Name Blue Mountains Division of General Practice Division Number 238 Classification Urban Number of Member GPs 66 State New South Wales Year Established 1994 Number of Member Practices 25 Postcodes Covered 2773, 2774, 2776, 2777, 2778, 2779, 2780, 2782, 2783, 2784, 2785, 2786. Population 77,015 (2001 Census) Area Covered 1405 square kilometres including the towns: Katoomba, Springwood, and Blaxland. CEO Ms Rachel Merton Chair Dr Michael de Vries Physical Address: 192 Great Western Highway HAZELBROOK NSW 2779 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 74 HAZELBROOK NSW 2779 Australia Email: admin@bmdgp.com.au Phone: 02 4758 9711 Fax: 02 4758 9722 Website: http://www.bmdgp.com.au

The Blue Mountains Division of General Practice is one of the smallest Divisions in Australia, with 3.2 full-time equivalent staff. Eighty-six percent of GPs within the area are members of the Division, and enjoy a high percentage involvement of GPs in divisional activities. The Division has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wentworth Area Health Service, and will shortly embark upon some jointly-funded projects.

Division activities are currently in the area of practice support for GPs, mental health, diabetes, IM/IT and immunisation. Over the next two years, focus will be on developing existing partnerships with stakeholders, the Area Health Service, consumers and carers, other health care providers, government departments and non government organisations.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Building and developing partnerships with health service providers and other stakeholders in the Blue Mountains and Wentworth Area. The Division have been successful in working closely with other stakeholders in running activities.
• Developing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Wentworth Area Health Service, and building rapport with the executive level of WAHS.
• Communicating among GPs and the Mental Health Team has been a focus of the mental health project. A random file audit of Mental Heath Team files completed before and after the first three years of the mental health project indicated a substantial increase in communication.
• Enrolling of over one third of the estimated number of diabetic people in the Mountains into the diabetes project over two and a half years.
• Increasing the Division's immunisation rate by over 12% in 18 months.
• Developing an email and intranet pilot to link GPs and the Division office with a view to expanding this to include the Area Health Service and other relevant facilities.
• Developing a Blue Mountains Hospital liaison committee and a Community Health liaison committee to address issues and difficulties among GPs and these services.
• High percentage membership and involvement of Blue Mountains GPs in Division activities.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

• Developing and running successful joint projects with Wentworth Area Health Service. The Blue Mountain Division has established a steering committee comprising representatives from the Division and the Area Health Service, and will call for submissions for projects that aim to enhance communication among GPs and other health service providers.
• Continuing to be a dynamic Division, running successful GP-relevant programs and interventions, and providing tangible support for GPs and their practices. And doing this on a budget much reduced from previous years.
• Running and (if efficacious) expanding the Division intranet service to include links with other services and facilitate improved communication to enhance integrated patient care.
• Continuing to promote general practice and remaining inclusive and relevant to its members.

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