Whitehorse Division of General Practice
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Name Whitehorse Division of General Practice
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| Division Number |
310 |
| Classification |
Urban |
| Number of Member GPs |
398 |
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| State |
Victoria |
| Year Established |
1993 |
| Number of Member Practices |
108 |
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| Postcodes Covered |
3106, 3108, 3111, 3113, 3114, 3125, 3128, 3129, 3130, 3131, 3133, 3134, 3135, 3151
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| Population |
256,155 (2001 Census)
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| Area Covered |
Located in Nunawading, Whitehorse Division of General Practice services the municipalities of Whitehorse, Manningham and most of Maroondah. Being the central eastern suburbs of Melbourne, this area is regarded as the midway point between the outer east and the city. The area covers approximately 170 square kilometres, and has well-established residential and retail areas.
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| CEO |
Mrs Marianne Shearer |
| Chair |
Chris Pearce |
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| Physical Address: |
| Suite 13, Level 1 |
| 317-321 Whitehorse Road |
| NUNAWADING VIC 3131 |
| Australia |
| Postal Address: |
| PO Box 127 |
| BLACKBURN VIC 3130 |
| Australia |
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Division Overview/Introduction:
Whitehorse Division of General Practice remains focused on providing recognisable benefits to its members, GPs in the cities of Whitehorse, Manningham and Maroondah. These benefits will include support for GPs as they work to improve the health of their respective communities and support for the GPs in their professional development dealing with their own health issues. The Division provides support for practices. Practices are being assisted with accreditation requirements, Information technology training and practice nurse supports. Stakeholders of the Division include Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, as well as other local government, community health, State and regional health services, district nursing services, non-government organizations, specialist supports, hospitals, residential care agencies, public and private medical specialists, pharmacists, and many more.
The Division represents GPs in the local community, and members of the Division staff work tirelessly with other health care agencies to ensure that the health system provides properly integrated care to all patients.
Major Achievements:
- Formation of GP Support Services (VIC) Ltd (GPSS), creating an alternative to corporatisation, and practical supports for GPs and their practices.
- Collaborative After Hours Care service.
- High quality GP and practice staff education.
- Networking for GPs - they are no longer on their own, but supported by close to 400 GPs in the area.
- GP/Hospital and community services relationship building.
- Availability of a long term email service, which blends with any GP choice of internet service provision.
- Over 75 Assessment kits and Whitehorse Home Assessment Team.
- Integration and shared care with agency agreements with related organisations in mental health, palliative care, acute and psychogeriatric services.
- Health promotion in General Practice.
- Accredited by QICSA 2005 (Quality Improvement and Community Services Accreditation) a continuous quality improvement process for the organisation.
Challenges for the Future:
- Enhanced Division Quality of Medicines program
- After Hours Primary Medical Care grant - to help move and grow the service
- Aged care panels and support for GPs servicing aged residential care
- Mobilising the research incubator
- Active Script and Nutrition Script - managing obesity
- New models of chronic disease management in general practices - a business plan to provide practical GP support for care plans, access to and managing referrals, telephone coaching and much more
- Clinical data messaging and data management
- Chinese diabetes clinics in GP practices
- Computer training for GPs and practice staff
- Establishing a customer service focus
- Managing the tensions between membership and funder expectations
- Getting GPs to share
- Providing more accreditation and other support
- Focusing of GP health
- Broadening communications - marketing
- Increasing cooperation between practices
