinson, will share her expertise on how to navigate the new aged care system.
She will be supported by Silverchain GP Liaisons Dr Leena Patel and Dr Erin O’Donnell-Taylor; and Silverchain Director of Nursing and Safety, Chris Snepvangers.
These free, national webinars will provide 1.5 educational activity CPD hours. It is designed for doctors, practice nurses and community care teams, and is available across two live sessions.
Understanding bulk billing changes for GPs and practice managers – webinar recording and resources
On 4 August 2025, the first of 5 similar webinars was held to give GPs and practice managers information on the upcoming changes to bulk billing incentive (BBI) eligibility and the new Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP).
Watch the recording here.
For resources and further information:
- Bulk Billing Incentive including a factsheet, examples and quick reference tables
- Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program
Contact the Practice Assist Help Desk on 08 6278 7900 or via email practiceassist@wapha.org.au for more information.
Expression of interest: Join our Multidisciplinary Health Care Advisory Panel
Recognising that strengthening relationships across the primary health care sector contributes to better patient experience, better access to care and ultimately better health outcomes, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is creating a Multidisciplinary Health Care Advisory Panel.
We are calling for expressions of interest from a range of health care professionals who work within a community or general practice setting to provide timely guidance and advice to support WAPHA’s projects and initiatives. This includes:
- Aboriginal health workers and practitioners
- nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives
- mental health professionals
- occupational therapists
- physiotherapists
- podiatrists
- dieticians and diabetes educators
- pharmacists
- other allied health professionals.
Express your interest by Monday 13 October.
About WA Primary Health Alliance:
WA Primary Health Alliance operates WA’s three Primary Health Networks (PHN), as part of the Australian Government’s PHN Program. Our state-wide structure and strong partnerships help us work towards improving health equity and outcomes, particularly for those at risk of poor health. We do this by helping general practices provide high-quality and patient focused care, establishing health care services based on data and community need, connecting services to make accessing health care easier and innovating new or improved ways to plan, design and deliver health services.
Upcoming change: Referrals to WACHS Great Southern specialist outpatient services transitioning to CRS
From Monday 22 September 2025, all external referrals (from GPs, nurse practitioners, and private specialists) to in-scope WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Great Southern public outpatient services will be managed through the Central Referral Service (CRS). This means the CRS will be the single intake point for these services.
This change supports ongoing outpatient reform to streamline referral processes and improve access to specialist care.
Key primary care referrers have been advised of the change and will be supported through Q&A sessions and training resources.
For further information, the list of in-scope services, and contact details for support, please see the flyer here.
CRS and WACHS thank you for your continued support as they work together to improve access to public specialist outpatient services in the region.
Urgent care tender opportunity now open
WA Primary Health Alliance, in conjunction with the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, is seeking expressions of interest from general practices to participate in the next tranche of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics for Western Australia.
These clinics will be situated in or near Geraldton, Mundaring and Yanchep.
Accredited general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services located in these areas, as well as nearby suburbs, are eligible to apply, provided they can satisfy all relevant criteria. Tender applications close 7 October 2025.
To find out more and submit your proposal, visit our Tenders webpage.
Tender open for the establishment of after hours general practice services
A tender is now open for the establishment of after hours general practice (GP) services in priority locations across Western Australia.
Accredited RACGP general practices are invited to submit an application for the tender with applications closing 2pm, Thursday 25 September 2025. It is important that applications meet the location and other minimum requirements.
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is commissioning after hours in general practice services with funding provided by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. The new services will be located within existing facilities, such as general practices.
Commissioned after hours GP services will be expected to offer routine general practice appointments during after hours, including diagnosis, treatment, screenings, vaccinations, mental health advice, family planning, referrals, and chronic disease care. They will also provide treatment for non-urgent and non life-threatening illnesses.
The services will operate a minimum of two days a week during the after hours period and be staffed with doctors and nurses with training and experience in general practice care.
If your practice meets the minimum requirements and you wish to apply, please visit Tender – WAPHA for more details on the application process.
As this is part of a competitive tender process, all queries must be sent to procurementsupport@wapha.org.au
Discover tender opportunities to strengthen primary health care in WA
As the operator of WA’s three Primary Health Networks, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) commissions services that support general practice and primary care teams to deliver better health outcomes for local communities.
