CURRENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Information Management & Information Technology

Computerisation across Australia is gaining momentum, and Toowoomba and District GPs showed an increase in uptake from 48% to 70% between July and December 1999. The thrust of this Division's IMIT program has been in education and support. The computer training sessions ran with the assistance of Darta were filled to overflowing demonstrating the level of need. One hundred and seven GPs and 86 Practice Managers attended, with 99% stating that the courses increased their knowledge. Training CDs and loaned GPs proved very popular.

Computer support within the practices was another component of the program, with 27 practices visited throughout the period. Issues that were covered during the visits included help with the setting-up of computers, basic training, understanding the local environment, backups, security, Y2K, and general advice and support.

Immunisation Program

With an 85.5% immunisation rate, the Toowoomba and District Division is ranked seventh in Australia and in the top three in Queensland. The Immunisation Program aimed to improve and sustain immunisation rates greater than 90%. The program addressed the following four areas:

Overdue and Very Overdue Immunisation

The Division has been collaborating with the Public Health Unit to derive the best method for contacting children who are very overdue for vaccinations. In December 1999, the Division was also involved in an audit of procedures, by which practices "follow-up" overdue childhood vaccination notices. The Division meets regularly with other Divisions of General Practice, the Toowoomba City Council, Gatton Shire Council, Child, Youth and Family Health, the Director of Paediatrics Toowoomba Health Service and the Darling Downs Public Health Unit, to discuss these matters as well as other immunisation-related issues. During Immunisation Week, the local Public Health Unit and the Toowoomba City Council collaborated with the Division to promote the importance of immunisation to the Community.

Immunisation Clinics

TDDGP continues to hold free opportunistic immunisation clinics at local shopping centres (four are planned for the year). These Clinics are held in collaboration with the Toowoomba City Council.

Immunisation Procedure Audit - Vaccine Storage

A six-month follow-up survey, of the 37 practices that participated in the initial audit in April 1999, was performed in the latter part of last year.

Data Cleansing

The primary aim of the Immunisation Program over the next six months is to collaborate with the Southern Queensland Rural Division and the local Public Health Unit to employ a project officer to liaise with all practices, VIVAS and ACIR to 'clean up' immunisation data.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Forty-eight people completed a seven week cycle of cardiac rehabilitation between July and December 1999. Eighteen GPs, 25 Registered Nurses, 11 exercise personnel, two Consultant Specialists and one Dietician conducted exercise and education sessions during this period. Due to a shortage of physiotherapists, five new exercise personnel from two health and fitness centres in Toowoomba were recruited to conduct Cardic Rehabilitation Program (CRP) exercise sessions. They were given an orientation/training day to prepare them for their new role.

A Continuing Medical Education (CME) Workshop on CVD Emergency Procedures was conducted on 28 August 1999 and was well received by the 14 GPs who attended. Four GPs were involved in a six month trial audit activity on 'Multiple CVD Risk Factor Management' conducted by the National Heart Foundation. A CME activity to examine some of the results was conducted in November 1999.

The Heart Support Group meetings, held monthly in conjunction with the National Heart Foundation, continue to attract very large numbers of ex-CRP participants. Guest speakers introduced topics ranging from 'Healthy Cooking' to Tai Chi, and the Queensland Ambulance Service have proved to be very popular with everyone.

The Christmas meeting was particularly popular. The Darling Heights State School Choir sang Christmas carols, and the Salvation Army collected 90 gifts from under the tree, donated by our ex-participants. Over the six month period, the number of people attending each month averaged 70.

Indigenous Health Program

The main aim of the Indigenous Health Program is to concentrate on improving GP awareness of Aboriginal issues and how they relate to everyday practice. A new GP Activity Adviser was appointed in January this year and has plans for a CME activity that promises to be a very worthwhile event for all GPs. The event will strengthen links with the various Aboriginal health providers in Toowoomba. Division staff have been attending Indigenous Network Meetings that are held regularly throughout the year with various key players in the community hosting the meetings. Previous meetings have been at the police station,

TAFE and USQ.

Discussions with the local Public Health Unit have been held to investigate the possibility of providing a free immunisation clinic for indigenous people (Fluvax/Pneumovax) in a similar fashion to the immunisation clinics the Division has conducted at shopping centres. Overall the Indigenous Health Program is on target to develop a consultative model to address health issues with the various key aboriginal bodies here in Toowoomba.

Other Programs

• Community and Promotion
• Integration Models
• GP Mental Health Liaison Unit
• Professional Development

PREVIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

• Adolescent Health Awareness through Drama
• Cancer Rehabilitation
• Community Health Needs Assessment
• Diabetes Nutrition