Summary of Programs & Projects:

• Mind Matters Plus - which involves GPs in schools to educate staff, students and parents regarding GP access and mental health issues.
• Healthy at Home - which supplies case management and some nursing assistance to people who have had multiple admissions to hospital, to try and prevent re-admission.  This has become one of the most successful HARP projects in Victoria.
• The Good Life Club - which has demonstrated significant health benefits and outcomes through club activities and telephone coaching.
• The After Hours Clinic - which has been thrown a lifeline with a significant grant to improve its facilities and better reward those who work there. The Federal Government has finally recognised the work of the GPs who work in our After Hours Clinic.
• GP Hospital Liaison Project - which has seen significant improvement in the communication between Box Hill Hospital and our local GPs, with improved and legible discharge and medication summaries landing on our desks.
• Allied Health Project - which enables GPs to refer patients for up to 6 sessions of Focused Psychological Strategies, at a nominal fee.
• Strength for Living - a 12 month DVA funded project to establish individually tailored home strength training programs for Veterans and older people, who are unable to access mainstream physical activity services.
• GP Program - This program is aimed at the maximisation of GP participation and satisfaction in the balance of their professional and private lives. Focusing on access to professional development training and facilitating high quality effective CME, the Division aims to increase knowledge, skills and confidence in the GPs day-to-day practice. Providing a forum for networking and engaging GPs in social activities, the Division aims to facilitate professional and social interaction for GPs and their families. The Division also has a focus on GP health activities to empower GPs to take control of their professional and personal life and to seek appropriate care for their own health.
• Health Promotion Program - The Health Promotions program aims to optimise the Division's role in achieving public health outcomes.
  • Chronic Illness - particularly in the area of diabetes support (group education, recall/review through CARDIAB and practice systems, GP and practice staff education. Academic detailing, and health promotion plans focussing on lifestyles, weight, physical activity, smoking etc.). A focus on practice staff training in cardiovascular disease management and asthma management, and a focus on Primary Care Partnership activities in the area of diabetes and asthma integration.
  • Integration - particularly in case conferencing and care planning for a range of areas including mental health and aged care. A focus on enabling access to acute and chronic assessment and management of mental health patients, aged care, youth, palliative care. Also, monitoring the strategies put into place for drug and alcohol supports for GPs.
  • General Health Promotion - other community activities including gender health, ethnic health etc..
• Practice Supports Programs
  • Information Technology - communication and agreement of protocols (through Primary Care Partnerships) for ease of appropriate and timely referrals to acute and community services. Aiding passage of patient details to and from the GP and advocating for the role of the GP in disease management.
  • Practical supports - for practice efficiencies and viability including a focus on accreditation.
• Cornerstone Program - A program involved with improving practices within the health system to ultimately achieve better outcomes for the community.
  • Working closely with all acute and community services (through Primary Care Partnerships, local networks and the regional office), the Division will continue to integrate its planning mechanism with municipal and community health plans. This will ensure appropriate consultation and support by key stakeholders and responsiveness to GP and community needs.
  • Non-English speaking supports are a major focus in local community services with whom the Division interacts. The Division will be participating in an emerging project in access to interpreting services and medications for older people. Koori health is not a major issue in the central eastern suburbs of Melbourne, however, continued contact will be made with the eastern region Koori support group.
• Management Program - Focusing on consumer issues, data collection and evaluation, management and governance.
  • Consumer input through the Consumer Advisory Group will continue as a key activity of the Division.
  • Whitehorse Division will focus on refinement of governance, management and administrative processes and planning future directions. Initially accredited in 1999, the Division will continue with QICSA accreditation and continuous quality improvement systems.

PREVIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

• Diabetes - GP and patient education, and clinical guidelines, recall and review, including a focus on aged care and referrals to GPs from hospitals.
• Asthma education - GP and patient education, clinical guidelines, relationships with hospitals and post acute care.
• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) - clinical guidelines and audits, GP education, patient risk assessments.
• Accreditation - trialing the process of accreditation.
• Patient perceived health status - using the Short Form 36 tool.
• Community Liaison - establishment of a consumer advisory group and consumer forums.
• Integration and shared care - in areas of mental health, drug and alcohol, adolescent health and palliative care. Including GP training attachments, referral processes and guidelines, access issues, and practice staff training in dealing with difficult patients.
• Health promotion - activities supporting other programs, community education, practice health promotion setup, access to other health provider service information/directories, and travel medicine.
• Cultural diversity - regular involvement in local cultural diversity issues, community education seminars and expos, and information on GPs with other languages. There has been limited opportunity for development of Koori health due to the demographics of the area.
• Gender health - both women's health and men's health through GP education and community seminars.
• An extensive range of GP continuing medical education, professional development and social activities.
• Support for practices to achieve accreditation including practice staff training, sterilisation audits, gap assessments, and practice staff networks.
• Immunisation - cold chain audits, fridge loggers and assessments, promotion of General Practice Immunisation Incentive program, clinical guidelines and schedules, and relationships with other municipal providers.
• Computer training, webpage development, and practice support to increase computerisation and access to the internet for patient referrals and communication with other agencies.
• Obstetric and gynaecology shared care and training attachments.
• Safety and emergency procedures for practices.
• Falls Prevention project focussing on balance and exercise.

Page Updated: February 2005