We encourage general practices to partner with us to develop innovative, evidence-based services for under-served communities. View our open tenders and register to receive notifications of upcoming tender opportunities.
Achieving health equity means more than just funding health services. It’s about ensuring the services we commission reach the right people and are delivered in a way that meets the needs of GPs and patients. Find out more about our approach to commissioning here.
It’s Dementia Action Week – is your practice a dementia friendly space?
Dementia Action Week (15-21 September) is a great opportunity to boost awareness and explore the ways to create dementia-friendly spaces in the general practice setting, such as:
- Reading the latest research in the understanding of dementia, its causes, treatment and management.
- Building practice staff’s dementia care capability with Dementia Australia training courses for health professionals.
- Creating information displays for patients, families and carers with printable Dementia Australia resources.
- Making brain health activities available for practice staff and patients.
- Sharing Dementia Action Week resources through your practice channels.
The Cognitive Impairment and Dementia care pathways on Clinician Assist WA can a provide GPs and practice nurses with guidance on assessing and managing dementia in primary care.
To support Dementia Action week, The Health Networks Directorate’s Older Person Health Network (WA Department of Health) is hosting a lunch and learn webinar series. Delivered by subject matter experts, the 45 minute webinars will cover key issues and best practices in dementia care. See link below to register for the remaining session tomorrow:
Integrating advance care planning within routine health assessments for older patients
Supporting the uptake of advanced care planning (ACP) for older people can help them to make important choices about their future care and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in bereaved relatives.
Routinely embedding ACP into 75+ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Assessments can ensure ACP conversations are guided by a person’s beliefs, needs, and preferences while they still possess their decision making capacity.
Actionable steps your practice can take to initiate ACP in 75+ and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Assessments include:
- Strengthen ACP knowledge within the practice team through accredited training and ensure all staff understand their ACP roles and responsibilities.
- Implement consistent processes for storing ACP documents in clinical software.
- Utilise the Primary Sense Health Assessment Report – to identify patients with complex chronic conditions and trigger ACP appointments.
- Add ACP to health assessment templates and implement clinical software recall/reminders to re-visit ACP discussions.
- Remove outdated ACP templates not meeting WA legislative requirements.
- Provide WA Health culturally appropriate ACP resources to patients.
- Schedule follow up appointments for ACP discussions and documentation.
- Consistently document ACP discussions; upload completed documents to My Health Record and follow upload guidelines for a patient’s Advance Health Directive.
More ACP resources:
- Practice Assist – ACP
- Clinician Assist WA – ACP pathway
- Advance Care Planning Australia – Professional resource hub
- WA Health – Health Professional Guide to Advance Care Planning in WA
- Advance Care planning Australia – Values and Preferences Statement for a Person with Impaired Capacity
To learn more about ACP or to connect with the WA Primary Health Alliance Greater Choices for At Home Palliative Care team, email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
Advance care planning quality improvement activities
Advanced care planning (ACP) can be implemented as a general practice quality improvement (QI) activity by focusing on enhancing processes and uptake through:
1. Creating a process to ensure all staff complete ACP training.
2. Routinely downloading the Primary Sense Health Assessment Report and initiate and promote ACP as part of the health assessment:
- Recall Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients >50 years who are eligible for health assessments, prioritising those with an ACG score of 5.
- Recall patients aged >75 years who are eligible for health assessments, prioritising those with an ACG score of 5.
- Use the existing appointment tab to ‘flag’ patients for an ACP discussion who already have a scheduled appointment in the diary.
- Standardise ACP document uploads to My Health Record.
- Standardise Shared Health Summary uploads for 75+ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessments to support care coordination and ePIP.
- Ensure all clinical staff have created a Clinician Assist WA login and are familiar with advance care planning clinical pathways.
- Record ACP QI activities on the practice QI register for accreditation.
For more information and resources or to contact a WAPHA QI Coach call 08 6278 7900 or email practiceassist@wapha.org.au
Updating clinical guidelines for dementia care
Monash University is updating the 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia, to help improve the quality and consistency of dementia care.
As part of this update, they want to hear from:
- people living with dementia, their families and carers
- people working in dementia practice, support and research
- anyone interested in the topic of dementia.
Get involved
For more information, including how to sign up for more participation opportunities and updates, visit the Monash University website.
Pneumococcal NIP schedule changes
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) pneumococcal vaccine schedule for infants, children and adolescents came into effect on 1 September 2025.
