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Turn to your GP

Expert advice matters

Now’s the time to remind patients that expert advice matters

As a GP, your expert advice is more important than ever. But the COVID-19 pandemic means some patients are avoiding visiting their usual GP, while others may be unsure how, or where, to consult you. The Expert Advice Matters public health campaign reinforces the expert role of a GP and encourages the general public to address all health concerns during the pandemic. Patients need reassurance that you’re still available to give advice on all health matters, safely and easily. So we’re letting patients across Australia know:

they can still talk to their usual GP about all of their health concerns (including those unrelated to COVID-19)
telephone and video (telehealth) appointments are available to everyone
in-person appointments are still available and can be attended safely
information and help is available for patients who speak a language other than English.

The Expert Advice Matters campaign

The RACGP is communicating that GP consultations have never been easier to access (in a way that suits patients).

We want patients to know it’s safe and easy to consult you, and if patients don’t have a regular GP, finding one is simple.

We’ve translated the information into Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese and Hindi to make it more accessible to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

We’re promoting the campaign online by advertising across online social channels (e.g. Facebook) and through digital display ads.

The promotion will point audiences to the Expert Advice Matters website for more information on consulting their GP safely and easily.

Visit the website

Let's remind all patients that expert advice matters

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities make up a large part of our communities, so to make sure the Expert Advice Matters message reaches further, we're running a social media campaign and need your help.

We know there are many GPs who have been raised in multicultural families, and thanks to their heritage, speak a language other than English. If you speak a language other than English, we’d like to ask you to film a short ‘selfie-style’ video communicating the message that GPs are available, accessible and safe to visit.

The video will remind patients that GPs are available to provide expert advice when it matters most.

Get involved

Share the message with your community

The Expert Advice Matters campaign encourages the public to “Turn to your GP” as the best source of health advice and information.

You can help us share the message by promoting the campaign on your own practice website and social media channels.

We’ve created some resources to help you do this, including email banners, website tiles and social media posts. Share the campaign by:

including notifications on your practice website
posting about it on social media
mentioning it in your voicemail/call-waiting messages

View resources

You might be familiar with the videos from the first instalment of the Expert Advice Matters public health campaign. Watch them below.

FAQs

How do I set up my practice for telephone and video consultations?

You can find lots of helpful information on our COVID-19 resources telehealth page, including the Guide to providing telephone and video consultations in general practice which outlines the clinical, administrative and technical considerations for practices introducing this mode of healthcare delivery for the first time.

Useful flowcharts outlining practical steps for setting up your practice for telehealth consultations are also available, along with a factsheet on telehealth consultations using an interpreter

For even more guidance, you can watch the on-demand webinar Phone and video consultations: a how-to presentation.

How can I ensure my patients know they can book a telehealth consultation?

Key actions include updating your practice website and on-hold messages, and sharing the Having a phone or video consultation with your regular GP: Information and support for patients fact sheet.

How do I bill for telehealth consultations?

You can find information on the new billing items for COVID-19 telehealth services on our website, which outlines the bulk-billing requirements and an overview of item numbers and their descriptors.

If I’m still delivering in-person consultations, where can I find information on using personal protective equipment (PPE)?

If you have patients present for an in-person consultation with COVID-19 symptoms, you need to make sure you protect yourself. You can find COVID-19 infection control principles and a factsheet on Consultations in the practice with patients suspected of having COVID-19on the RACGP website. Here you will also find information on the correct use of PPE, including instructional posters and videos.

Campaign resources for your practice

You can help share the Expert Advice Matters message by promoting the campaign through your own practice channels. If you’ve visited here before, we’ve created brand new banners and posters for you to use.

Download the assets below and include them on your personal and professional platforms to put the spotlight on expert advice.