Name Yorke Peninsula Division of General Practice Division Number 507 Classification Rural Number of Member GPs 28 State South Australia Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 8 Postcodes Covered 5510, 5520, 5552, 5554, 5555, 5556, 5558, 5560, 5570, 5571, 5572, 5573, 5575, 5576, 5577, 5580, 5581, 5582, 5583 Population 24,402 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Yorke Peninsula covers an area of 8278.205 square kilometres. CEO Mr David Holman Chair Dr John Campbell Physical Address: 73 Taylor Street KADINA SA 5554 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 197 KADINA SA 5554 Australia Email: ypdgp@yp-connect.net Phone: 08 8821 4066 Fax: 08 8821 4068 Website: http://www.yp-connect.net/~ypdgp

Major Achievements:

• 100% GP membership with excellent two way communication with all GPs
• Individual orientation to all new GPs
• Retention of IT expertise in the Division through the adaptability of the individual to perform other roles
• Gained Commonwealth funding to purchase 3 houses to address lack of accommodation for short term GPs
• All practices seeking access to PIP via accreditation have been successful
• Successfully defused adverse public comment about after hours services by producing a brochure on what after hours services are available and how to access them and distributing them to every mail delivery point on the Yorke Peninsula
• Established Practice Manager and Practice Nurse networks with regular meetings
• Produced (and updated) a Health Service Directory 
• Engendered greater cooperation and communication between GPs and pharmacists through the Home Medication Review program
• Excellent Childhood immunisation rate increase from 68% to over 93%
• Through More Allied Health Services funding we have improved management of diabetes and chronic disease through specialist practice nurses, retention of asthma education services and Counselling services through MAHS has also been beneficial to the community
• Development of a Mental Health Emergency Response Plan for the YP in conjunction with SAPOL, SAAS, Hospital units, SADI, and the State and Commonwealth governments
• Through the Better Outcomes Program, have improved patient access to psychologists and a mental health nurse
• Development of community resources to assist in the self management of suicide and self harm through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy as part of a group of four Divisions working on different aspects to enable a roll out Australia wide
• Coordinated the implementation of Tai Chi low impact exercise to the YP (through innovative funding)and structured the groups to be self sustaining after funding ceased
• Continue to support Aboriginal Health in Pt Pearce and assisting with establishment of other Aboriginal health access areas

Challenges for the Future:

• Continue Information Technology support
• Provide a meaningful and well supported Continuing Medical Education program and continue to find sponsorship to defray costs
• Maintain an adequate medical workforce and in particular procedural GPs to ensure the continuance of obstetric and anaesthetic services
• Improve Mental Health Services for rural people
• Continue to provide the services the community and members have come to expect within the budget framework provided. Traveling over long distances adds considerably to overheads.

Page Updated: January 2004

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