November 2023

Welcome to the November update and my last communique to you as Chair of the NSW&ACT Faculty. What a busy action-packed month it has been, and what a great moment in time to finish up my six-year term as NSW/ACT Faculty Chair and RACGP Director.

The highlight of the last four weeks has been the WONCA GP23 conference, which saw 4,295 delegates visit Sydney to connect in person and share their collective wisdom, knowledge and experiences relating to primary care, with colleagues from all over the world.

We launched our International event on Wednesday with some wonderfully successful general practice visits (with over 70 International GPs each visiting 2-4 general practices), alongside a full schedule of presentations and events throughout the following five days. I want to extend a special thank you to all the RACGP staff and volunteers who worked so hard to bring this event together and to all my GP and primary care colleagues who attended the conference. What a turnout! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of you, and I hope that all who attended are feeling as inspired as I am about the future of General Practice both here and internationally. It was particularly wonderful filling up my “emotional tank”, and finally meeting up socially face-to-face with colleagues that I last saw pre-COVID-19.

Despite all the fun and learnings at WONCA, the GP Advocacy work hasn’t stopped! November has seen the continuation of scheduled meetings with Ministers that will help keep GP and patient needs at the top of the agenda. At the start of the month, the Executive Council and I met with Dr David Saliba, MP for Fairfield, to discuss the proposed Health Worker Study Subsidy and other areas of potential collaboration. The Executive Council also met with NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos together with, Ryan Park Minister for Health to discuss Payroll Tax, GP workforce scholarships and integrated models of care. In addition to this, I also met with Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to reflect on all that we have achieved for public health these last few years and to officially hand over my role as the NSW GP voice to Dr Rebekah Hoffman, the incoming NSW/ACT Chair.

It is true to say that my term as Chair has been an absolute privilege and honour, but equally true to say it has been an emotional roller coaster ride! Who would have predicted that I would need to provide GP leadership through momentous disasters of drought, fires, floods, pandemics and now more fires! And that is not considering all the RACGP Board Governance work that has gone on behind the scenes to ensure our membership organisation is in safe hands and delivering support to all GPs in providing world-class healthcare to their communities in every corner of the country. But it is also not really goodbye but ‘see you soon’ as I will still be representing Sydney Inner West on the NSW&ACT Faculty Council.

We know that our members’ interests and needs are broad, diverse and not always aligned. That’s why we need your feedback so that we can better represent you.

We need to know where to direct our efforts to support you in meeting your needs as a supervisor training the next generation of GPs. Help us ensure our efforts support the important work that you do. Plus, you’ll go into a draw to win a free RACGP membership.

Check your inbox for a unique link to the survey or log in via the RACGP website. 

If you have any questions about the RACGP Member Engagement Survey, please contact us at racgp@racgp.org.au or 1800 472 247. 
 
I am very pleased to leave you in the capable hands of Bek Hoffman as she steps into her role as Chair of the NSW & ACT Faculty from 24 November. Full of fantastic ideas and with a wealth of experience, she will make a wonderful Chair, and I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds. Welcome Bek!

For one last time, I hope that you find time for planned relaxation as well as work, and remember to take care of yourselves as the weather heats up.

Event Date, time Location CPD Hepatitis C in General Practice Forum 28 November 2023 7.30-8.30pm (AEDT) Online One EA CPD hour Heat and Health: Summer preparedness in general practice 29 November 2023 7.30–8.30pm Online One EA CPD hour Approaches to support young people to address their vaping 4 December 2023 7.00-8.00pm (AEDT) Online One EA CPD hour Navigating hip and knee replacement surgery 5 December 2023 7.30-8.30pm (AEDT) Online One EA CPD hour

Date: Wednesday 22 November 2023
Time: 8.30am – 4.30pm
Venue: Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach, 242 Arden Street, Coogee NSW
Cost: $995 for RACGP members
 
Register here 
 
This full-day workshop will help increase your understanding of the applications of point-of-care ultrasound in the diagnostic process. You will be introduced to basic techniques using advanced, high-end mobile ultrasound equipment provided by our sponsor GE Healthcare. Capped at 30 participants to allow increased hands-on experience, participants will rotate through six ultrasound skills stations.
 
The workshop is eligible for 10 CPD hours (5 hours EA and 5 hours RP) and is eligible for the Rural Procedural Grants Program.
 

With the hotter weather making an early arrival, areas in NSW&ACT are already being affected by bushfires. Itis important to start preparing for potential emergencies that summer may bring. The RACGP has developed the Summer Planning Toolkit and natural disaster factsheets to assist with practice’s preparedness for the warmer weather.

You can find official emergency information for bushfires and floods on your mobile device by downloading the Hazards Near Me App.

The Alcohol Interlock Program is a court-ordered requirement for some drink driving offenders. It is designed to reduce drink driving offending in NSW by helping participants separate their drinking from driving and do not re-offend.
 
