Half of Australians Have a Chronic Disease, One Quarter Have Two or More
The two-yearly report card from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Australia’s Health 2018, shows a population that’s living longer but with more chronic disease. And this disease is often underpinned by lifestyle factors. Half of Australians have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, a mental illness, or cancer. Importantly
Do You Work with or Know an Exceptional Rural GP or GP Registrar?
The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine is seeking nominations to celebrate the contribution of rural GPs and registrars at their 2018 conference. This is your opportunity to nominate a doctor who is making a significant contribution to our communities on the North Coast. Awards and descriptions that might match their noteworthy achievements include:
Confidential Medical Advice for Doctors
The Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (NSW) aims to ensure that every doctor, dentist, veterinarian or student in these professions has ready access to health care. The service offers a telephone helpline for personal and confidential advice for practitioners and students in NSW. Phone (02) 9437 6552. The helpline handles calls relating to stress and mental
Substance Support for the LGBTI Community
By Derek Tys, ACON I would like to introduce myself as the Substance Support Counsellor at ACON Northern Rivers, based in Lismore. The Substance Support program’s aim is to reduce the harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in the LGBTI community by providing free counselling to community members, their partners, friends
More Doctors At Lismore/Kyogle Sexual Health Clinics
Choices Reproductive and Sexual Health Clinics in Lismore and Kyogle have welcomed two new doctors to their team – Dr Anne-Louise Swain and Dr Lynne Davies. They provide specialist care and support for women and men from adolescence onwards to make choices for themselves about their reproductive and sexual health. The clinic provides bulk-billed, professional
New Option for Venesections
In conjunction with the Mid North Coast Cancer Institute, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service would like to highlight the therapeutic donation pathway. Patients who meet the Blood Service’s donation requirements can be referred via this pathway for therapeutic venesection. This process may be relevant to your patients. The Blood Service has an electronic referral
Sick Day Action Plans
In conjunction with the upcoming winter season and the 2018 Winter Strategy, the relevant Sick Day Action Plans have been updated on the HealthPathways website for GPs and other health professionals to personalise with their patients. Action Plans enable patients to make well-informed and guided decisions about their own health care with better health outcomes.
My Health Record Expansion: In Your Hands
By the end of 2018, every Australian will have a My Health Record unless they choose not to have one. My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information. Healthcare providers can access timely information about patients such as shared health summaries, discharge summaries, prescription and dispense records, pathology reports and diagnostic
GP Appointments Following Hospitalisation
From 11 June 2018, the Northern NSW Local Health District (the LHD) has scaled up the current practice of making an appointment for patients with their regular GP upon discharge from its inpatient facilities. At the time of patient discharge, hospital ward staff will contact general practitioners to make a follow up appointment on behalf
Healthy Towns Have Their Say
Healthy Towns workshops brought together community members, health professionals and service providers this month in four Northern NSW towns: Evans Head, Maclean, Woolgoolga and Casino. The passion and enthusiasm of the community has been a highlight at each event, with over 150 people attending to brainstorm local solutions to local issues. The priorities covered included
You Can Help to Prevent COPD Exacerbations
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations are the second leading cause of preventable hospitalisations in Australia. Research shows that patients with COPD are more likely to have an exacerbation over winter. ‘Have the CHAT’ is Lung Foundation Australia’s COPD exacerbation campaign for primary care health professionals, equipping you with the tools and resources needed to
Diabetes – It’s About Time
What are the 4 Ts? It’s about time your patients knew! Too many Australians are being diagnosed with diabetes too late. This is true for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Over 600 people end up in hospital emergency rooms each year very sick, and then find out they have type 1 diabetes.
