October 2020

Hopefully we’re now seeing the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic wane. But there’s some distance to go between now and effective control of the virus. General practice has truly stepped up – changing clinics and appointment schedules and doing what needed to be done early to make practices as safe as possible. There has been a small number of cases in general practice, but no outbreaks linked to GP clinics. The slow speed at which general practice issues have been addressed by all levels of government is disappointing, but in the interim, Victorian GPs continue to care for COVID-positive patients and will do so as the long and complicated effects unravel.

The faculty continues our involvement on many fronts. Dr Sally Cockburn continues to deliver our successful fortnightly Alt-Wednesday webinar series, running deep dives into COVID-related issues.

We’re arranging to meet with Victoria’s new Minister for Health, Martin Foley, and we look forward to strengthening our advocacy to show the state government there’s a large, capable group of specialists that can improve the health of Victorians.

We’re helping the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation better understand GPs who work in Aboriginal medical services. Long-time faculty member Dr Ed Poliness ran a related workshop earlier this month, and we look forward to the outcomes.

We’ve just finished the first part of our election process. We welcome back Drs Yousuf Ahmad, Ajai Verma, Bernard Shui, Anita Muñoz Carl Jansz and Alison Green, and welcome a new councillor, Dr Primo Bentivegna. Drs Sarah Lewis and Naveed Mughal are not continuing and Dr Trisha Boetto is stepping aside as Provost. I thank them for their participation over the years. At our Members Meeting, we’ll elect a new faculty Chair, and in the coming month, other office bearers will also be elected.

Lastly, we’ve announced our remarkable 2020 state award winners. Dr Bernard Shui is GP of the Year, Dr Katherine Snow is GP in Training of the Year, Dr Terence Heng is GP Supervisor of the Year and the Altona North Medical Group is Practice of the Year. So often the work of general practice goes unheralded, so it was great to celebrate the wide field of nominations showing the excellence that surrounds and inspires us.

Dr Cameron Loy
Chair, RACGP Victoria

This session will focus on springtime asthma and allergic rhinitis and how to manage both conditions using the latest evidence-based guidelines.

Topics covered will include:

• assessing, diagnosing and managing allergic rhinitis, including allergy treatment plans
• identifying and managing patients at risk of thunderstorm asthma
• preparing your practice for a thunderstorm asthma event.

Register now.

This webinar is accredited for two category 2 CPD points.

Join this online training for Victorian prescribers.

Module 1: includes implementing safe and effective opioid prescribing and recognising, preventing and responding to opioid abuse, access Module 1.

Module 2: includes recordings of ‘essential knowledge’, interviews with MATOD experts and two Zoom sessions to ask questions of the experts.

On completion you’ll be trained and recognised as a prescriber for methadone- and buprenorphine-based assisted treatment of opioid dependence.

Department of Health and Human Services and RACGP Victoria fortnightly COVID-19 update

Get the latest COVID-19 advice and answers your questions from the Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Chief Health Officer and/or Deputy Public Health Commander and RACGP Faculty Chair Dr Cameron Loy, Deputy Chair Dr Anita Munoz and council member Dr Bernard Shiu.

Alt-Wednesdays: Deep diving on GP-specific COVID-19 clinical issues

Join host Dr Sally Cockburn every second Wednesday as she discusses GP-relevant clinical topics from the COVID-19 pandemic. In each session, Dr Cockburn will be joined by various experts to unpack important issues to provide GPs with practical ways to respond to the challenges of the pandemic.

See the events table for upcoming dates and registration links.

Created for GPs by GPs, the GP20 program will analyse the challenges of the pandemic and provide the clinical education and research information that helps you be the best GP you can be.

GP20 will run from Monday 16 to Saturday 28 November 2020.

The RACGP Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) GP Education Program helps boosts the competency of less experienced GPs in tackling patient AOD use and helps GPs support patients to contemplate change, minimise harm and enter appropriate treatment plans.

You can complete the training through online interactive workshops (AOD Live) or self-directed e-learning modules. On completion, you’ll receive a $1200 grant payment.

Visit the AOD Program website.

AOD – Project ECHO

The RACGP’s AOD Connect: Project ECHO sessions are held every Thursday evening for GPs to discuss their AOD patient cases. Sessions are open to all RACGP members, and there are no prerequisites.