Transport for NSW has updated the Alcohol Interlock Program materials for GPs to ensure everything needed for consultations with patients is clear and accessible. The materials include Fact Sheets for each stage of the program, and FAQs for GPs to understand their role and responsibilities when engaging participants. The materials are designed to assist in clearer decision-making pathways, while empowering GPs to use their clinical expertise in assessments.

RACGP NSW&ACT congratulates the following GPs who attained Fellowship of the RACGP last month:
 

Dr Jamie Addlestone Dr Joseph Donato Nunag Dr Nahid Afrin Dr Hyun Oh Dr Nneka Anachuna Dr Kate O'Neill Dr Louise Beale Dr Swati Parmar Dr Hamish Black  Dr Nishika Pathirana Dr Ryan Bulger Dr Samuel Perotti Dr Marisa Campbell Dr Oday K Ishu Rafoka Dr Roger Chang Dr Md Ashfaquor Rahman Dr Andrew Chen Dr Nura Rohani Dr Sarah Clark Dr Meera Seermaran Dr Sarah Darwish Dr Min Sein Dr Amy Derrick Dr Karin Stern Dr Nathaniel Gerhardt Dr Shiang Sua Dr Christine Greenwood Dr Andrew Subramaniam Dr Sahr Ali Haider Dr Ahmed Synousi Dr Jessica Jellins Dr Emma Szallasi Dr Katie Jones Dr Samantha Thomas Dr Alan Kim Dr Scott Thompson Dr Mark Loman Dr Timothy Ting Dr Takesure Madzivire Dr Georgina Tout Dr Mier Marges Dr Andrew Tram Dr Robert Mcwilliam Dr Gayathiri Vijeyekumar Dr Mai Moustafa Dr Hashendra Wadumesthrige Don Dr Helen Nevell Dr Adrian Wan Dr Shikha Nigam Dr Thein Zan

 Congratulations on achieving Fellowship of the RACGP! We recognise the sacrifice and hard work that has gone into your general practice journey.
 
Transitioning from being a GP in training to an independent, practising GP is a major career-changing (and life-changing) milestone. The Next Five Program extends support to New Fellows as they navigate their first few years of unsupervised practice.

Log in to myCPD and check your progress for 2023.

• Review ‘Your prescription for CPD success’ and other resources 

• Quick log activities you’ve done in practice

• Self-record quality improvements as measuring outcomes, and time spent reviewing your performance.

We need your feedback so we can better support you.  

We understand our members’ interests and needs are broad and diverse. We want to meet your needs as a supervisor, training the next generation of GPs.

Your feedback will help us support this important work you do. Plus, you’ll go into a draw to win a free RACGP membership. 

Check your inbox for a unique link to the survey or log in via the RACGP website If you have any questions about the RACGP Member Engagement Survey, please contact us at racgp@racgp.org.au or 1800 472 247. 

The General Practice: Health of the Nation report is the only annual report that provides insights into the state of general practice in Australia.

With data from a nationwide survey of GPs, the report examines current and emerging health issues and patient access to care, as well profiling the workforce, job satisfaction and business of general practice. 

The seventh report puts the focus on the attraction and retention of the general practice workforce.

Read more

With the 2023 AGM taking place on Thursday 23 November, we're inviting you to vote on resolutions. Eligible members will have received their unique voting link on Monday 13 November 2023.  

We're also taking your questions, which will be answered via our Frequently Asked Questions or addressed during the meeting. Submit your questions here.   

This year’s AGM will take place in a hybrid format: in person at 100 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, and online. This is an important way for members to engage with the College. We encourage you to come along, hear from the Board, and help shape our plans for the future.

Registration for both in person and online attendance is essential.

Register now

SafeScript NSW provides real-time information about a patient’s prescribing and dispensing history for certain high-risk medicines, supporting clinical decision making and patient safety. ​
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SafeScript NSW has been enhanced to allow prescribers to submit applications for approval to prescribe or supply high-risk medicines. In some cases, prescribers will receive real-time approvals (previously known as authorities).​
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Initially, online applications will be available for prescribing medicines under the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and psychostimulants (dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate). Over the coming months, online applications will expand to include additional medicines.  ​
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For more information and to register, visit the SafeScript NSW website.

NSW Health has launched a new Guide to Support Young People to Quit E-Cigarettes for health professionals and others who work with young people to effectively address e-cigarette use, support young people to manage nicotine withdrawals and assist young people in quitting e-cigarettes.

The Guide includes information on the three-step ‘Ask,Advise, Help’ brief intervention model, screening tools, behavioural strategies and pharmacotherapy.

The Guide will be regularly updated as new evidence and consensus emerges on best practice of managing nicotine dependence among young people who use e-cigarettes.