March 2019

The 2019 Federal Election is fast approaching. Last month, RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon asked all members to make an appointment with one of their local candidates and talk to them about the importance of general practice. Recognising that we are all particularly busy at the moment, if there is a candidate meeting members of the public at your local shops or if you can find time to meet them in their office, now is the time to be sure they understand our concerns. General practice is the most efficient and effective part of Australia’s healthcare system. It is time our political leaders properly invest in it.

RACGP Victoria continues to present events for members 

The New Fellows Committee presented NEXT on Saturday 16 March as a way to talk to new Fellows about what happens next in their careers. Topics discussed included what the RACGP looks like, how it functions, the vast array of resources and services on offer through our resources guides, and importantly, our library which is the largest medical college library in the southern hemisphere.

Our Women in General Practice Committee hosted ‘Planning for the unplanned’ on Saturday 23 March. The event was an update on an important and significant new practice and treatment option for women. The International Medicine in Addiction conference, which continues to grow and attract doctors from all areas of Asia Pacific, was also held in Melbourne at the beginning of March.

Examiner training 

I would like to encourage all interested members to get involved in any upcoming examiner training opportunities. RACGP examinations are a wonderful chance for you to learn more about the junior doctors who have chosen general practice as their career and to share your experience, to impact the future of our profession.

More workshops

RACGP Victoria also continues to deliver training for medication assisted treatment of opioid addiction. Again, I encourage anyone interested in this area to attend. The skills you will acquire in these workshops will last your career. Importantly, RACGP Victoria also offers a wide range of educational and networking opportunities including upcoming working on psychodynamics, anxiety disorders as well as CPR training. 

We are nearing the end of this triennium, so please contact the RACGP Victoria office if you need help meeting your requirements.

See you next month.

Thursday 2 May 2019

This forum will focus on GPs and psychiatrists working together for the future advancement of mental health in Victoria. Participants are encouraged to consider the challenging areas and bring along some possible solutions, ideas for change and examples of what works for you to share and discuss.

Key topics and current issues will be determined for both small break-out group discussion, as well as general open discussion later in the evening.

Hosted by RACGP Victoria and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victoria Branch Liaison Committee.

Register now.

Saturday 18 May 2019

In collaboration with Black Dog Institute, RACGP Victoria is pleased to offer this highly interactive workshop aimed at providing GPs with a comprehensive theoretical understanding of anxiety disorders together with an extensive range of skills and strategies to better manage anxiety in practices.  

Learning objectives 

• Distinguish between normal anxiety and clinically significant anxiety disorders
• Identify common avoidance and safety behaviours and the central role they play in anxiety disorders
• Employ behavioural techniques, such as relaxation, mindfulness meditation and graded exposure to assist patients with anxiety disorders 
• Challenge unhelpful cognitions and metacognitions commonly associated with anxiety disorders
• Appraise the role of medications in the management of anxiety disorders

This workshop is accredited for 40 Category 1 QI&CPD points for the 2017–19 triennium.

Register now.

Join in the exciting new program changes for GP19 supporting 'Your patients. Your community. Your solutions'. Session submissions are now open and this is your chance to be a part of something innovative.

With the introduction of new and dynamic delivery styles, such as wisdom in small episode or 'WISE', PechaKucha and speed-dating style presentations, there will be a diverse range of hands-on, interactive and highly engaging program sessions. 

Session submissions close at 12.00 am AEST, Tuesday 30 April 2019. To learn how you can be a part of GP19, visit the GP19 website.

Every day, you and your practice team are improving the quality of healthcare you provide to your patients. 

If you can capture that improvement by describing, documenting and evaluating your practises, then you can use your experience to complete the quality improvement (QI) requirement for the QI&CPD 2017–19 triennium.

The following activity options capture quality improvement:

• Small group learning (SGL) 
• Clinical audit 
• General practice research 
• Evidence-based medicine journal club (EBMJC) 
• Supervised clinical attachment (SCA) 
• Plan, do, study, act (PDSA)
• Planning learning and need (PLAN)
• QI reflection form

The RACGP is here to support you with meeting your QI&CPD requirements. If you require assistance, please contact us.

