Cancer Rehabilitation

This program is being implemented in the Forster/Tuncurry area of the Division. It provides a support network for persons with cancer and their carers. Its implementation began towards the end of 1997. The program aims to establish a support network for cancer patients and their families to better inform about their illness, improve physical fitness, promote appropriate lifestyle changes and enable them better to cope with their illness. Results of the program have been that a viable support network was established. Services provided by the Division include Psycho-social support, physiotherapy, palliative care

Emergency Medicine

This is a Division wide program which was begun towards the end of 1997. As part of this program the Division has organised a number of Emergency Life Support, Early Trauma Management and Advanced Paediatric Life Support courses in the Division area. The Division has also sponsored a number of GPs to attend EMST courses. In addition a number of workshops have been held in rural hospitals bringing together emergency department staff in those hospitals, local GPs and emergency department staff from major tertiary referral centres.

The objectives of this program are to develop emergency medicine resources in the Division area, upskill GPs in emergency medicine and improve communication between GPs, the emergency departments in rural hospitals and emergency departments in tertiary retrieval centres.

Diabetes Management

This program is being implemented in the Muswellbrook, Scone, Merriwa and Mururrundi areas of the Division. Under it GPs are asked to manage their diabetes patients using the NSW Department of Health guidelines for the management of diabetes and report on their management to a central database maintained by the Division. As part of the program an education activity in diabetes management for practice nurses has been developed.

The program aims to upskill GPs in the management of diabetes using the NSW Department of Health guidelines and to reduce the need for diabetes patients to travel away from the area for treatment.

Mental Health

The implementation of this program on a Division wide basis began in late 1998. Under it a series of mental health education activities have been run for GPs. The objective of this program is to upskill GPs to better equip them to manage persons with mental health problems.

Immunisation

Implementation of this program was begun on a Division wide basis in January 1999. Under it trained immunisation nurses visit GPs surgeries to appraise GPs and practice staff of the GP Immunisation Incentives Program , the Australian immunisation schedule and reporting procedures used in conjunction with the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register. In addition the visiting nurses advise on vaccine storage and provide a cold chain monitoring service for fridges used to store vaccines.

The objective of this program is to dramatically increase the proportion of age appropriate fully vaccinated children in the Division area. As a result of the program the immunisation rate achieved in this Division's area is now ranked sixth best in Australia.

Information Technology

The implementation of this program was begun in January 1999. It provides technical support to GPs wishing to install or upgrade computer facilities in their practices. It also provides education for GPs and practice staff in the use of the various software packages used for practice management, patient management and internet communications. Division staff liaise with Area Health Service Staff and other service providers with a view to improving communications between those providers and GPs.

Program Officers also provide assistance in the area of information technology to other Division staff. The aims of the program are to increase the use of computers in practice management, patient management and communications by GPs, and to improve communication using computers between other service providers and GPs.

Continuing Medical Education

This program is implemented on a Division wide basis. Under it a regular series of education activities are organised in the major centres across the Division. The topics chosen are determined after an annual education needs assessment of Division GPs is carried out. Recently this program has been expanded to include education activities for practice staff. The activities organised under this program are in addition to those organised under other Division programs. The primary aim of the program is to update the skills of GPs and practice staff.

Enhanced Primary Care

This program is being implemented on a Division wide basis to provide assistance to GPs in the use of the new enhanced primary care items. Its implementation was begun in May 2000. It is being run in conjunction with the division's Immunisation Program. The Division aims to educate GPs in the use of the new enhanced primary care items and to increase their use.

National Prescribing Service

The Division began implementing this program on a Division wide basis in the middle of 1999. It is funded by the National Prescribing Service and involves the organisation of activities promoting the quality use of medicines by GPs. The objective of this program is to create an awareness, culture and environment that will support better prescribing practices and the quality use of medicines by GPs.

GP Health

This program is still in the process of being developed. Strategies to overcome mental health problems arising in GPs have been developed in conjunction with the NSW Doctors Mental Health Working Party and are being readied for release. The Division plans to improve and maintain the physical and mental health of GPs.

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