Join like-minded GPs and nurse practitioners to improve care and increase understanding of the physical, mental, and emotional effects of post COVID-19.
Post-COVID-19 (also known as long COVID or post-acute COVID-19 syndrome) can affect many different bodily systems and prevent people from returning to their normal activities, sometimes for many weeks or months.
‘Most of my long COVID patients already have other chronic diseases and their five Medicare rebated allied health sessions have already been allocated or used. It’s vastly insufficient for someone who is simultaneously unable to earn an income because of their illness and requires expensive regular allied health input to maximise their recovery.’
– GP, rural Victoria
RACGP submission to House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport’s inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections.
It exacts a significant physical, mental and psychological toll on patients. Along with ‘a constellation of symptoms’, patients commonly report increased social isolation, financial or employment stress and anxiety.
‘My patients with long COVID feel insecure, anxious and isolated ... they are not sure about where to obtain information and resources about treatment.’
– GP, metropolitan Western Australia
The Victorian Department of Health estimates that, based on Omicron infection rates, 3.3% of the Victorian population have (or have had) long COVID during 2022, with 0.6% experiencing severe long COVID.
‘I work in an area of disadvantage with a cohort of patients with multiple comorbidities. My suspicion is that long COVID symptoms and signs in my population are likely under-reported, under-detected and under-managed.’
– GP, metropolitan New South Wales
Deputy CMO, Professor Michael Kid, has noted the importance of vigilance in general practice regarding long COVID, especially as it will be ‘predominantly a condition which is managed in primary care’.
Long COVID is a new condition and there is, as yet, limited evidence to inform its management. The RACGP seeks to equip GPs and nurse practitioners to draw on one another’s expertise and the available evidence to increase support to patients with long COVID.
Sessions include:
identifying patients at risk of post-COVID-19 conditions
developing resources to assist GPs and patients
management and referral pathways.
This training program will also contribute to our understanding of this emerging health condition. It will provide a much-needed mechanism to collect, collate and evaluate data and feedback on management of long COVID in primary care.
A community of practice (CoP) maximises the benefits of working and learning together in a peer group educational setting.
The post COVID-19 CoP equips Victorian GPs and nurse practitioners to improve care and increase understanding about the physical, mental, and emotional effects of post COVID-19 syndrome.
CoP sessions have proven a valuable way to:
Throughout the sessions you will hear from a range of professions and their response to post-COVID. Across these sessions you will:
There are no more Post COVID-19 Community of Practice Sessions available in 2023. Thank you for your interest.
(03) 8699 0043
vic.postcovid@racgp.org.au
Join like-minded Victorian GPs and nurse practitioners to improve care and increase understanding of the physical, mental, and emotional effects of post COVID-19.