Pick your own quality improvement activity
Photo: The team at Lennox Head Medical Centre. You know your practice and patients best. We recognise that when it comes to quality improvement, you know which initiatives you are ready to take on, and the importance of shaping your own quality improvement. To assist your practice with your own quality improvement activity, we have
COVID-19 restrictions affecting our area
COVID-19 restrictions are now in place for regional NSW including limits on the number of visitors people can have at home, and mandatory mask-wearing on public transport, in non-residential indoor areas (including workplaces), at airports and on commercial flights. There are also travel restrictions for entering NSW and entering Queensland. Stay at home orders Due
Indemnity scheme for GPs advising patients about COVID-19 vaccines
National Cabinet has announced a COVID-19 professional indemnity scheme for healthcare practitioners who provide advice to people in relation to COVID-19 vaccination. The scheme covers COVID-19 vaccines approved by the TGA and approved for use in the vaccine program. GPs can administer AstraZeneca to Australians under 60 years of age with informed consent. The indemnity
Medical educator position available
Healthy North Coast is recruiting a part-time Medical Educator to deliver high-quality CPD for GPs, nurses and allied health professionals across Northern NSW. 8-16hrs/week for 12 months is available. Choice of base location Tweed Heads, Lismore or Ballina. Working from home arrangements also available. More information is available on the SEEK website. Enquire now for
NAIDOC Week starts on Sunday
This Sunday marks the start of NAIDOC Week 2021. Every year from 4–11 July, NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, it welcomes everyone to participate in a range of activities and to
100 scholarships to attend Oceanic Palliative Care Conference
Students, health professionals and aged care workers – apply before Monday 5 July, for one of 100 scholarships to Palliative Care Australia’s virtual Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in September. The 3-day event with the theme, Invest, Challenge, Change will provide many opportunities for palliative care workers to learn, grow and be inspired. Scholarship recipients will receive full
GPs – urge your patients aged over 60 to get vaccinated
The latest outbreak of COVID-19 community transmission in Sydney is a grim reminder that we aren’t immune to this pandemic. Please urge your patients aged 60 and over to book their AstraZeneca vaccine – whether it be for their first dose or a strong reminder for their second dose. For those due for their second
Changes to Closing the Gap PBS co-payments
From 1 July, any PBS prescriber can register eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for the Closing the Gap Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Co-payment Program. PBS prescribers will no longer be required to write or electronically print ‘CTG’ on eligible PBS prescriptions for registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. However, annotating a PBS script will
Child sexual abuse: therapy rates and factors affecting use
These companion resources summarise key findings of a rapid review of the evidence for professionals engaging with children who have experienced sexual abuse, from the point of disclosure through to treatment. Rates of therapy use following a disclosure of child sexual abuse looks at the utilisation of therapy for child sexual abuse, and Factors influencing
ATAGI changes Pfizer preference to 59 years and under
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) today recommended the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine be preferred for adults aged 59 and under. Up until 17 June, ATAGI’s advice had been the Pfizer vaccine be preferred for adults aged 49 and under. This was based on evidence related to the incidence of the very rare blood-clotting
Healthy Living and Ageing Strategy development now underway
Photo: Participants at work in the first workshop on 3 June. The first workshop for Healthy North Coast’s Healthy Living And Ageing Strategy was held in Coffs Harbour on 3 June 2021. The workshop was an opportunity for consumers, clinicians and service providers to give their insights into the ageing process, with a view to
HealthPathways addresses abuse and neglect of older people
A new HealthPathway for Abuse and Neglect of Older People has been established to address this growing community concern. HealthPathways Clinical Editor Dr Hilton Koppe said the Royal Commission into Aged Care, which handed down its final report in February, had highlighted the issue. ‘The pathway encourages clinicians to think about specific groups of people
