August 2019


Chair report


Message from the Chair – Dr Jennifer Presser

Thank you to the Tasmania Council and Tasmanian members for gathering in Launceston for the annual Faculty Member Meeting. I am delighted to be part of our dynamic faculty and look forward to continuing in my role of Chair for a further term.

The new RACGP Tasmania Council has been confirmed and I am pleased to welcome Dr Mirza Baig as Regional representative for Braddon and Dr Isobel Morse as Regional representative for Bass. Mirza, from Deloraine and Isobel from Launceston will offer fresh perspective of the challenges of general practice in the northwest and northern regions.

Dr Lizzi Shires has accepted the role of Rural Council Representative. Lizzi’s vast experience in rural general practice and as Director of the Rural Clinical School at Burnie gives her a strong and expert voice in this diverse field.

We welcome Dr Jim Berryman and Dr Marianne Catchpole to the Advocacy and Support Officer roles in the northern and southern regions respectively. Contact Jim and Marianne for valued insights and considered advice.

Dr Tim Mooney has been a steadfast member of the RACGP Tasmania Council and staunch supporter of education and rural practice for many years. Tim will retire from Council this year; we will miss his breadth of experience and wicked sense of humour.

Matthew Rush attended the Faculty Member Meeting for his final time as RACGP Tasmania Manager. Throughout the past five years, Matt was a strong advocate for Tasmanian GPs; he instigated and influenced enormous positive change. We congratulate Matt on his new role as RACGP National Manager – Faculties.

Please contact me if you have any queries or comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Jenny Presser
Chair, RACGP Tasmania.


Calendar of events


RACGP Tasmania upcoming events calendar 2019

Exploring the landscape of palliative care Saturday 31 August 2019 Rural Clinical School, Burnie
Accredited CPR Saturday 31 August 2019 Rural Clinical School, Burnie
Fellowship and Awards Ceremony Saturday 21 September 2019 Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart
FRACGP pre-exam workshop – OSCE Saturday 28 September 2019 RACGP Tasmania, Hobart
Accredited CPR Friday and Saturday 1–2 November 2019 RACGP Tasmania, Hobart
FRACGP pre-exam workshop – Applied Knowledge Test and Key Feature Problem components Saturday 7 December 2019 RACGP Tasmania, Hobart

Events in the spotlight


Tasmania in action

Thank you to everyonr who attended the Tasmania Member Meeting in Launceston earlier this month.

On behalf of our members, RACGP Tasmania is pleased to announce the new state Council for 2019–20:
 

Provost Assoc Prof Jan Radford
Chair Dr Jennifer Presser
Censor Dr Chris Hughes
Assessment Panel Chair Dr Rebecca Daniels
Education Panel Chair and Deputy Chair Dr Jennie Robinson
Rural Representative  Dr Lizzi Shires
Regional Representative for Bass   Dr Isobel Morse 
Regional Representative for Braddon Dr Mirza Baig
Regional Representative for Denison Dr Amanda Lo
Regional Representative for Franklin Dr Tim Jackson 
Regional Representative for Lyons Dr David Dalton 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Representative Dr Angela Forrest
Advocacy and Support Officer – Northern region and Deputy Chair Dr Jim Berryman
Advocacy and Support Officer – Southern region Dr Marianne Catchpole 
New Fellows Representative Dr Ginita Oberoi
Registrar Representative Dr Samantha Wyton
Student Representative Ms Fiona Beer

RACGP Tasmania news


Palliative care: Exploring the landscape

Saturday 31 August 2019

The provision of palliative care is a significant challenge for general practice. Care setting, stage of illness and patient preferences all add to the complexity of effective management.

This workshop aims to empower GPs to confidently provide optimal palliative care and will consider:

  • effective assessment
  • management of pain
  • management of other symptoms
  • Advanced Care Directive and medical goals of care
  • end-of-life conversations
  • resources, referral pathways and support networks in the Tasmanian context.

This full-day workshop will be held at the Rural Clinical School, Burnie.

Register now.

Accredited CPR series

As we near the end of the current 2017–19 QI&CPD triennium, RACGP Tasmania will deliver a final suite of CPR courses to assist GPs in fulfilling their requirements.

These time-efficient sessions consist of two components: an online module and a one-hour practical skills assessment delivered locally.

Currently, we have practical skills assessment opportunities available in Burnie and Hobart.

Accredited CPR – Burnie Saturday 31 August 2019
Accredited CPR – Hobart Friday and Saturday 1–2 November 2019

Register now.


 

RACGP Tasmania – Fellowship and Awards Ceremony

Saturday 21 September 2019

 
Congratulations to all new Fellows who have recently attained their Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).

The RACGP Tasmania Fellowship and Awards Ceremony is designed to applaud the achievements of our new Fellows, honour award winners and celebrate collegiality. This year's celebrations will be held at The Astley Room, Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart.

