Medical Director and Best Practice Training - Townsville
URGENT REMINDER: Invitation to 'Increase your efficiency - Medical Director and Best Practice training day, 15th & 16th May 2010

This upcoming workshop  is particularly useful for GPs to increase the efficiency in doing up progress notes quicker and easier using short cuts and autotext etc. It is also applicable to nursing staff and receptionists. It is all about doing things EASIER and more efficiently. 

The Medical Director course has had a great response but we still have a few places available for the Best Practice training.  Best Practice users please consider, as we will not be able to provide such training in the foreseeable future again. 

Should you require it, we are able to provide 1 nights accommodation and cover travel costs.

Please register as soon as you can as there is only a limited number of places (i.e. 12 places for each course day).     (more)         (registration)

Spreading the Word about Pituitary Conditions - Cairns
Australian Pituitary Foundation in association with Cairns Base Hospital are hosting a seminar in Cairns.  (more)         (registration)

Chronic Conditions Self Management Flinders Program - Townsville
Self management is an important part of the holistic Chronic Care Model.  Self management is providing patient centred primary care.  Self management is positive support to patients in achieving health goals.  This is a Flinders University qualification in Self Management    (more)          (registration)

Domestic Violence Response Training - DiVeRT
Training Opportunity -   Domestic Violence Response Training (DiVeRT) for Practice Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers from PIP eligible practices in rural & remote Australia (RRMA 3-7)     (more)

GP Online Modules
Cancer Council Victoria has recently released three GP learning modules, 'Cancer in General Practice'.  They are now available online:

Module 1: Prevention and Screening - this module provides an overview of evidence and recent initiatives in relation to the two main areas where GPs can make a difference to cancer mortality.

Module 2: Bowel Cancer - this module is built around a series of case studies relating to different ways bowel cancer may be detected in patients and provides information on the national Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

Module 3: Familial Cancers and Family - this module will increase GPS understanding of the relationship between cancer and genetics, particularly breast cancer and bowel cancer.

For each module completed, GPs will be awarded 1 ACRRM point and 2 Category 2 RACGP points.  To complete the modules please visit www.thinkgp.com.au

Brief interactions Workshop
Tools and Pathways to support patients with lifestyle risks    (more) 

Doctors Priority Line
The Doctors Priority Line is a free telephone interpreting service which helps medical practitioners to communicate with their non-English speaking patients.

Medical practioners can use the Doctors Priority Line when providing services that are: claimable under Medicare, delivered in private practices, provided to non-English speakers who are Australian citizens or permanent residents. 

The Doctors Priority Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Doctors who are not currently registered for the Doctors Priority Line can arrange access to the service via telephone or by sending a completed registration form to the Client Liaison and Promotions team. Telephone: 1300655820

Rabies in Bali
In December 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture in Bali reported a rabies outbreak in dogs in Bali.  The outbreak continues and there have been at least 15 human deaths (as reported in October 2009 by the Indonesian Ministry of Health).  Bali was previously considered rabies-free. 

Travellers who sustain a bite from dogs, cats, monkeys or other animals in Bali should be regarded as potentially at risk of rabies.  If a patient presents having sustained an animal bite in Bali, please contact your nearest Public Health Unit as the patient may need rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.

Patients planning to travel to Bali should be informed of the rabies situation and advised to avoid contact with animals, including monkeys.  Pre-exposure vaccination is not recommended except for long-term travellers or animal handlers.

Volunteer Grants
Volunteer Grants are open, please see information below or visit this email address for more information http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

Volunteer Grants 2010 provides funding of between $1,000 and $5,000 to help non-profit organisations to:

• contribute towards the costs of training courses for volunteers and/or undertaking background screening checks for volunteers; and/or
• purchase portable, tangible, small equipment items to help volunteers; and/or
• contribute towards fuel reimbursement for their volunteers, including those who use their cars to transport other to activities, deliver food and assist people in need. 

This funding closes on 16 April 2010.

Vaccination Information Online
Doctors can find fact sheets and many other immunization resources at this newly developed website. http://www.ncirs.edu.au/immunisation/index.php

Prescribing Fentanyl Patches
The Queensland Drugs of Dependence Unit has noticed a large increase in the prescribing of Fentanyl patches over the last 12 months.  This appears to have been across all age groups but most noticeably there has been an increase in the prescribing of this medication for younger people.

Also, evident are a number of reports of people injecting the Fentanyl after extracting it from the patches which has resulted in non-fatal and fatal overdose.  The extraction of the Fentanyl from the patches is relatively simple with information easily available over the internet. 

General Practitioners are encouraged to check the following when prescribing any opioid including Fentanyl:

1. If possible check photographic ID of the patient – is this person really who they say they are?
2. Do they have a legitimate need for the medication? Is there documentation confirming a medical condition warranting opioid medication?
3. Check the patient for injecting marks – take the opportunity to check their blood pressure!
4. Ring DDU Enquiry service 3328 9890 to get a S8 medication history. We can tell you if the patient has a history of being on an opioid treatment program, doctor shopping or using excessive amounts of opioids.
5. Be aware that these medications are abused, diverted and injected – take a ‘universal precautions’ approach and treat all patients the same!

If you would be interested in any further information please call or email DDU on 3328 9890 or ddu@health.qld.gov.au