We have several nurses in CSGPN who are already running nurse led clinics. CSGPN project staff are available to assist with the setting up your clinic.

The Australian Point of Care Practitioners’ Network (APPN) provides online training, certification and professional development for all Point of Care Testing (PoCT) operators.

CSGPN’s Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Shared Care program has been running since 21 March 2011. This project provides patients with care co-ordination between hospital services and their GP; this ensures that patients who require ongoing care continue to receive appropriate care and do not slip between services.

Three simple steps to Financial Budgeting and Reporting By Stuart Chan from Cutcher & Neale.

The law of diminishing returns, first described by economists to explain why, beyond a certain point, additional inputs produce smaller and smaller outputs, offers insight into many situations practitioners stumble upon in clinical practice. In everyday experience, this law is expressed, as “the gain is not worth the pain.”

A recent circular was emailed and faxed by CSGPN to all ANSC GPs and practices from the NSW Department of Health regarding Influenza activity and risk to pregnant women.

CSGPN was one of nineteen GP Networks that received funding for the trial of ATAPS Self Harm and Early Intervention Project from 2008. This project has been a resounding success across the nineteen GP networks as judged by the reduction in the outcome scores of the individuals who underwent counseling for self harm or suicidal ideation.

HCN advises all the Medical Director 2 users should upgrade to Medical Director 3 before 1 November 2011. The October MD Ref (database of medications) will be the last for Medical Director 2 users.

Malware (any software that harms your computer) needs to be taken seriously by all Internet users, especially if using “always on” broadband connection. Criterion 4.2.2 – Information Security of RACGP Standards mandates antivirus software and firewall in your practice to prevent malware infection.

GPs are the main providers of treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood-borne viruses (BBVs) in Australia. With chlamydia rates tripling in the last ten years, and an estimated 1 in 3 Australians living with chronic hepatitis B going undiagnosed, every GP should be actively testing for STIs and BBVs.

Supervised Clinical Attachments allow GPs to better target their education to their specific interests or learning needs. Any GP can undertake a Supervised Clinical Attachment (SCA) for their continuing professional development. Completion of an SCA provides GPs with 40 Category 1 points through RACGP.

The RACGP standards (4th ed) place increased emphasis on minimum data in the patient’s electronic record. The Patient Summaries criterion states that GPs must maintain a GP Health Summary for more than 75% of their active patients.

ComDiab provides group introductory diabetes education in the community for any of your patients, carers / family members or anyone who wants to know about diabetes. Facilitated by well trained nurses, the education offers practical information to enable individuals to better understand and self manage diabetes.

Everyone will have noticed that CSGPN offers a diverse selection of many Active Learning Modules (ALMs) each year. Whilst participants attend these activities primarily for the learning, if you also wish to be eligible for the category 1 point allocation it is important that you fulfill all requirements of the ALM.

Regarded as one of the most important advances in hepatitis C in the last decade, three independent studies (one conducted by a team from Sydney), have shown that variation in the IL28B gene is the most crucial determinant of treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1.

By now you should have received information on the new Practice Nurse Incentive Program Guidelines and the Practice Nurse Incentive Program Ready Reckoner – links to the Guidelines and the Ready Reckoner are now available on the CSGPN website.

22 July was Fragile X Awareness Day and you should have received a poster for your practice and a flyer for consumers about the research project being run by Associate Professor Julian Trollor at the University of NSW. I hope the CSGPN Disability project can rely on your support to promote this research into fragile X.

Success of the ATAPS program: Article by Helen Tang, Psychologist

ANSC updates for August.

As part of our national health professionals program, NPS uses a range of evidence-based strategies to provide unbiased information and promote optimal clinical practice.

The PBS “Closing the Gap” co-payment measure has been developed to provide assistance to eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to improve access to PBS medicines through co-payment relief.

While many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience healthy pregnancies, for many poor health and social disadvantage contribute to poor prenatal outcomes than those experienced by non-Indigenous women.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) new coordinated Veterans’ Care Program (known as the CVC Program) commenced on 1 May 2011.

All GPs, practice managers, practice nurses and practices should have received a copy of the CSGPN Calendar of events July – December. Please remember that the calendar may be amended generally with more workshops being added as the year progresses.

In Australia, general practice is the main provider of sexual health care and contact tracing is an important part of a comprehensive STI control program. Evidence, from surveys and research, shows that many doctors are unaware of their responsibilities around contact tracing. Some of the barriers identified include their perceived lack of written guidelines, skills and experience.

By the time Aboriginal children are ready for school they have generally received their vaccinations.  However the problem with vaccination schedules and Aboriginal children is compliance with the schedule. The problem for immunisation providers is tracking children through medical records, Medicare and ACIR.

