Name Western Melbourne Division of General Practice Division Number 306 Classification Urban Number of Member GPs 269 State Victoria Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 107 Postcodes Covered 3011, 3012, 3013, 3019, 3020, 3021, 3022, 3023, 3032, 3037, 3038, 3335, 3337, 3338 Population 250,038 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Divisional area comprises the municipalities of Maribyrnong and Brimbank, and part postcodes of the municipalities of Wyndham, Moonee Valley and Melton. CEO Mr Renzo Sgarbossa Chair Dr Jo-Ann Silva Physical Address: 1st Floor, Building 1 Central West Business Park, 9 Ashley Street WEST FOOTSCRAY VIC 3012 Australia Postal Address: 1st Floor, Building 1 Central West Industry Park, 9 Ashley Street WEST FOOTSCRAY VIC 3012 Australia Email: wmdgp@westerngp.com.au Phone: 03 9689 4566 Fax: 03 9689 4544 Website: http://www.westerngp.com.au

The area serviced by the Western Melbourne Division of General Practice is totally within the Western Health Services Area and the Western Melbourne Region of the Department of Human Services. The area is recognised as one of the poorest urban areas in Australia.

The Division is largely bounded by the Tullamarine and Westgate freeways, and stretches from the western edges of the Melbourne CBD to Melton. It has small pockets of affluence but is largely characterised by low socioeconomic population, a declining manufacturing industry base, higher than average unemployment levels, and a highly diverse population.

The population is multi-cultural with approximately 40% of the residents born overseas and an estimated 70% from Diverse Community and Language Backgrounds (DCALB). The western fringe is a growth corridor of mediumpriced, medium-density housing with an under-developed health infrastructure.

The GPs in the Division reflect the community diversity with 60% fluent in a language other than English. Therefore the development of the Division's programs has reflected the needs of this diverse community.

The programs included in the second year of the Divisions Outcomes Based Funding Business Plan maintain the positive mix designed to strengthen the Division's organisation and management capacity, address needs identified in the GP Needs Survey and Community Consultation, and address the current and emerging needs of the GPs and their patients.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

In the last two years, the Division has moved away from stand alone projects to focus on programs and activities that will create an enduring program, activity or resource that has the potential to be self -sustaining when the initial grants or allocations run out.

• Computer-based patient admission and discharge notification program with the three major hospitals in the Western Health Service. This has been rolled out to over 1 000 GPs in Western Melbourne and neighbouring Divisions.
• Computer-based hospital waiting list advices for all patients of GPs in the Admission and Discharge Program.
• The Division has established a high quality IT training facility with specific medical software training, which is offered to GPs and selected practice staff. All sessions are booked out for the foreseeable future. Over 250 sessions have been delivered to more than 150 GPs and staff. The training has been assessed by RACGP and is eligible for formal PD points.
• The Division has published a series of multi-lingual health information sheets in hard copy, CD, and on the internet. These are designed for GPs to copy and hand to patients to help them manage their health problems.
• In conjunction with the Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture, the Division has published a series of manuals, and guides for the use of health professionals working with Refugees. These have been distributed in every Australian State and are recognised and used in some other countries with large refugee populations.
• The Division has also published a guide for GPs and other health professionals working in organisations that assist victims of sexual assault. This small guide has become one of the main tools in training new workers and is an invaluable aid for GPs and others who may see very few patients in this category and need a prompt and easily followed guide.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

The main challenges for the future for Western Melbourne Division of General Practice will continue to be the capacity to provide facilities and support to assist General Practitioners to provide quality care in this diverse socioeconomically disadvantaged area.