For 2007/08, the Department has revised the funding arrangements for Lifescripts and is building on implementation via the Lifescripts Demonstration Divisions Program. The Program aims to increase the utilisation of the Lifescripts resources and related lifestyle risk factor management activity in targeted general practices.  After an ‘Expression of Interest’ process, the Department selected and funded ten Divisions of General Practice to provide targeted general practices with assistance to implement local, practice based solutions to address lifestyle risk factors with their ‘at risk’ patients.  The learnings and the models adopted will then be compiled, analysed and conveyed to other Divisions in the network, related health care professionals and their peak organisations to support further uptake of Lifescripts.

The AGPN is playing a national coordination role for the Demonstration Divisions Program.  Throughout 2007/08 we will provide support to Demonstrations Divisions, assist with the review of the projects and continue to promote the Lifescripts initiative throughout the Divisions network.

An integral component of the Demonstration Divisions Program will be to identify effective strategies that Divisions use to facilitate sustainable change within general practices to successfully incorporate lifestyle risk factor management into their business.  This analysis will be undertaken by Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity based at the University of New South Wales which has been engaged by AGPN.

The objectives of the Program are to:

• increase the utilisation of the Lifescripts resources and related lifestyle risk factor management activity in targeted general practices;
• identify and document effective strategies, tools and resources employed by Divisions to assist general practices to incorporate Lifescripts and related lifestyle risk factor management into their business;
• identify the different models used by general practices to integrate the use of Lifescripts and lifestyle risk factor management into their business;
• gather feedback from practices on the utilisation rates of the Lifescripts resources, the usefulness of the resources and supports required to increase uptake; and
• collate, disseminate and share the learnings/experiences of the Division throughout the network during the funding period and for future Lifescripts activities.

Brief descriptions of the ten Demonstration Division projects are here.

For more information about the Lifescripts Demonstration Divisions Program contact AGPN's Lifescripts Coordinator, Anne Rosenzweig, on 02 6228 0829 or arosenzweig@agpn.com.au