2015 Newsletter

As we near the end of 2015, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all RACGP members, staff and all other stakeholders for their continued support and hard work throughout the year. Here are some highlights from 2015: Our ongoing community engagement and awareness campaign was initiated in June and phase two launched last week. The RACGP’s ‘The Good GP’ campaign continues to gain momentum – in just one week the recent two television commercials have received more than 5000 views cumulatively on the RACGP’s  YouTube channel  and feedback has been...

The Australian Government released its 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) on 15 December. The MYEFO provides an update on the economic and fiscal outlook from the previous budget and is required to be released each year by the end of January, or six months after the last budget, or whichever is later. Further information regarding the MYEFO can be accessed on the  Australian Government website . The RACGP has reviewed the expense measures included in the 2015-16 MYEFO and has  developed an overview  of the new initiatives and chan...

The RACGP Melbourne office and all state and territory faculties will be closed for the Christmas and New Year period from close of business Friday 18 December, re-opening on Monday 4 January 2016. We wish all of our members, patients, their families and colleagues a safe and happy festive period.

Throughout 2015, the RACGP received over 5,500 responses to  In Practice  poll questions. The RACGP thanks all members who participated in the weekly polls. Your valuable comments and feedback have been used to inform the overall direction of the advocacy work undertaken across the RACGP. Some of the most popular poll topics for 2015 included the removal of the Healthy Kids Checks, dispensing rights for GPs, MBS changes to same day billing for chronic disease management items and professional attendances. In addition, the RACGP received detailed wri...

General practice is a scientific discipline: our practice base is dependent upon evidence drawn from a multidisciplinary approach. Research underpins the very essence of how we are able to produce timely evidence to inform clinicians’ quality care, and improve our patients’ health and outcomes. It is disconcerting, and of extreme concern to have witnessed the rapid decline in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding relating to general practice research over the past decade to a level whereby only 2–3% of NHMRC research is being...

The second phase of The Good GP campaign launched last week in response to ongoing member feedback demanding the RACGP plays a stronger role in advocating for general practice. Better understanding of the extensive training and professional development GPs undertake, and improved overall patient sentiment towards GPs as expert generalists, will strengthen the voice of the RACGP when advocating on behalf of the profession. The community awareness campaign reminds patients just how important their GP is as a specialist in life. It brings into focus s...

The festive season serves as a timely reminder to ensure the safety of our patients, practices, staff and selves. Australian is about to enter the hottest months of the year; there are heightened risks of bushfires and extreme weather events. To ensure your practice is best positioned to respond to these types of events, it is imperative that your practice has a current emergency response plan in place. General practices in fire-prone areas will play a significant role in the community’s overall response but, to be effective, GPs and practice staff ...

Rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses in Australia are highest amongst people aged 15-24 years. Most young people attend general practice at least once a year and are often unaware of their risk of infection and that STIs can be asymptomatic. Therefore, the  Australian STI Management Guidelines for Use in Primary Care  recommend opportunistically offering chlamydia screening to all young people at least annually. In addition, testing for hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV is recommended and vaccination should be considered for all young people no...