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e-news 23 Apr 2010

  Welcome to NWQPHC's electronic newsletter! Each Friday we will email a link to the latest news and updates. If you would prefer your update to be faxed, please contact your local Practice Support Officer 

  • Clinical Updates 2010 – e-Learning Opportunities for Nurses (more)
  • Extended availability of Clinical audit: Use of benzodiazepines, zolpidem and zopiclone in insomnia  (more)
  • 2008 - 2010 Triennium
    In the current 2008–2010 triennium, GPs need to meet the minimum requirement of 130 points and must include  (more)
  • NEW INHALER 'HOW TO’ VIDEO FOR KIDS
    The National Asthma Council Australia has produced a simple on-line video to demonstrate correct inhaler (more)
  • MHPN Workshop QLD1075 in Bowen
    Places are filling fast: REGISTER NOW for the Mental Health Professionals Network workshop in Bowen. MHPN workshops     (more)
  • MBS - May 2010 Update  (more)
  • A new web site created by doctors looking for doctors and support staff
    Advertising for as little as $ 15.00 per week .  Recruitrain has established a new web site (more)
  • Mental Disorders Package for Rural Practitioners - Advanced Skills
    Next online Advanced Skills (Level 2) course commences 12 May 2010 (more)
  • Allied Health Visits (more) 
  • Health Services Newsletters (more)
  • Education and Training Opportunities for this Month (more)

  •  Clinical Updates 2010 – e-Learning Opportunities for Nurses  
    The Following topics are available:
    • Cervical Screening & Chlamydia Update
    • The Ins & Outs of Contraception
    For further information please contact Sophia Constantinou, Course Coordinator Family Planning NSW
    CPD points will be allocated. Cost $ 50.00
    Web:  www.fpnsw.org.au   Phone: 02 8752 4328  Fax: 02 8752 4392  Email: education@fpnsw.org.au
  • Due to unprecedented low enrolment and data submission for this clinical audit to date, we have extended the closing date for submissions to encourage further enrolment and increase participation rates.  Please find attached an updated Divisional flyer that reflects the extended closing date of Friday 21 May 2010.
    Please distribute this flyer as soon as possible within your division by fax stream, newsletter, personal contact, etc. to promote enrolment in this NPS activity. Unfortunately there is not an option to insert your divisional logo on this flyer.
    If you are currently undertaking educational visits on Management options to maximise sleep, please actively promote participation in this activity to GPs at the end of your visit over the next few weeks. 
     
