Department of Health Victoria & RACGP Victoria webinar - 13 December - Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint
On-demand recorded 13 Dec 2023
Latest public health advice and Q&A presented by DoH representatives in conjunction with RACGP Victoria Faculty Chair Dr Anita Munoz and staff.
This month's webinar topic is the Department of Health’s Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint – the role of primary care in driving sustainable system reform.
The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on Victoria’s planned surgery system (previously known as elective surgery), which are still being felt. As part of the Victorian Government’s $1.5billion ‘COVID Catch-Up Plan’ to boost deferred planned surgery and ease pressure on hospitals, the Victorian Department of Health has developed the Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint (the Blueprint).
The Blueprint was launched on 25 October 2023 and outlines prioritised reforms to drive improved outcomes and experiences for patients. The development of the Blueprint was underpinned by extensive research and engagement. A system wide aim, ten key reforms and four pillars of change formulate the Blueprint’s comprehensive plan to strengthen Victoria’s planned surgery system. Within the ten reforms, the third reform focuses specifically on enhancing integration of primary care in the perioperative journey. The aim of this reform is to improve the role of primary care by implementing improved structures and pathways to support general practitioners to deliver timely and high-quality care to their patients, on the perioperative journey.
As part of the Blueprint reform, a suite of resources is available through the department’s SharePoint site, to guide general practitioners through their patient’s perioperative journey (e.g. preparing for same day surgery, expanding non-surgical treatment pathways, improving post-operative outcomes and using virtual care to support planned surgery). RACGP members can request access to these resources by emailing surgicalreform@health.vic.gov.au.
Learning outcomes
- Identify the work that the Department of Health is undertaking to improve integration of primary care in the perioperative journey
- Identify key approaches for general practitioners to support good perioperative care of patients.
- Identify opportunities to learn more about the Planned Surgery Reform Blueprint including work underway to improve integration of primary care providers.
This event is part of . Events in this series are:
Presenters
Naomi Bromley
Executive Director, Surgery Recovery and Reform, Victorian Department of Health
Naomi Bromley has held senior executive roles in Victoria and led program evaluation, model of care and health service design work across Australia for close to two decades.
Naomi is currently Executive Director of the Surgical Recovery and Reform program, driving the development, delivery and implementation of key initiatives of the $1.5 billion COVID Catch Up Plan to boost surgical activity across Victoria. Fully implemented, the Program will enable 240,000 Victorians to receive planned surgery every year by June 2024. This represents an extra 40,000 procedures each year compared with pre-pandemic levels. Naomi is leading the delivery of a suite of reforms under the Surgical Recovery and Reform Program to ensure that the unprecedented investment in the planned surgery system delivers long term improvements to the health and wellbeing of Victorians.
Naomi has previously played a significant role in planning and delivery of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as Deputy Secretary, COVID-19 Vaccination. She contributed to the rapid establishment of state-wide COVID-19 testing and outbreak engagement efforts and led the design and delivery of the Victorian implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
Naomi is passionate about high performing primary and community care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and equity-based health service planning.
Prof. Benjamin Thomson
Chief Surgical Advisor, Surgery Recovery and Reform, Victorian Department of Health
Professor Ben Thomson, Chief Surgical Adviser with the Department of Health’s Surgery Recovery and Reform Program is a hepatopancreaticobiliary, general and trauma surgeon. He is the Clinical Director of Surgery at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and recently finished as the Director of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tumour Stream across the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Ben is also an Honorary Clinical Professor at The University of Melbourne and is a Board member of both the Australian and New Zealand Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Association and the Asia-Pacific Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Association.