Year Established
State New South Wales
1993
  Postal Address: MURWILLUMBAH NSW 2484
PO Box 104
  Australia Email: office@tvdgp.org.au
AGPN acknowledges the financial support of the
Australian Government.

Phone: 02 6672 5158		 Fax: 02 6672 5195 The Murwillumbah and Tweed Coast Division was established as a company limited by guarantee in August 1993. It grew out of the strong professional links that already existed among Murwillumbah GPs, and between general practice and the local health services and community. In response to the restructuring in late '93 of the local area health service to include both Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads District Hospital, Division collaboration, representation and activities expanded to include all Tweed Valley GPs.  The Division officially became the Tweed Valley Division of General Practice in January 1996. The Division has developed a strong working relationship with the local health service, including the hospital and community health services at both ends of the Tweed Valley. Major Achievements:
Effective Resource Management The geographical Divisional boundaries are the Burringbar Range in the south, the McPherson Range in the west, the Pacific Ocean in the east, to Coolangatta (Queensland) in the north. The Tweed Valley Division comprises three distinct population areas, i.e. Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah and the Tweed Coast.  The Tweed Heads area is suburban and residential in nature and is the eighth largest urban centre in NSW, Murwillumbah a small country town, and the Tweed Coast backs onto rural areas and is fast growing.
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Division Overview/Introduction:
The office base for the Division is located in Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley.  Murwillumbah is approximately 30 kms south west of Tweed Heads and the Queensland/New South Wales state border. There are currently 85 GPs and 6 GP Registrars working within the Division boundary of which 100% are Division members.  Division services are extended to all GPs within the Division area.  The 29 GP members outside the boundary receive all Division mailouts, printed information, and have access to education events.  The Division's Board comprises 2 Murwillumbah GP Directors and 2 Tweed Heads area GP Directors.  The Board meets bi-monthly, at the Division office in Murwillumbah. The Division core staff comprises a fulltime non GP Executive Officer and 2 full-time staff (Administrative Officer and Program Officer).  The Finance Officer, Administrative Support Officer, Education/Mental Health Project Officer, Immunisation Project Officer all work part-time and the Practice Support Advisor/NPS Facilitator is employed as a contractor. 
Chronic Disease Management
 - the Division managed to achieve, through effective collaboration and communication with Area Health Service chronic disease program staff, increases in referrals; 7% for cardiac rehabilitation, 8% for heart failure & 10% for respiratory into the Murwillumbah District Hospitals' chronic disease rehabilitation programs. This translates to an increase of 66% in patients accessing these programs. 97% of vaccine fridges are in the desired range when data logged
45% of TVDGP practice nurses are accredited immunisation providers
The Partners(The above has been achieved despite the Tweed Valley having a conscientious objector rate of 3.63%.)

Who is involved in ERM?Quality Use of Medicines

- The Division continues to engage in a collaborative program with the Gold Coast Division of General Practice.

ERM is designed to be a collaborative approach between local Divisions of General Practice, The Phoenix Health Group, the Australian Division of General Practice and the Federal Department of Health and Ageing.  The Phoenix Health Group is a group of New Zealand General Practitioner Organisations (IPAs) who have implemented a similar program in that country and are prepared to work with other ERM partners to adapt knowledge and skills to the Australian setting.  The Phoenix Health Group has also indicated their confidence by offering some of the start-up finance for the project. National Prescribing Service

 - The GP participation rate in NPS is 57%, which is above the NPS target of 50%.

Initially the following eight Divisions of General practice , who have provided leadership in this area to the Division's Network, will undertake the program.  Aged Care and Aged Care GP Panel

- The Division has participated in regular meetings with managers of Residential Aged Care Facilities and ACAT staff prior to the release of recent Commonwealth initiatives under the Strengthening Medicare program. This previous engagement facilitated timely response in the implementation of the Aged Care 'GP Panel' initiative.

After Hours

 - The Division has progressed the provision of After Hours Primary Medical Care services for the Tweed community through collaboration with the Area Health Service in the implementation of a proposed co-located GP clinic at Tweed Heads Hospital. More Allied Health Services (MAHS) Workforce Support for Rural General Practitioners Building capacity through strategic partnerships is the focus for the future and is critical for the long term success and survival of this small Division. Page Updated: February 2005  
Canning DGP - The Division, under MAHS funding, provides a child and adolescent psychology service "Help 4 Kids". This service operates from the RRMA 5 areas of Murwillumbah and the Tweed Coast. Central Bayside DGP - Included in this program are the practice managers forums, practice nurse forums and practice receptionists forums. Forums offer education and networking opportunities for participants, participation remains approximately 80% across all three areas. Central Coast DGPChallenges for the Future:GP North
GP Partners Riverina DGP & PH Hunter Urban DGPSubscribe to Page Sth. Tasmania DGP

The program is designed to be scalable and able to be rolled out to all interested divisions in Australia.
All other Divisions will have the opportunity to be involved in this project when it has been demonstrated as successfully fulfilling its aims.


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