North East Valley DGP eNews

No 0941: November 26, 2009
eNews is a weekly electronic newsletter sent to all GP practices (with email addresses) within the NEV catchment. The aim is to provide up to date information relevant to GPs and to disseminate the latest activities and resources from the division. All feedback and enquiries welcome and should be addressed to Patty Marshall. You can also visit our website at: http://www.nevdgp.org.au/.
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In this issue:

Chronic Disease Management      Getting Started - type 2 diabetes information sessions

Professional Development           CPD events         

HMR                                                Update in the treatment of acne           

Immunisation                                 Upcoming changes to the GPII scheme for non-accredited practices  

Information Management            Victorian Statewide Referral Form+, GP Mental Health Treatment Plan and Review template, Medical Director Tips

Items of interest                            NEV Staff member seeking accommodation, Do you need a holiday in sunny Queensland? GP Network News

Men’s Health                                  Andrology Australia, Movember

Mental Health                                The Melbourne Clinic Expands  

News for Practice Staff                 Final Network Meeting (Thurs 3rd), Diabetes Update, Postgraduate Nurse Scholarships, Graduate Certificate in Nursing  

Women’s Health                            The evolving world of Cervical Screening ALM             

Positions vacant/wanted                

Fun stuff                                            

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Chronic Disease Management

Getting Started - type 2 diabetes information sessions

Diabetes Australia - Vic offers people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes or those who have not had diabetes education in the past, the opportunity to participate in a Getting Started - type 2 diabetes information session. The one-off 2.5 hour session is run by a diabetes educator and a dietitian and provides patients with valuable information to get them started with managing their diabetes. Carers and family members are also welcome. There are a number of sessions throughout the year and all are held at the Diabetes Australia - Vic office, 570 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. $10 for Diabetes Australia - Vic members, or $15 for non members. Upcoming date: 8 December 2009. No referral required but bookings essential. To book phone the Diabetes Information and Advice Line on 1300 136 588.

 

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Continuing Professional Development

Term 3 GP Lecture Program

Meetings are held each Tuesday starting at 12.30 in the Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, Pathology Building, Repatriation Hospital, Austin Health, West Heidelberg. Tea and Coffee provided. Course Leader: Dr Vin Nursey Phone: 9457 1736

Dec 1 - Articular Cartilage and Ligamentous Injuries - Mr Peter Gard

For full term Tuesday lecture program click here

 

The evolving world of Cervical Screening Active Learning Module. Cat. 1 activity = 40 RACGP QA & CPD Points. Also completes Womens Health points requirements

Cervical Screening: Pap technique (link to Chlamydia testing), guidelines, HPV vaccination and a medico-legal overview.. On Saturday 5th December 9am - 4pm at John Scott Meeting House. To register see flyer.

 

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Home Medicines Review

Update in the treatment of acne - skin care and best management

Wednesday 2 December. 7pm-9:30pm Registration and light meal from 6:30pm. At John Scott House. La Trobe University. Speaker: Dr George Varigos, Head Dermatology Clinics, Melbourne Health. Enquiries to Jenny Gowan on Tel. 8480 4611. RSVP by Faxback. Click here for flyer.

Numbers are limited - preference to GPs, Practice staff and accredited pharmacists and those pharmacists actively promoting HMRs from NDGP & NEVDGP areas.

 

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Immunisation

Upcoming changes to the GPII scheme for non-accredited practices

As part of the 2009-10 Budget, the Australian Government announced that entry requirements consistent with best practice vaccine management would be introduced to the GPII in August 2010. The introduction of entry requirements aims to improve the quality and safety of the immunisation activities of non-accredited general practices.

Practices will also be required to have current public liability insurance, and ensure that all practice GPs have current professional indemnity cover.

The new arrangements will apply to non- accredited practices already participating in the GPII, as well as new practices joining the GPII. Accredited practices participating in the Practice Incentive Program will be automatically considered to meet the new GPII entry requirements.

Practices will receive notification about these changes from Medicare Australia in the near future.

 

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Information Management

Victorian Statewide Referral Form+ (VSRF+) for maternity, urology and osteoarthritis hip and knee.

