Name Sutherland Division of General Practice Division Number 214 Classification Urban Number of Member GPs 214 State New South Wales Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 71 Postcodes Covered 2224, 2225, 2226, 2227, 2228, 2229, 2230, 2231, 2232,2233, 2234, 2171. Population 213,814 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Division covers 370.9 square kilometres. The Sutherland Shire is the largest local government area in southern Sydney. CEO Ms Yvonne Rowling Chair Dr Rowan Vickers Physical Address: Unit 25 20-24 Gibbs Street MIRANDA NSW 2228 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 2226 TAREN POINT NSW 2229 Australia Email: shiregps@shiregps.org.au Phone: 02 9525 4011 Fax: 02 9525 4411 Website: http://www.shiregps.org.au

The Sutherland Division of General Practice's core business covers four main areas: Improvement of the health of the population in the Sutherland Shire through general practice; services to GPs by the Division; promotion of general practice to the community and provision of a sound infrastructure. The Management Committee, subcommittees and eight staff members in the Division work collaboratively with other stakeholders to achieve these aims.

Clear priorities have emerged from needs identified in an epidemiological profile of the area, program planning sessions, national and local health priorities and ongoing GP and community assessment. An increased level of collaboration and integration with other stakeholders in the area is an important facet of all Divisional activities.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• High level of committed GP members - 85% are members of the Division.
• Successful Shared Antenatal Care Program where 51.9% of clinic patients are under SANC, 85 GPs have been accredited in the SANC program.
• CME programs are based on identified GP needs and are well coordinated as evidenced by attendance rates.
• Effective collaboration with the Sutherland Hospital and Community Health, Area Mental Health Service, Diabetes Education Centre, specialists and other service providers.
• Development of standard referral protocol for Diabetes Centre in collaboration with local services, specialists and other health related services.
• Development of GP Guide for the treatment of panic disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in collaboration with Sutherland Hospital Mental Health.
• Anxiety Disorders Program piloted with 21 GPs and 132 patients.
• Since July 1999, the Division has provided training opportunities in Information Technology and Management (IT/IM), Help-Desk support and the 'Support Plus' program. To date, 117 GPs have been trained in one or more computer programs. A total of 348 doctor interactions have occurred. Sixty practices have contacted the help desk and 22 practices have been computerised and upgraded by Cronulla Computer Training (CCT) under the Support Plus Program. Results from the June 2000 computer survey showed that 80% have computers in the practice and 66.4% have computers on the GPs' desk. Of the GPs that have computers on their desk, 81% used their computer for electronic prescribing.
• High level of GP representation in program committees.
• Division has the sixth highest immunisation coverage rate in NSW.
• Consumer involvement in program planning.
• Effective and accountable governance.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

• Implementation of an efficient diabetes database system which gathers data on pathology, clinical referral and management and provides a computerised recall and reminder system.
• Extension of mental health program to all GPs in the Shire.
• To reach 90% immunisation rate in the Shire.
• Increase computerisation rate in Shire.
• Increase take up rate of EPC items by Shire GPs.
• Increase number of fully accredited practices.
• Maintain and improve management/governance structure through corporate governance training and succession planning.
• Undertake data collection and analysis in shared antenatal care program.

Subscribe to Page