Name Otway Division of General Practice Division Number 324 Classification Rural Number of Member GPs 115 State Victoria Year Established 1994 Number of Member Practices 35 Postcodes Covered 3232, 3233, 3235, 3236, 3237, 3238, 3239, 3241, 3242, 3243, 3249, 3250, 3251, 3254, 3256, 3257, 3260, 3264, 3265, 3266, 3267, 3268, 3269, 3270, 3271, 3272, 3273, 3274, 3276, 3277, 3278, 3279, 3280, 3281, 3282, 3284, 3285, 3286, 3287, 3289, 3291, 3292, 3293, 3294, 3300, 3301, 3302, 3303, 3304, 3305, 3309 Population 120,737 (2001 Census) Area Covered The ODGP covers an area of approximately 27 000 square kilometres. CEO Ms Marilyn Lynch Chair Dr Anthony Brown Physical Address: 159 Manifold Street CAMPERDOWN VIC 3260 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 287 CAMPERDOWN VIC 3260 Australia Email: admin@otway.asn.au Phone: 03 5593 2684 Fax: 03 5593 2860 Website: http://www.otway.asn.au

The Division is located in southwest Victoria. The region is essentially a primary production area, with the emphasis on sheep and dairy farming, while a significant tourism industry exists along the Great Ocean Road. Medical services (A&E, Obstetrics and Anaesthetics) are largely delivered by GPs working in small country hospitals, with specialist back up principally from Warrnambool, Hamilton, Colac and Geelong.

The main office is located in Camperdown, however satellite offices are located in Portland, Hamilton and Warrnambool. The Division employs ten staff, comprising of a Executive Officer, Strategic Program Manager, two Administration Staff, a Division Locum and a Clinical Services Consultant, Recruitment Consultant, Education Consultant, Information Technology Consultant and Asthma Educator.

The ODGP deals with a variety of stakeholders including 12 public and one private hospitals, 7 Local Governments Agencies, 3 Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs), Community Services throughout the region, 4 Aboriginal Health Agencies, the South West Alliance of Rural Hospitals (Regional IT Initiative) and the newly formed Rural Health Unit.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Anaesthetic Seminar jointly organised with RACGP to cater for rural GPs
• Development of National Diabetes Supply Scheme to Portland and district
• Annual Halls Gap Medical Update for rural GPs
• Involvement with alliance of health agencies in development of a community screening CVD tool and with referrals to GPs.
• IT uptake-84% of GPs using clinical software programs
• Immunisation- Division now ranking No10 in Australia
• Recruitment- reducing vacancies
• Education- taking up the role of the VMPF, regionalising medical education
• Services Directory issued to GPs/Registrars
• Develop/maintenance of website- 'www.otway.asn.au'

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

• PCP and involving GPs
• Expanding the role of GPs in Division involvement
• Facilitating the uptake of the new MBS items