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February 2000 | |
CONTENTS
Amalgamation (GP Links Program)
New staff member at GPDV
Changes to the ACIR
Excellence & Innovation: Knox & Western
Usage of MBS Enhanced Primary Care Items by State
Victorian Plan of EPC Education and Support
Accreditation
Primary Health
Divisions Forum
SERU Funding
Amalgamation (GP Links Program)
To date, the GP Links program has funded the following applications for practice amlgamation funding: GPs Needed for Data Set Workshop
DH&AC are currently running a General Practice Data Model and Core Data Set Project. This project’s aim is to discover what key information GPs require to appropriately manage their patients’ health. This set of ‘core’ data items will be published, and will contribute to the development of an electronic health record system, as well as policy and procedures for software accreditation.
DH&AC – through their consultants, Simpsion Bowles and Associates – needs to draw on GP experience and expertise to ensure the appropriateness and practicality of the core data set. As the first step in doing this, they are running workshops with GPs in each state, where GPs will be asked to consider their information needs as they work through a scenario.
GPDV is calling for GPs who wish to be involved in these workshops. Four will be run in Victoria, with around 6-10 GPs taking part in each. They will be held at GPDV, on Friday 25 February and Monday 28 February, from 10-2 and 3-7 on each day. The Department will reimburse each GP that participates $400 for attending. GPDV will provide refreshments. Please contact your division if you are interested in participating.
State Stage 1 Stage 2 Total Expenditure
Vic 245 42 $1.848 million
NSW 167 36
QLD 114 23
SA 84 13
TAS, ACT, NT 18 5
Nationally 635 112 $6.6 million
The total funding allocation over two years, from March 1999 was $20 million, of which $17 million is allocated for physical re-locations, and the remainder for other restructuring. DH&AC estimates that the program will begin to wind down by the end of 2000, as it approaches full spend.
The vast majority of amalgamations are metropolitan, although there is some activity from larger rural centres. The Department provides technical information to the applicants, but it is clear that some applicants are seeking other information and support that is better provided at the divisional level. For instance they are seeking information about potential partners for amalgamation in the local area, and would like to hear from GPs who have already amalgamated about the issues arising, and how barriers were overcome. DH&AC are eager to be given the opportunity to address division staff about practice amalgamations, as they regard the staff as the best resource in the local area for GPs considering amalgamations.
GPDV is pleased to welcome Penny Handley as our new Receptionist/Administrative Assistant. Her predecessor Cherie Meurant has begun studies for her Grad Dip in Education. We would like to wish Cherie luck in her endeavour and are pleased that she will be able to stay with us on a part-time basis.
The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register is currently redeveloping its database in response to the new Australian Standard Vaccine Schedule to be introduced later this year. New vaccine alternatives on the market have necessitated a shift to an antigen or disease based schedule instead of the current vaccine based schedule.
Focus groups with division and practice staff were recently held in Melbourne to provide input on proposed changes to the ACIR website, and to the ACIR020a Report. Website changes to the steps in identifying a child and reporting an immunisation will be introduced in the near future. Changes to the ACIR020a, the report upon which both the practice coverage rate and the outcomes bonus payment is based, will be introduced mid-year, for the twelve months ending 31 March.
Divisions are looking forward to better reports and data input processes, as they are crucial tools for practices to improve their immunisation coverage rates. Contact your division if you would like assistance with increasing your practice’s percentage of fully immunised children.
