GPDV Board summary
Friday 28 October 2005
1. Division Board visits
Since the last board meeting board members have visited 4 divisions - North East Valley, South Gippsland, Eastern Ranges and Ballarat.
2. Policy on board members as GPDV representatives
The Board agreed that option 3 - discussion with Chair, Deputy and Treasurer - would be adopted as the process for decisions about whether a particular representative role should be reserved for a board member or sent to a call for nominations. The Board also requested that notification should be circulated to members of results when a voting process is necessary for the selection of a Representative. Bill will draft a policy for the board’s consideration.
3. Divisions Review Implementation Committee (RIC)
The Board received an update from Bill to the effect that RIC had decided that that the ongoing work of the three working groups (Funding Formula, Performance and Structural Efficiency) should be more effectively co-ordinated. The priority focus of the work should be the performance framework and the ways that the new funding formula and the structural efficiency work can most effectively support the further development of divisions’ capacity. This work will be co-ordinated by the RIC Chairs’ Working Group, comprising the Chairs plus one from each of the three Working Group.
The work of the RIC will extend for longer that originally expected. In particular the Funding Formula work is taking longer than planned owing to the complexities of the issue. Work on the performance review process will be trialled in late 2006. The new funding formula will be introduced from July 2008 when current contracts expire.
4. ADGP/SBO (ASBO) quarterly meeting
The Board discussed the proposed agenda and commented
Leadership program for CEOs: there is a need for the proposed program to cover leadership as well as basic management.
Pandemic planning: concerns about the efficacy of the planning processes for GP involvement.
CEOs leaving suddenly: The Board commented that in some cases it may be more a matter of the turn-over of CEOs than a sudden unexpected loss. The board discussed whether SBOs could be funded to have a role as trainer or mentor for new CEOs or as a provider of locum CEOs in an emergency.
5. Broadband for Health
The Board received information on the progress of the uptake as at 30 June 2005. Nola and Julie reported that the reason the Gippsland divisions have a lower uptake is due to the poor quality service from a major ISP in their region. Bill will bring this to the attention of Melinda.
6. Mental Health Reference Group
The Board received a report from Anne on the meeting of the MH Reference Group on 25 October and discussed its proposal that GPDV commission a policy document about mental health services and general practice as a response to the recent Not for Service report. The board noted that the Third National Mental Health Plan extends until 2008 and that the National MH Working group, of which Julie is a member is working on its implementation. The board agreed that the most appropriate action on Not for Service would be to go to the NMHWG. The plan provides a starting point for the development of state/federal linkages.
The board agreed to the establishment of a small working group to propose some achievable actions and to the drafting of a paper on general practice and mental health in Victoria. beyondblue might be a funding source.
7. Primary Health Care Policy
In discussion of the proposed launch in Perth of the ADGP position statement on primary health care the Board commented on the need to establish a more adequate consultation process for the development of policy and position papers that are published as endorsed by the Divisions Network.
8. Review of Rural Workforce Agencies (RWAs)
The Board received an update from Bill on his meeting with David Brand and on David’s two teleconferences with rural divisions and with the Chairs of four urban divisions on 13 October. Bill reported that it is unlikely that the report will be made available publicly.
9. Nurse practitioners
The board viewed and discussed a summary of GPDV’s response to the ADGP draft position statement on nurse practitioners in general practice. The meeting noted that ADGP’s paper did not take account of nurse practitioners in settings other than general practice, and that in Victoria they are not in general practices. The board supported the points made in GPDV’s response to ADGP’s draft and asked why the matter had come up as something to be actioned now. It seemed unlikely that a national position would be of much benefit, as nurse practitioners were subject to state and territory legislation which approached the matter differently in each state..
The board noted that Nurse Practitioners’ courses are being offered at LaTrobe and at Monash Gippsland and agreed that the Nurses’ Board be asked about these courses and whether the graduates are eligible for endorsement by the Nurses’ Board.