Appendix 3: Needs assessment template and example
Use this template to develop your needs assessment.
Important reminders:
Your activity must be covered in the 2022 RACGP Curriculum and Syllabus for Australian General Practice.
All statements must be cited to recent (<10 years), reliable and reputable information.
Needs Assessment
1. Activity Title
2. Briefly outline the relevance of your topic to general practice (what) including identified general practice learning needs (why).
3. Please acknowledge any additional relevant information sources and content. Highlight all applicable boxes and briefly outline appropriate information. All statements must be cited to recent (<10years), reliable and reputable information.
| Specific data collection |
National/State programs and initiatives |
Health Professional/Govt Perspective |
Consumer (Lived Experience) Perspective |
Additional supporting information |
| If data was specifically collected, analysed and used for this assessment, please outline the collection tools and methodology (including the number of participants), the survey/focus groups questions and a brief analysis of the findings. Anecdotal observations/evidence isn’t appropriate. |
If this activity is linked to State/Territory programs and initiatives and/or National health priority areas, please include details. |
Have you considered information from medical specialists and/or special interest health groups, state, or national government bodies? Include and cite any relevant statistics or information. |
Have you considered any information obtained from patient interviews, surveys, or data from community groups? |
Briefly outline any further information you wish to provide as evidence to demonstrate the activities alignment to the RACGP curriculum for Australian General Practice and the MBA CPD Registration Standards.
|
Additional relevant information sources and content:
References
List all RACGP publications and other current evidence-based references cited in the creation of this needs assessment.
Author
Indicate the name and position of the person(s) who created this needs assessment.
GP Review
Indicate the name of the GP who reviewed and approved the final needs assessment.
CPD Activity Needs Assessment Example:
1. Activity Title
[Example response]
Epilepsy Patient Management Updates
2. Briefly outline the relevance of your topic to general practice (what) including identified general practice learning needs (why).
[Example response]
In Australia, epilepsy is as high as 4% of the population equating to approximately 250 000 people, with 20 000 of these located in Tasmania.1
The number of people with epilepsy in Tasmania is expected to increase further due to an older that average population, general rising life expectancy, and the increasing proportion of people surviving incidents that often lead to epilepsy such as birth trauma, brain injury, infections and stroke.2
Epilepsy is not a single disorder and is referred to as a spectrum disorder. It is the second most burdensome neurological condition after dementia, accounting for 14.6% of the burden of disease of all neurological conditions.3
For every person with epilepsy, there are approximately four others providing care and support.2
In Australia, Tasmania has the highest prevalence of epilepsy, and the condition is estimated to impose a greater burden on Australia’s health system than prostate cancer, and one similar to that of lung cancer and Parkinson’s disease.4 Diagnosis and management involve classifying the person’s epilepsy and seizure type as well as considering the aetiology.5 This classification informs the Medical team of the type of treatment recommended. Ensuring the person’s condition is well managed is an extremely important aspect of the GP’s role.5
Australia is fortunate to have some excellent specialist care for epilepsy patients, however; general practice is the missing link in the circle of care. GP’s can each have 5-10 patients with epilepsy and the continued involvement of the GP is critical to positive outcomes. 32% of the epilepsy patients surveyed by Epilepsy Tasmania stated they struggled to find a suitable health professional to manage their epilepsy.2 Furthermore, the survey results suggested GP’s need more education around epilepsy and epilepsy medication. During 2019-2020, there were 10 263 epilepsy related visits to GP’s.2
| Specific data collection |
National/State programs and initiatives |
Health Professional/Govt Perspective |
Consumer (Lived Experience) Perspective |
Additional supporting information |
| If data was specifically collected, analysed and used for this assessment, please outline the collection tools and methodology (including the number of participants), the survey/focus groups questions and a brief analysis of the findings. Anecdotal observations/evidence isn’t appropriate. |
If this activity is linked to State/Territory programs and initiatives and/or National health priority areas, please include details. |
Have you considered information from medical specialists and/or special interest health groups, state, or national government bodies? Include and cite any relevant statistics or information. |
Have you considered any information obtained from patient interviews, surveys, or data from community groups? |
Briefly outline any further information you wish to provide as evidence to demonstrate the activities alignment to the RACGP curriculum for Australian General Practice and the MBA CPD Registration Standards.
|
[Example response]
The participant size of the survey was 3110 with the responses totaling 1697 which is well within the limit (n>50) to give the data validity and reliability. The methodology was a paper survey mailed to all active cases and was quantitative in nature as the survey primarily involved a questionnaire with scalable answers. The questionnaire contained 20 questions. The survey was sent to participants in December 2018 with a final return date of 1 March 2019. A follow up letter was mailed to all participants encouraging survey completion in February 2019.
References
List all RACGP publications and other current evidence-based references cited in the creation of this needs assessment.
[Example response]
1. Epilepsy Australia 2018, Epilepsy Explained. http://www.epilespsyasutralia.net/epilespy-explained. Accessed January 2020.
2. Epilepsy- A Focus on Tasmania. https://epilepsytasmania.org.au/epilepsy-a-focus-on-tasmania-201. Accessed January 2020.
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016. Australian Burden of Disease Study: Impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2011. Australian Burden of Disease Study Series No 3.BOD4,. Canberra:AIHW
4. Deloitte Access Economics estimates based on ABS 4364.0.55.001- National Health Survey. First Results 2017-18 (2018)
5. Scheffer IE, Berkovic S, Capovilla G, et al. ILAE classification of the epilepsies:Position paper of the ILAE Commission for Classification and Terminology. Epilepsia 2017;58:512-521
Author
Indicate the name and position of the person(s) who created this needs assessment.
[Example response]
Mary Smith (CPD Representative) Education Coordinator