In Australian Indigenous languages there is no word that means Disability, so traditionally Disability is not part of the human condition. Considering there are over 4.6% or 19,500 Indigenous Australians in need of access to Disability services there is clearly a need to be mindful of cultural understanding when supporting Aboriginal people with Disabilities.

Indigenous people have a higher incidence of illness and higher mortality rate than other Australians, therefore regular health checks are a priority to help to reduce and prevent serious illness by early detection and treatment.

The Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN) is a not-for-profit organisation contracted by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to promote, develop and support sustainable, interdisciplinary collaboration in the local primary mental healthcare sector.

The World Health Organisation estimates that there are about 370 million indigenous people living in more than 70 countries worldwide.

CSGPN was funded by the Australian General Practice Network to test the Lifescripts resources, translated in 4 languages: Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek and Arabic. The Lifescripts resources, produced by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), were developed with the hope that it enables GPs to manage lifestyle-related risk factors in a structured way using evidence-based approach.

The Camperdown Project, announced in August 2009, is due to open its doors in October 2011. The Camperdown Project is a homelessness initiative comprising supported accommodation in a purpose built facility; the specially-designed building will be located on a site flanked by Pyrmont Bridge Road, Lyons Road, Lambert Street and Layton Street, Camperdown.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrist (RANZCP) developed a website, with funding from beyondblue (www.indigenous.ranzcp.org), that provides mental health professionals with information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health issues. The design of the website is to improve life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through acknowledgement of the importance of good mental health to overall positive health outcomes.

There is a common misconception regarding the number of Indigenous patients in the Sydney metropolitan area and that Indigenous health is an issue for remote communities. The fact is that a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Australians live in major metropolitan areas but many GP’s often say, “I don’t have any Indigenous patients”. The most common reality however is that in these areas there is more likely to be an under-serviced Indigenous population due to limited access to general practice services.

For those of us fortunate enough to travel to London and to enjoy the delights of the tube, a common exhortation heard constantly over the loudspeakers is to ‘mind the gap’—between the carriage and the platform. Here in Sydney, it is more applicable to focus on closing the gap - between the disparate health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. As CVD is the leading cause of death for the Indigenous population in most states and running at 3 times the age-cause-specific rate for non-Indigenous Australians, it would make a difference to tackle this issue.

During NAIDOC week the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are celebrated nationally. Originally NAIDOC stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, the group responsible for organising national activities.  However the acronym itself has now become the name of the event.

GPNSW posed the question to NSW Health of where and when can registered and authorised nurse immunisers immunise patients?

The Prevent Diabetes - Live Life Well program is winding down now. The program is due to finish at the end of June and staff are still finishing off the last of the 12 month reviews and collecting the last little bits of data and generally tying off all the loose ends.

Since arriving at CSGPN only a few short months ago, there has been a lot to learn and a lot of information to go through. Now that I have been able to find my feet, I’ve had the opportunity to read all the comments and feedback we have received about Practice Support and Accreditation at CSGPN. What we have been hearing is that you would like us to provide increased support to practice managers and improve the content on the webpage. So I have given the people what they want!

Dr Nicholas Doong’s Surgery in Burwood is located in an area that has relatively low numbers of Aboriginal residents (0.25% - 2006 Census). However Dr Doong thought that it was important for the practice to make a meaningful contribution.

End of Life for People with Dementia A new report written for Alzheimer’s Australia, “End of Life for People with Dementia” highlights the importance of planning for the end as soon as a diagnosis of dementia is made.

Article by Robert A. Battisti, Clinical Psychologist, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Clinical Research Unit, The Brain & Mind Research Institute.

Free Personal Alarm Systems available for elderly and disabled patients Inner West Neighbour Aid is providing a personal alarm system for elderly and disabled people who are financially disadvantaged living in the Canada Bay, Strathfield, Burwood or Ashfield Local Government Areas.

The Department of Health and Ageing is set to take full responsibility for HACC funding from July 2012. So what exactly will this mean for HACC programs and your clients? Also, Statewide the ACAI uptake has doubled - the number of Allied Health Services provided to aged care residents in Residential Aged Care Facilities has doubled in this last financial year compared to the previous year.

CSGPN is once again facilitating student nurse placements in general practice.

Medical Director 3.12 includes new enhancements to the recall system.

The overarching aim of clinical audit is to improve service user outcomes by improving professional practice and the general quality of services delivered.

From the hepatitis ALM below is some important news for GPs and their patients with hepatitis.

A number of referral and services available in the innerwest.

CSGPN is hosting a fantastic ALM in May. This activity has been developed by Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM).