These are the most up-to-date versions for referral to hospital OP or specialists – these can be downloaded from IM Resources – Hospital Referrals

 

GP Mental Health Treatment Plan and Review template (item nos.  2710 and 2712)

This was modified in early August to:

1.      add the requirement that GPs must document a mental health disorder in the Plan

2.      change the name from GP Mental Health Care Plan to GP Mental Health Treatment Plan

3.      includes the GP provider number

Some GPs are still using the older form (pre-July 2009). The old form needs to be deleted and the new template downloaded and installed into the clinical software - found under IM Resources – Mental Health (A paper-based version [ugghh!!] ) can also be found here.

 

Medical Director Tip - Doctors Control Panel

The DCP is a “must have” add-on for Medical Director. Written by local Melbourne GP, Dr Anton Knieriemen, this mini program has a “pop up” at the bottom of the MD screen that alerts the GP to which preventive care items need to be addressed. It has a number of colour-coded “tablets” that tell you: Nothing recorded (red), Needs updating (orange) and Up-to-date (green). This includes the clinical, medication, measurements and required tests of preventive care. These items are also linked to the relevant section of the RACGP Red Book. For a more information on the DCP go to:  http://www.nevdgp.org.au/?content=13#DCP

 

This weeks IM problem - Recording latent tuberculosis

Question: We have patients with Latent TB (not sick or infectious). There is no Latent TB coded item and when we send referrals it appears that the patient has TB. How can we get around this?

Answer: You could add “Latent” to the Comment area of the Reason for Contact and mark the TB as Inactive. It might also be a good idea to modify the History Field Properties of the Referral template so that the following are checked:

·        Group Active and Inactive

·        Include Comments

Open LetterWriter and from the File menu select Modify template and then locate the Referral template. Right click on the <<Clinical Details: History List>> and select Properties. Place check ticks in the Group Active and Inactive and Include Comments.

Addendum: I contacted Dr Andrew Magennis at HCN about this issue and his reply was the “above advice is correct and yes, I will get it added into the DOCLE coded list”.

 

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Items of Interest

North East Valley Staff member looking for rental accommodation in NE Valley area

Alisa World, who has recently joined the NEV division, is desperately seeking rental accommodation as the house she is currently renting in Briar Hill is being bulldozed in 2 weeks. Just enough room for Alisa and her 12 year old son and within or close to the NE Valley division area. If you know anyone looking for a quiet, reliable tenant, please contact Alisa on: 0408 194 192

 

Do you need a holiday in sunny Queensland?

Retired division GP Dr Ron Myerscough is offering a special “mates rates” holiday rental deal for NEV doctors and staff in their spacious villa unit at Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island.  Fully equipped kitchen and laundry with 3 bedrooms (sleeps 7). Access to all facilities of the resort, including restaurants and swimming pools. Cost is $230.00 per night minimum 2 nights (not including transfer costs to/from the island). For details contact Ron on 0407 021 711 or Joan on 0418 504 277.

 

GP Network News

This week’s edition includes: No time for complacency on swine flu – AMA, GP groups united on collaborative care, Scanning and storing electronic referrals and requests.

 

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Men’s Health

Andrology Australia

Andrology Australia has a range of free men's health education for both GP's and the community. For further information about Andrology Australia contact Taletha Groves, Education Liaison Officer on 9594 7162 or email: taletha.groves@med.monash.edu.au or visit our website
Patient information - A range of fact sheets which can be downloaded from our website, including topics like, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, PSA testing and osteoporosis etc. You can view the entire range here  
Consumer guides - These can be ordered online here.
GP resources - GP Summary Guides can be found here

Online education - available here

 

Movember

Dr Ralph Audehm of Diabetes AustraliaVictoria is looking to drum up support for his Movember campaign! Ralph has been very supportive of the divisions network and recently all of our diabetes prevention activity, so let’s get behind him!! A very worthy cause to support. Click here to view Ralph’s Mo and donate.