Excellence & Innovation: Knox & Western Divisions
Knox and Western Melbourne Divisions have been commended by the DHS Public Health Awards for Excellence and Innovation 1999. These awards recognise the important contribution made by individuals, organisations and partnerships working in public health throughout Victoria. The two divisions have been commended for their projects in:
Development
Project: Beyond Sexual Abuse – Enhancing General
Practitioners’ Responses
Organisation: Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault and
the Western Division of General Practice
Awarded for: Development of Effective Partnerships in a
Culturally Diverse Area
Delivery
Service Knox Diabetic Education and Support Service
Organisation: Knox Division of General Practice and Knox
Community Health Service
Awarded for: Achieving Successful Partnerships between Health
Professionals and the Community
Usage of MBS Enhanced Primary Care Items by State: November-December 1999
Items Vic NSW QLD SA WA TAS
ACT NT Total Nov Total
700-705: Health Assessments 2680 2320 1627 492 468 202 48 7 7844
1909
720-728: Care Planning 75 193 229 34 38 14 6 4 593 107
740-743: Case Conferencing 69 80 33 25 18 16 4 14 259 77
Total 2824 2593 1889 551 524 232 58 25 8696 2093
Source: HIC Website: http:\\www.HIC.gov.au
HIC data indicates that to date the take up rate for the EPC MBS items is highest in Victoria. The vast majority of these items claimed are for assessments. The number of GPs taking up the care planning and case conferencing items slowly increased over the November to December period.
Victorian Plan of EPC Education and Support
With the advice of the VACGP sub-committee, GPDV has developed the detail in the draft Victorian plan. Discussions have been held with Professor Leon Piterman, Monash University, about the development of four education modules - one on assessment, one on care planning in the community, one on care planning for hospital discharge, and one on case conferencing. These modules will be developed when the RACGP materials are finalized. It is intended that GP presenters will be trained to deliver these modules locally through divisions.
DHS has agreed to fund local education sessions for DHS-funded other service providers on the EPC items so that they are well prepared to work with GPs. These local sessions will be developed in conjunction with divisions and the regional DHS offices.
The plan will be completed in the week ending 11 February. For any queries please contact your division or Lenora Lippmann at GPDV.
As at the 21st of January, approximately 54% of all practices have registered for AGPAL accreditation.
By State:
SA 68% Vic 67% QLD 67%
TAS 65% WA 51% ACT 42%
NSW 40% NT 29%
Of the 900 visits undertaken to date, 650 have full accreditation status, 150 conditional and the 100 are going through the process of review. The number of rural practices surveyed account for 30% of total visits. AGPAL are currently undertaking 120 survey visits per month, utilising the 250 surveyors around the country. For further information please visit the website, www.agpal.com.au
AGPAL reports that recent feedback from a mailout to practices not currently registered for AGPAL accreditation indicates that many practices believe they need to be fully computerised to undergo accreditation. This is not true. Many of the practices that have full accreditation status do not have computers. AGPAL believe that this misunderstanding could be holding back practices from registering.
MINISTERIAL FORUM
GPDV has been invited to attend a Ministerial forum for stakeholders about the Review Report by Professor Hayden Raysmith on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th February. Representatives from peak bodies and PHACS alliances have been invited.
The purpose of the forum is to hear the views of key stakeholders on:
The overall themes and directions
of the report
The recommendations of the report which: - Are
supported
- Should be amended
- Are not supported
Any additional issues or action identified as being required
Ministers will be attending the final session of the forum to listen to the recommendations of the workshop and will issue a Ministerial Statement about policy directions later.
A special forum for divisions will be held on Wednesday 16th February, 7.00 – 9.00 pm at GPDV. Professor Raysmith will discuss the recommendations in the report and address any questions.
Funding for the four SERUs (Support and Evaluation Resource Units) ended on 31st January 2000. Following a number of consultancies on research, evaluation and development, the Commonwealth Minister for Health is considering arrangements for a new GP Research, Evaluation and Development (RED) Program. These are not yet finalised, and it is unclear precisely how divisions’ evaluation needs will be met under the new arrangements.
The Centre for General Practice Integration Studies at the University of NSW has announced that it is negotiating a contract with the GP Branch of DH&AC to continue much of the former Integration SERU’s work on integrated care for the coming year. The contract is expected to: support ongoing work in mental health, diabetes, CVD and health inequalities maintain a watching brief in GP/hospital integration; and to provide evaluation support for the implementation of the Enhanced Primary Care items.
The Education SERU has announced that it will be using some unspent funds to continue until end of February 2000. After the end of Feb, there will be educational resources and expertise available through the School of Medicine at James Cook University.