  • 2008 - 2010 Triennium
    In the current 2008–2010 triennium, GPs need to meet the minimum requirement of 130 points and must include:
    • two Category 1 activities (40 points) and
    • completion of a basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course
    You may have already met these requirements or you may still be working towards it. With this triennium coming to a close in December 2010, there are a number of Category 1 activities available for you to complete, e.g. Active Learning Modules (ALMs), small group learning, supervised clinical attachment, and participation in evidence based medicine journal clubs. In addition there are clinical audit and rapid PDSA category 1 activities, which are also known as quality improvement activities. If you require any further information, QA&CPD staff are available for program support:
    Queensland,  Diane Lane, Tel 07 3456 8944  Email qld.qacpd@racgp.org.au  Or alternatively you can call the Practice Support Officer in your area.
  • NEW INHALER 'HOW TO’ VIDEO FOR KIDS
    The National Asthma Council Australia has produced a simple on-line video to demonstrate correct inhaler usage for children using a puffer and spacer.
    The video, which can be viewed at: www.NationalAsthma.org.au shows National Asthma Council Australia asthma educator, Judi Wicking, overseeing a young girl as she uses her medication, with clear sub-titles on screen providing step-by-step instructions.  Up to 90 per cent of patients are not using their inhalers correctly.   This misuse results in poor medication delivery, which in turn can lead to reduced quality of life, more frequent and longer hospital stays and an increased dependence on their medication. With children common problems include not shaking a puffer between each dose and putting multiple doses into a spacer, rather than inhaling each individual dose one at a time.  
    “It can be hard for parents or carers who do not use an inhaler themselves to ensure their child is getting maximum benefit from their medication by using their inhaler correctly,” Judi Wicking said.
    “This short video has been developed to give parents and carers confidence to help their child, especially when they are most in need of medication to aid their breathing.”
    The new on-line video is an extension of a series of videos designed to improve inhaler use amongst adults. The original series, which is also available on the National Asthma Council Australia website, demonstrates correct usage of all six main types of asthma and COPD inhalers currently available in Australia.
    “Anyone who uses an inhaler would benefit from reviewing how they use it to ensure they are really getting maximum impact from their medication,” Judi Wicking advised.
    “The fact is most people who use an inhaler aren’t doing it properly. They may never have been shown the correct technique in the first place or they may not have regular usage reviews with their GP, pharmacist or asthma educator which means poor technique becomes a bad habit.
    “For these people being able to watch another person demonstrating the right way to use the same inhaler that they have been prescribed will be invaluable and the videos can be viewed on demand as often as required.” 
    The National Asthma Council Australia’s inhaler ‘how to’ videos are available at: www.NationalAsthma.org.au
    For further information, or to arrange an interview please contact:  Kelly Ward - Tel: 03 9744 1855; Mob: 0407 860 834; or Email: kward@wardcom.com.au  
  • MHPN Workshop QLD1075 in Bowen
    Places are filling fast: REGISTER NOW for the Mental Health Professionals Network workshop in Bowen. MHPN workshops are accredited, semi-structured, inter-disciplinary mental health networking opportunities held over a shared meal, followed by a facilitated clinical case study discussion. By attending you’ll learn about the particular skill sets of your local mental health providers thereby increasing your referral pathways with better targeted mental health referrals. See www.mhpn.org.au  to register for a workshop in your region or click here to down load the invitation for Bowen.
  • MBS - May 2010 Update
    Changes to be made as of 1st May 2010:
     New descriptors for longer consultations
     Increased rebate for general consultation items
     Home visit items – streamlined
     Consolidation of After Hours attendance items
     Changes to health assessments
     Changes to Chronic Disease Management Items
    Changes to Health Assessments:
     Ten health assessments will be replaced by 4 time based items
     Eligibility will remain
     Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health assessment items
     3 items replaced by 1 time based item
    Changes to CDM items:
     Two Chronic Disease Management (CDM) items for the review of CDM plans will be combined into one new item number that can be used either to review a GP Management Plan or to coordinate a review of Team Care Arrangements.
     The new item will have the same requirements as the old items and the rebate will remain unchanged.
     The multidisciplinary case conference structure will be streamlined.
     18 GP multidisciplinary case conference items will be combined into six new items based on the duration of the service and on whether the practitioner is coordinating or participating in the case conference.
     Patient eligibility and requirements of the case conference will not change
    Is anything different for Allied and Community Health?
     Maintain current focus on quality use of available items:
     Communication between general practice and allied and community health remains the key
     Importance of EPC referral
     Work with divisions to explore use of case conferencing items
     Group diabetes education items are highly under utilised
     Health checks and referral to Life! 
    click here for the new changes
  • A new web site created by doctors looking for doctors and support staff
    Advertising for as little as $ 15.00 per week .  Recruitrain has established a new web site www.mylocumjobs.com.au . It’s purpose is to assist you to recruit professional staff for your practice.
    The ‘mylocumjobs’ concept grew from the need to reduce advertising and commissions payable to recruitment agencies in the never ending search for professional staff.  The costs became quite a costs burden particularly hard when looking for general practitioners, bearing in mind that sometimes a practice has to advertise for months if not years ! We found that our colleagues in other professions - lawyers, accountants, media etc – had the same complaint. 
  • Mental Disorders Package for Rural Practitioners - Advanced Skills
    Next online Advanced Skills (Level 2) course commences 12 May 2010
    The Advanced Skills course is:
    • For GPs who wish to increase their mental health skills training
    • Focuses on behavioural and cognitive psychological treatment strategies
    • Equivalent to GPMHSC focused psychological strategies skills training (previously Level 2 mental health training)
    • Fully accredited with the GPMHSC
    Content
    The Advanced Skills course focuses on coaching specific techniques in behavioural and cognitive behavioural therapy. Techniques will be taught through readings, observation of expert behaviour, and role-play practice. Performance will be assessed through case observation and discussion, using real or simulated patients in the participant’s local context. It will utilize the experience of the GP, encouraging discussion and peer learning, as well as guided learning through role play and expert panel formats.
    Program Delivery
    The Advanced Skills course uses online video, discussion groups and consultant led case conferences to enhance rural medical practitioner learning. A real-time virtual classroom environment is introduced on RRMEO through Elluminate, an educational software application designed for distance education and collaboration. This virtual learning environment extends the physical boundaries of the traditional classroom and adds live discussion and dynamic interaction to distance learning sessions.
    Course Details
    The Advanced Skills online component contains 6 sessions run over 12 weeks (ie every fortnight). Each online session starts at 7:00pm EST and lasts approximately 2 hours.
    Session dates: 12 May - 20 July 2010
    • Session 1 - 12 May
    • Session 2 - 26 May
    • Session 3 - 9 June
    • Session 4 - 23 June
    • Session 5 - 7 July
    • Session 6 - 21 July
    Course Fee: $1,950.00
    Register your interest!
    To enrol in the Mental Disorders Package for Rural Practitioners – Advanced Skills, or to find out more please contact Karen Ward, Project Administration Officer, by phone 07 3105 8200 or email k.ward@acrrm.org.au.  


 

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