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released several new and updated resources to support the schedule change, including the following:
- National Immunisation Program childhood schedule fridge magnet card
- Childhood vaccinations consumer brochure
- Following vaccination – what to expect and what to do
The aim of the changes – which hinge on the conjugate vaccine Prevenar 20 becoming the new standard pneumococcal vaccine for children and adolescents in Australia – are to streamline the vaccination schedule while offering broader protection against pneumococcal disease.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook pneumococcal disease chapter and NCIRS’ pneumococcal vaccines FAQs resource have also been revised to align with the updated schedule.
Access the FAQ resource here.
AIR updated to support pneumococcal program changes
Immunisation providers can now view when a child is due for a pneumococcal vaccine and request ‘due’ and ‘overdue’ reports on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) to help identify children who may require catch-up vaccinations.
More granular detail on these changes, which are designed to support the recent update to the pneumococcal vaccination National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule, can be found in National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) latest AIR Update.
To access the August AIR update, click here.
Immunisation recommendations for people with certain medical risk conditions
A new resource summarising immunisation recommendations for people with certain medical risk conditions has been published in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
The table provides a high-level overview of vaccination recommendations for people with medical risk factors and the current funding status.
Access the resource here.
Antenatal immunisation reminder
Immunisation against pertussis, influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is strongly recommended during pregnancy to protect your patient and their newborns against serious vaccine-preventable diseases and potentially life-threatening complications.
Resources can be found at Antenatal immunisation and are available for printing or sharing digitally to aid in discussing antenatal vaccination with your patients:
- Influenza vaccination in pregnancy (VIP) (PDF 873KB)
- Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy (VIP) (PDF 872KB)
- 2025 WA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant and Maternal Immunisation Program – What parents and carers need to know (PDF 1MB)
To order hard copies of ‘Influenza vaccination in pregnancy’ and ‘Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy’, visit WA Health online ordering system.
Please also see the Commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination decision guide for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy.
For support with having immunisation conversations with antenatal patients, please visit the Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation website for comprehensive resources including eLearning modules, conversation guides, infographics and more.
Always refer to the WA Immunisation Schedule and the Australian Immunisation Handbook which provides complete guidance for vaccination during pregnancy.
A Professor Allan Cripps memorial tribute – Pneumococcal update webinar
Presented by Immunisation Coalition
Wednesday 24 September 2025 (4.30pm to 5.30pm AWST)
This event, hosted by the Immunisation Coalition, provides an update to the NIP schedule with the listing of Prevenar 20 for children under 5 years old and eligible individuals 12 months to 17 years with specific medical conditions. However, there is still much to do in pneumococcal disease vaccination for adults, particularly in the 50 years and over. This will be highlighted and discussed.
This webinar will focus on clarifying the childhood immunisation program with Prevenar 20, eligibility of Prevenar 20 for individuals with medical conditions, and strategies to increase vaccination rates for older adults with or without medical conditions using Prevenar 13 and Pneumovax 23.
Register here.
Register for NCIRS’ upcoming webinar: What’s new in pneumococcal vaccination for infants, children and adolescents
Presented by National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS)
Thursday 25 September 2025 (10.00am AWST)
This webinar will provide an overview of pneumococcal vaccination in Australia, including details of the NIP schedule changes for infants, children and adolescents, as well as practical guidance for implementing the new recommendations.
The webinar has been designed for immunisation providers, public health professionals and clinical stakeholders and will explore the rationale behind the program review, provide a detailed clinical update on the changes and offer practical guidance for implementing the new recommendations.
This session will equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and tools to confidently navigate the transition to 20vPCV, support families and ensure high-quality immunisation delivery under the updated schedule.
Register here.
Respiratory Infectious Disease Podcast series
Presented by Immunisation Coalition
Online – podcasts
The Immunisation Coalition have recently released a podcast series on respiratory Infectious disease to provide medical education from expert clinicians and epidemiologists on common respiratory infection.
The series covers disease identification, prevention of disease and management options.
Episodes 1 and 2, available now, cover influenza and respiratory travel infections.
To register and listen to these podcasts, click here.
Cold chain education for staff working in immunisation in WA
The Western Australian Department of Health Guidelines for the Management of Cold Chain for Immunisation Service Providers (Guidelines) have now been published.
