CURRENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Continuing Medical EducationEastern Sydney Division of General Practice

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) program has many aspects. It is involved with the provision of GP locum subsidies to assist rural GPs with financial support, the availability of scholarships to encourage GPs to undertake postgraduate education, and the maintenance of a regular program of CME activities to meet the ongoing educational needs of local General Practitioners.

The aim of the program is to support rural GPs with an opportunity to take leave on a regular basis. Also, to develop the skills and knowledge of GPs in medicine and information technology to meet the specific needs of the GPs and their local community. To provide GPs with learning opportunities in their local area and to assist GPs to maintain and improve the quality of care delivered to their patients.

This year, more than 30 rural GPs will benefit from financial support provided towards the cost of a locum. To date, Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice seven GPs have been supported with financial assistance to complete postgraduate studies in the areas of dermatology, psychiatry, family medicine and information technology. During the past year, the Division has been involved in coordinating over 50 CME events.

The Division provides annual needs assessment of education requirements for General Practitioners, maintenance of an annual calendar of CME activities, weekly promotion of coming events, the circulation of a monthly CME calendar to all GPs, and assistance in the development and delivery of educational activities and applications for

provision of assistance in the development of practice manuals, and establishment of mentoring networks. The Division also supplies supporting documentation such as manuals, survey forms, registrations and information Providing valued services to members.sheets.

All practices involved in the accreditation process have benefited, and the Division has found that it appears very small practices have benefited more. Gaining access to the practices has been a barrier to the success of this Increase membership and participation rates.program, however once access had been gained the Division found there was good participation.

Healthy Communities Project

The project uses the World Health Organisations Healthy Cities framework as its guiding philosophy. This more holistic and integrated approach to health is needed to provide physical, social, and economic environments, which Overcoming cultural barriers to collaboration between GPs and other health care workers and agencies.Macarthur Division of General Practicepromote and maintain health of populations.

The Division has been working in the Junee Shire for the past two years and will soon be branching out to take in two neighbouring shires. The idea is to get small rural communities communicating and looking at issues where Increase consumer awareness of ESDGP and GPs generally. collaboration will prove an advantage. The aim is to identify gaps in service provision across those three shires. The Division will be using the recently developed Social Plans as a guide to what is needed in each community to Improve strategic alliances. improve access to services and as a result improve the quality of life in these communities. Other aims of the Division are to coordinate different government departments and non-government organisations to more effectively address key local issues, to link related physical, environmental, economic, social and cultural issues, and to involve GPs in the development and implementation of Healthy Public Policy at the local level.

These smaller towns have been operating in isolation for many years, and so it is a major education process for not only the residents, but also the elected representatives. It is hoped any success achieved will be evidence of the advantages of working using this collaborative model. Achievements of the program include:

• Health and community service directory distributed to shire residents.
• Bicycle paths are currently being constructed in Junee.
• Community Transport - Outreach service - Medical service - Volunteer driver scheme.
• Heritage Walk around CBD.   Home
• Workplace health promotion and awareness program.  |   About AGPN
• Domestic Violence strategy.  |   Consumers & Divisions
• Obtained internet ready computer for youth of shire.  |   Annual Forum
• Community shade.  |   Discussion Forums
• Ongoing referral service for locals re: services available and how to access them.  |  

Services provided include advice and support in developing a cooperative approach to addressing issues which  |   impact on the health of the community. The main barrier to the success of a program like this is the resistance of Document LibraryHomesome individuals and organisations to become truly involved a collaborative venture. With persistence and some concrete results, partnerships can be developed and good outcomes achieved.  

Cardiovascular Disease Program  |  

The 'GP Orientated' cardiac rehabilitation at the WWDDGP is an organised approach to achieving the aims of  |   cardiac rehabilitation. The care is orientated around the patient, his/her GP and Physician. Components of the Media program are selected to meet the patient's individual needs based on individual assessment. The program moves  |   rehabilitation into the community using alternative strategies for rehabilitation with an emphasis in establishing EventsAbout ADGPmechanisms to promote and sustain secondary prevention. The major strength of this model is that it is designed  |   and delivered for rural people taking into account distance and access to services. The General Practitioner is in a Contact AGPN favourable position to take on the task of rehabilitation, as often patients have one or more other chronic conditions  |   eg. diabetes, and the General Practitioner is in the best position to manage these complex patients.Links

The aim of the program is to provide services to support GPs in cardiac rehabilitation and to enhance their ability to My AGPN prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, and to increase access to rehabilitation services for rural people in the Division.  

The Division has developed and distributed a 'GP Orientated Cardiac Rehabilitation Manual' a 'Cardiac Patient  |  

containing best practice guidelines, policy standards and the latest journal articles of interest. The Division has also distributed a 'heart health resource folder' that contains the National Heart Foundation resources for the GP to distribute to patients. The only barrier the Division has encountered is the difficulty in identifying the number of patients attending and completing the program.