You may have relocated interstate or overseas, changed phone numbers or reduced your work hours to spend time with family. 

To further help us provide a tailored membership service, please let us know if your working circumstances will be different for the upcoming 2019–20 financial year. 

Log in to your RACGP account to update your details today.

Applications for the 2020 intake of the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program are now open for junior doctors who wish to train towards a career in general practice.

The RACGP is recognised as a leader in the provision of general practice education and training, supporting more than 23,000 GPs with achieving Fellowship since 1958.

The government-funded training program provides the training doctors require to achieve general practice Fellowship and gain specialist registration. The AGPT Program comprises three to four years of full-time training held in metropolitan, rural, remote and very remote locations in Australia.

Download the RACGP’s Selection guide to learn about the application and selection process, and where training as a GP can take you.

Applications close at 10.00 am AEST, Monday 29 April. To apply, visit the RACGP AGPT website.

RACGP members across Australia are encouraged to nominate their peers in the annual RACGP Awards in recognition of their dedication to general practice and their local community. 

The awards recognise and celebrate the important achievements of RACGP members each year. 

State winners in each award category will be announced in July, with the national winner selected from the pool of state winners. National winners will be announced at GP19, the RACGP conference to be held in Adelaide in October.

Nominations are now open and will close at 5.00 pm AEST, Friday 17 May 2018.

For more information, visit the RACGP website.

Women are choosing to delay childbearing until more advanced maternal ages. As fertility rates decline with age, the prevention of infertility is becoming more important. 

GPs are often the first health professional that patients approach in regards to their fertility, which is why we are seeking GPs to who are interested in participating in our 10-minute online survey.   

Learn about oocyte cryopreservation and receive immediate feedback.. 

Take the survey.

Receive the survey results.

If you have any queries, please call Alison Slater on 0414 315 566 or email Alisons1@student.unimelb.edu.au

This research is supervised under Dr Raelia Lew and Dr Michelle Peate. (Ethics ID #1853398)

Family Planning Victoria has a range of RACGP QI&CPD accredited courses to choose from, including:

• FPAA National Certificate in Reproductive & Sexual Health for Doctors (May, August and November)
  Nationally recognised training for excellence in the delivery of sexual and reproductive health in primary care.
• Contraception (online, anytime)
  A flexible study option for clinicians wanting in-depth knowledge of the latest contraception options available in Australia.

For details and registration, visit www.fpv.org.au/professional-learning-support/professional-learning/doctors

In November 2019, new Medicare item numbers for eating disorders will allow individuals with GP diagnoses access 40 psychology and 20 dietetics sessions. To prepare GPs for this change, Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) is delivering GP-specific training on eating disorders. 

EDV have two RACGP-accredited training options available:

• The online course is accredited for two Category 2 QI&CPD points.
• The face-to-face course is accredited for 40 Category 1 QI&CPD points.

The next Category 1 training will be held at 8.45 am – 3.45 pm AEST, Saturday 13 April 2019 at EDV in Abbotsford.

For more information and to book, visit www.eatingdisorders.org.au/events or call 1300 550 236. 

SafeScript will soon roll out across Victoria. If you haven’t already registered, you will be emailed a link and instructions. Alternatively, you can register now at www.safescript.vic.gov.au

Over 6700 clinicians have registered to use SafeScript and many are already finding it a valuable tool to enhance their clinical decision-making. 

If you require additional support in treating patients with high-risk prescription medication concerns and complex needs, new GP clinical advisors are now available on 1800 812 804 (DACAS line) to provide peer-to-peer mentoring advice.

Visit www.health.vic.gov.au/safescript for steps on how to integrate SafeScript with your software and save you time. Best Practice, Medical Director, Genie and ZedMed now offer integration.

*Inclusion does not imply RACGP endorsement.