The Guidelines sit alongside the National Storage Guidelines Strive for 5 as a Western Australian specific reference for all immunisation service providers who receive government-funded vaccine and immunisation products.
Download and/or read the guidelineshere.
To support the Guidelines, an eLearning Cold Chain Management training module has also been developed.
This stand-alone module aims to assist all immunisation providers, health care professionals and administration staff in the safe storage and management of vaccines.
Registration instructions for accessing the eLearning platform are available on the Immunisation Education webpage.
All staff at existing sites who receive government-funded vaccines and immunisation products are required to complete the training module by 31 December 2025.
In the Pink!
October is fast approaching and so is Breast cancer awareness month.
BreastScreen WA (BSWA) is seeking support from general practices in promoting breast cancer awareness in October. This is the 24th year BSWA has run this activity with GPs. It is an opportunity for GPs and staff to “be in the pink” for breast cancer, which affects 1 in 7 women in Australia and causes 3000 deaths annually.
A gift hamper prize will be awarded to the practice with the most decorative and innovative display that promotes BreastScreen WA and breast cancer screening.
Judges are looking for:
- innovation and creativity
- use of BSWA resources (order form here)
- message about screening
- overall effort
Photographs of the winners may be published on Facebook, websites and in print media.
Please send your photos to breastscreenwa@health.wa.gov.au
Last chance to register! GP Breakfast – October 2025
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
17 October 2025 (7am to 9am)
Reform, funding and future proofing general practice
WA Primary Health Alliance would like to extend an invitation to GPs for a breakfast focused on the future of general practice led by primary care reform experts.
This breakfast is designed for GPs to explore the long-term picture for funding reform, what to expect and how to adapt without compromising clinical outcomes.
Keynote speakers:
- Dr Walid (Wally) Jammal – GP Principal and national leader in primary care reform and innovation, including designing integrated models of care.
- Dr Kirsten Meisinger – primary care physician and renowned international expert on patient-centered medical homes and healthcare system transformation.
Last chance to register! Registrations close on 19 September.
Shared care for ADHD in children – webinar
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
24 September 2025 (6pm to 7pm)
Join us for a webinar series designed to support general practitioners with increasing their skills in identifying, diagnosing and treating children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including prescribing and monitoring stimulants.
The three webinars are accredited for 3 RACGP EA CPD hours (1 hour each webinar).
Webinar 1: Wednesday 24 September 2025
This webinar will cover the following topics:
- ADHD identification in primary care.
- Overview of ADHD assessment and diagnosis.
- Introduction to ADHD management.
- WA specific context for S8 stimulant prescribing (key facts).
- Stepwise approach to safe S8 stimulant prescribing and shared care.
- Introduction to the Clinician Assist pathway.
To find out more, view the flyer and register for webinar 1 today.
General Practice in Aged Care Incentive: Your Questions, Answered
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
9 October (12pm to 1pm)
The General Practice in Aged Care Incentive (GPACI) was introduced in July 2024 to support GPs in delivering proactive, patient-centred care. Twelve months in, we recognise that some practices continue to face some challenges in meeting GPACI service requirements.
Join our virtual Q&A session as we cover all things GPACI. Whether you’re seeking help with service requirements, tracking and monitoring patients, setting up PRODA and HPOS, or simply want to better understand how to apply GPACI in your practice, we’re here to help.
Free suicide prevention training
Presented by WA Primary Health Alliance
Online course
The thought of talking to someone about suicide isn’t easy, but you can learn how and it could help them get better.
For a limited time, WA Primary Health Alliance is providing fully subsidised licences to access a one-hour training course for non-clinical staff.
Developed by The Black Dog Institute, Recognise and Respond – Suicide Prevention for Everyday Life is an online course to reduce and prevent suicides in Australia. It provides the tools and confidence your staff may need to have a key conversation and respond to a friend, family member or colleague who may have suicidal thoughts.
Join a GP Balint group
Facilitated through the RACGP and Accredited Balint leaders
Introductory meeting in September – online
Improve challenging patient interactions, professional satisfaction and wellbeing.
Join an ongoing 12-month Balint group to reflect on cases with colleagues. During each small-group online session, you can expect to improve how you handle difficult situations and overall sense of professional satisfaction.
View the flyer here for more information and to register.
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:
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.