There is a lot of support available for the nurse who is new to general practice and if the nurse is experienced in general practice we like to be able to provide them with information about CSGPN and the services that we provide. There is an upcoming face to face orientation training program for nurses new to general practice.

Palliative Care article by Dr Margo Hoekstra, GP.

The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing conducted in 2007 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that 3.2 million Australians, or 20% of the adult population, experienced symptoms of a mental health disorder in the preceding 12 months.

RPA Women & Babies encourage women to book their first antenatal visit via their online form.
Funds still available for referral through the ATAPS Program for women experiencing Perinatal Depression.

Advance Care Planning: GPs to give insights on how it can work.

The much anticipated RACGP Cultural Awareness training is now available. The 3 hour online activity is available free of charge via the RACGP’s www.gplearning.com.au website (for members including practice managers, practice nurses and medical receptionists) and ClinEd - www.clined.com.au (for PIP participants).

Two Category 1 options for you to consider for this triennium.

The rumour mill has been running hot over the past few months as Medicare announced late last year that there would be a scaling down of PIP payments to practices as part of its overhaul of the Australian health care system. In May 2010, the PIP news update featured details of changes to the program.

New generics campaign to focus on safety around medicine brand choices The new phase of NPS Be Medicinewise campaign was launched in April and focuses on safety in the context of medicine brand choices.

The LMP has acquired new providers this month.

Having recently visited a number of practices participating in Australian Primary Care Collaboratives I was repeatedly asked about how to manage diabetes cycle of care using their clinical software.

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, CSGPN has commenced educational visits on Opioid Therapy in Chronic Pain: Use a Planned Approach. Opium has been used by man over many millennia.

Electronic investigations are convenient with majority of our computerised GPs now receiving pathology results electronically.  With exception of area health service hospitals electronic pathology is available from vast majority of providers.

I receive lots of calls asking if we are running a CPR course for GPs and practice staff. CSGPN is unable to offer this particular course, however we have sourced several organisations that offer CPR training on a regular basis. You can access this information via the CSGPN web page for Practice Support.

The Prevent Diabetes - Live Life Well program is approaching its final stage. The Program is due to finish at the end of June and the staff have a busy couple of months left tying up all the loose ends.

Early diagnosis and detection of dementia is becoming increasingly important with our ageing population. The General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG) – This is specifically developed for the use in the primary care setting. The GPCOG consists of both a cognitive test of the patient and an informal interview to increase the predictive power. Both parts can be scored separately, together or sequentially.

Communication can be defined as the exchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs. In the general practice environment, communication is an integral tool in the management of patients, staff and day-to-day functioning of the business.

CSGPN has been administering the ATAPS program since 2005. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, the ATAPS program enables GPs to refer patients with mental health disorders to an allied health professionals, at no cost to that patient.

The unprecedented flood damage in QLD and the earthquake in NZ - in current news emphasises the importance of business continuity planning.

Training and assistance in acquiring a nurse for general practice.

NSW Health is currently taking orders for influenza vaccine however deliveries will not commence until early March.

SLHN (formerly SSWAHS) has recently established a new service at Concord Hospital focusing on young people with disabilities.

A Consumer’s view of the Collaboratives program by Eileen Furlong, a consumer representative on CSGPN’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Advisory Group.

The aim of the health assessment is to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive primary health care matched to their needs, by encouraging early detection, diagnosis and intervention for common and treatable conditions that cause morbidity and early mortality.

Updates on: PBS changes for Nicotine Replacement Therapy, more good news regarding other cessation medicines and the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program.

With the commencement of the new Triennium there have been many queries on the requirements.

Aged Care Access Initiative (ACAI) funding updates from DoHA, and changes to the Aged Care Triage (ACT).

Alzheimer’s Australia’s 14th National Conference will be held in Brisbane from 17-20 May 2011. Research with family caregivers has consistently shown that caring for a relative with dementia is an isolating and often lonely experience. Support groups bring people together and enable them to share experiences.

With the impending diabetes tsunami coming and some saying already here, what can we all do?

This incentive is intended to assist practices in keeping up to date with information on the quality use of medicines. It rewards participation in a range of activities recognised or provided by the NPS.

There were several key drivers in the development of the new edition standards including: the evolution of practice teams (where nurses are becoming more involved in the delivery of care and sharing the responsibility of quality and safety systems); a desire to incorporate key components of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care); and to support a national accreditation scheme.

Towards the end of 2010, CSGPN ran two successful community events to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes risk.

It’s time again for us to embark on a new topic: Opioid Therapy in Chronic (non-cancer) Pain. This topic explores ways of optimising the benefits of opioids in chronic pain while minimising the harms associated with inappropriate use. These include careful patient selection, clear communication about the goals of opioid therapy, careful advice about proper use and close monitoring.