All members of the general practice community are warmly invited to witness the official presentations together with their colleagues, family and friends. Celebratory drinks and canapés will follow the formal program.

For more information, please email RACGP Tasmania or call 03 6212 5888.

Registration now open.

Be exam ready in 2019

Take this opportunity to maximise the quality of your RACGP Fellowship (FRACGP) exam preparations by attending an RACGP Tasmania pre-exam course.

Learn examination techniques and refresh your knowledge across the various domains of general practice to enhance your chances of success.

Currently two workshops are available.
 
Objective Structured Clinical Examination Saturday 28 September 2019
Applied Knowledge Test and 
Key Feature Problem components 
Saturday 7 December 2019

Register now.

For enquiries, email Melita Medisauskas, Examination Officer, or call 03 6212 5888.
 

External news


The Advance Project: Specifically designed to support Australian GPs and general practices^

This free suite of training and resources enables you and your practice teams to deliver better primary healthcare through team-based initiation of advance care planning and palliative care.

  • Specifically designed to support Australian GPs and general practices
  • A practical, evidence-based toolkit and a training package
  • Enabling earlier consideration and uptake of advance care planning
  • Implementing advance care planning and palliative care into everyday clinical practice
  • Mentoring support for implementation
  • Certificate for accreditation of CPD points on completion

For more information or to register for online training and resources, visit The Advance Project website.

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, with training accredited by the RACGP for four Category 2 CPD points.

The Advance Project also provides online training for general practice nurses and practice managers endorsed by the relevant professional associations.


^Paid contribution.

Get involved in an after-hours clinic for vulnerable people

Funded through Primary Health Tasmania and the Federal Government, Moreton Group Medical Services provides access to bulk-billed GP consultations for vulnerable Tasmanians, between 6.00–10.00 pm, Monday to Friday. 
 
Delivered from an ambulance converted into a mobile clinic, this service aims to provide patients with an option to present at a hospital emergency department or call for an ambulance. This specifically designed vehicle contains a consultation area with an examination bed and seating for up to three people. To support the GP, there is remote access to practice software and a printer for creating prescriptions and referrals.
 
The service provides urgent assessments to clinics and to patients who have difficulty accessing healthcare due to displacement or battles with mental illness or financial stress. Patients can contact the service through their supported accommodation or community service provider (CSP).  A full list of CSPs is available on the Moreton Group website.
 
Currently, the funding for the service is limited to the administrative costs. GPs are paid an hourly rate and this is subsidised by Medicare billings. The service chooses to pay GPs hourly to prevent time pressures during complicated consultations.
 
We warmly welcome your contact if you are interested in working with vulnerable Tasmanians, even four hours a month would help immensely. To find out more, please email info@moretongroup.com
 
‘The work was confronting and challenged me in many ways at first, but this is also the reason why the work satisfies my core need to help people and make an impact.’ Dr Meg McKeown, Hobart.

2019 MPST Foundation grant applications are now open

The Medical Protection Society of Tasmania (MPST) Foundation was established in 2015 as a not-for-profit organisation. The purpose of the foundation is to advance education in medicine (not including alternative medicine) and to advance health.
 
The Foundation manages a range of grants for medical practitioners and medical students registered or training in Tasmania. The aim is to advance the health of the Tasmanian community through health education, research and training.
 
Grant applications close on Thursday 31 October 2019. For more information, visit the MPST website.

 

*Inclusion does not imply RACGP endorsement.

 

Thrills, spills and pills: Sexual equality, education and birth control contributing to social change

10.00 am – 12.20 pm, Saturday 21 September 2019

The Collection of Medical Artefacts (COMA) warmly invites GPs to attend the seminar to be held at Frances Parsons Building, Jane Franklin Hall, 6 Elboden Street, South Hobart.
 
The seminar will be delivered in four sessions:

  • The forgotten women doctors of World War 1  
  • Conceiving a state-wide service: The struggle to establish Family Planning Tasmania
  • Back to the future: Trends in contraception
  • By women for women: A quiet revolution in women’s health advice in the early 20th century

For more information or to register, please email coma@jane.edu.au or call 03 6210 0100.


*Inclusion does not imply RACGP endorsement.

Keeping the body in mind when treating schizophrenia

6.30–9.00 pm, Wednesday 28 August 2019

Lundbeck Australia and Otsuka Australia invite GPs to attend a dinner seminar at the RACT Hotel, Stables Function Room, 154–156 Collins Street, Hobart.
 
Dr Anil Reddy, Consultant Psychiatrist, will present 'Keeping the body in mind when treating schizophrenia' and 'An overview of Brexpiprazole'.
 
To register, email Michelle Salvador or call 0412 892 801.


Visit recruitGP – the RACGP’s trusted, single source for general practice employment opportunities across urban, remote and rural Australia.

It’s free for RACGP members.

The RACGP does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage that may result from reliance on, or the use of, any information contained in this newsletter.

Advertising

Advertising