 

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Mental Health

The Melbourne Clinic Expands

The Melbourne Clinic has opened an additional forty-eight private inpatient suites. The clinic offers inpatient programs, day programs and outreach services developed in conjunction with an expert team of psychiatrists. To tour the new facilities or discuss referring to The Melbourne Clinic please call Andrew McKenzie, General Manager on 0408 860 028.

The Melbourne Clinic, 130 Church Street, Richmond. Phone: (03) 9429 4688 Fax: (03) 9427 7558

 

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News for Practice Staff

Final Network Meeting for Practice Managers/Practice Nurses

Thursday 3 December 6.30pm – 9pm (dinner provided) at John Scott House, La Trobe University Bundoora. Covering the NEW Award conditions for practice staff as of 1st January 2010 and an IM Update. See flyer.

NB: This event is on Thursday 3rd December NOT Wednesday 2nd as advertised in last week’s eNews.

 

Diabetes Update

2 day Diabetes Health Professional update for Division 1 and 2 Nurses working in general practice, acute care or community health to update their diabetes management skills and knowledge. 4-5 March 2010 9.30am–4.30pm ANF (Australian Nursing Federation), Level 7 Conference Centre, 540 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. For enquires/registrations please contact: Diabetes Australia – Vic. Phone: 9667 1728 Fax: 9667 1778 Email: llobo@diabetesvic.org.au. Registration form and flyer on website

 

Postgraduate Nurse Scholarships

Semester 1 2010 Postgraduate Nurse Scholarships - Following a review of the Postgraduate Nurse Scholarship Program in 2009, a revised administration process has commenced. The overall allocation of scholarship funding remains unchanged however the main difference is that applications for scholarships are managed by health services.

The closing date for applications is 4 December 2009. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of December 2009. All enquires can be directed to the Nurse Policy Branch on 1300 662 685 or email at: PostgradNurseScholarship@dhs.vic.gov.au. For further information click here

 

Graduate Certificate in Nursing - General Practice

Enrolments for the Semester 1, 2010 intake of the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (General Practice) are now open. Further information including enrolment forms can be found here

 

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Women’s Health

The evolving world of Cervical Screening ALM

See under CPD

 

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Positions vacant/wanted

Please note: only new ads, paid ads or resubmitted ads will be posted here. All other ads can be found on the website

 

Positions vacant

Doctors

Northcote – F/T or P/T VR GP or Subsequent Trainee GP position. Fully accredited, computerised, long established doctor owned practice in a new purpose built facility with a fabulous work environment. Ancillary Health, Pharmacy and Pathology services on site. Inquiries Diane Cronin (Practice Manager) 9481 1214. Visit our website www.doctorsofnorthcote.com.

 

Yarraville - GP required full or part time for a very busy 4 doctor mixed billing practice to replace a departing doctor. The practice has nurse support. There is no afterhours and no weekend work. Please contact: Dr Ivor Green 0412 008 020 or Karen Graham on (03) 9332 2911.

Practice Staff

Carlton - Practice Nurse Permanent Part time. Initially two days a week. Long established high quality general medical practice in inner Melbourne is looking for a Division 1 Registered Nurse to join our practice. This is a new and exciting position which will enable the right person to build a strong profile in the practice. Previous experience an advantage. For more information or to forward your resume, please email jenny.menzies@pacific.net.au.

 

Heidelberg - part-time practice nurse. Mount Street Medical Centre has 5 GPs and other practitioners including a dietitian, psychologist and pathology services on site. It is an accredited practice, friendly and centrally located. Hours of work, duties and terms of remuneration are negotiable. For further information please contact Janet Lohyn (practice manager) or Dr Sally Manuell on 9459 1100.

 

Northcote – Part time Div 1 or Div 2 Practice Nurse required to assist our medical staff in a busy general practice. Duties include wound care, travel health, immunisatons, health assessments, patient triage and all other duties required in a general practice. Visit our website www.doctorsofnorthcote.com for more information. To apply, forward your resume to manger@doctorsofnorthcote.com.

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Humour

Apparently 1 in 5 people in the world are Chinese.

There are 5 people in my family, so it must be one of them.

It's either my Mum or my Dad, or my older brother Colin, or my younger brother Ho-Cha-Chu?

But I think its Colin.

 

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And remember

 

            … Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.