Primary Care Impact
Menu
Menu
Menu
This is a Less Involved QI – includes PIP QI measures
Prepare your practice to support victim survivors of Domestic and Family Violence
The Prime Minister recently stated that domestic and family violence was a “national crisis”. Domestic and family violence is when a partner, former partner or family member tries to scare, intimidate, hurt or control you. In Australia:
Primary Care staff are often the first point of contact for a victim of domestic and family violence, and clinicians and practices have the responsibility to make sure they are supported.
Prepare your practice for supporting victim survivors of domestic and family violence.
Staff confidence in providing appropriate support to victim survivors.
Healthy North Coast Education
Watch Healthy North Coast Webinar “Breaking the Silence: Domestic & Family Violence in Primary Care”. The webinar covered common presentation patterns of domestic and family violence to empowering primary care clinicians with invaluable insights. Learn about the diverse support services tailored for North Coast communities and the journey DFV victims must undertake when navigating the medical, legal, criminal and support services available.
HealthPathways Resources
Domestic and Family Violence
The domestic and family violence HealthPathway outlines assessment, management, referral pathways and further information for clinical staff and can serve as a first point of reference.
Domestic and Family Abuse and Violence (DFAV)
Acute Domestic and Family Violence Referrals
Domestic and Family Violence Psychosocial Support
RACGP Resources
Professional Development Program on Family Violence
Our program provides effective resources to support you when assisting families where violence is occurring. Learn about:
https://www.racgp.org.au/familyviolence/index.htm
White Book: Abuse and Violence: Working with our patients in general practice
The manual offers health practitioners evidence-based guidance on appropriate identification and response in clinical practice to patients experiencing abuse and violence. In particular, it focuses on intimate partner and sexual violence and children experiencing abuse, as these are often the main victims of abuse. Abuse-and-violence-working-with-our-patients-in-general-practice.pdf (racgp.org.au)
Other RACGP resources: RACGP – Family Violence
Centre of Research Excellence Safer Families: The Readiness Program
The Readiness Program is a national training program for primary care providers to effectively recognise, respond, refer and record domestic and family violence using a trauma and violence informed approach. Safer Families Readiness Program
Intimate Partner Violence: Identification and Initial Response Clinical Audit
The Safer Families Centre has developed a clinical audit CPD activity for GPs on Intimate Partner Violence Identification (IPV) and Initial Response. The activity aims to provide a better understanding of IPV and how to identify and ask patients about it. GPs will also strengthen their capacity to identify barriers to asking about IPV and how to overcome those barriers. The activity also attracts up to 10 RACGP CPD hours in Measuring Outcomes for GPs. https://www.saferfamilies.org.au/cpd-audit
More Resources and Patient Groups
DV-Alert Domestic and Family Violence Response Training
DV-alert is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services for frontline workers, paid and volunteering, who provide service and support to the community in the health, allied health, education and community sectors to learn how to Recognise the signs of domestic and family violence, Respond appropriately and Refer to support services.
https://www.dvalert.org.au/
Department of Social Services Family Safety Pack
The Australian Government has developed a Family Safety Pack for men and women coming to Australia. It includes information on Australia’s laws regarding domestic and family violence, sexual assault and forced marriage, and a woman’s right to be safe. Family Safety Pack | Department of Social Services, Australian Government
DFAV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relationships
1800RESPECT Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Experiences of Violence
Our Watch –Changing the picture contains a set of clear actions that are needed to address the many drivers of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Changing the Picture: Preventing Violence Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women
DFAV in LGBTIQ relationships – ACON
This 1800RESPECT webinar is a discussion about the added complexities involved when working with LGBTIQ clients who have experienced domestic and family violence. 1800RESPECT Webinar – Understanding LGBTIQ Domestic and Family Violence and How to Respond
Healthy North Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across our region, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and on their journey. We recognise these lands were never ceded and acknowledge the continuation of culture and connection to the land, sky and sea. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Land’s First Peoples and honour the rich diversity of the oldest living cultures.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we live and work, the Bundjalung, Arakwal, Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr, Githabul, Dunghutti and Birpai Nations, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to elders past, present and future.
Contact our Primary Health Coordinators
Strategic Priority Area: One team
North Coast is identified as the region most likely to be impacted by climate change in Australia and also forecasted greatest growth in those 65+.
Healthy North Coast takes a lead role in ensuring the older population and the sector that supports them are prepared for, can respond to and recover from disasters and other emergencies.
We have led eight regional disaster management capacity building workshops, bringing together SES, community organisations and the aged care sector.
We have also developed disaster preparedness tip sheets for both residential and community aged care providers.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
In May 2022, the NSW Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022. Effective from Tuesday, 28 November 2023, eligible people have the choice to access voluntary assisted dying.
Healthy North Coast has developed a webpage for both health professionals and consumers, with links to available information and resources.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
Healthy North Coast has worked with people living with dementia, their families and local service providers to develop an information booklet that will help them connect with local and national supports along their journey.
Highly regarded by a range of professional supporting those on or starting the dementia journey, the booklet includes commonly asked questions for people to ask their GP and/or specialist.
“It’s a fantastic resource and I give it to everyone on their first diagnosis. Its easy to read, so well planned and thought through and has lots of really useful information, tailored to the region.
I also find it very helpful when educating clinical staff.”
−Geropsychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Mid North Coast.
The resource is available in digital and printed copies, with more than 5,000 distributed across the region. An e-version is available to clinicians via the Dementia and Cognitive Impairment HealthPathway.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
The Deteriorating Resident Response Tool (DRRT) has been developed to guide RN’s in Residential Aged Care homes (RACHs) to better understand, anticipate and make clinical decisions responding to the deteriorating health of residents.
The objective of the DRRT is to give RACH staff clear information to triage and provide appropriate care for a range of residents’ health conditions, and, in turn, prevent unnecessary presentations to ED.
The tool has been designed together with a specialist geriatrician, consulting with stakeholders such as Residential Aged Care Managers, NSW Ambulance, GPs, and experts from Mid and North Coast LHDs.
The pilot commences in March with four participating RACHs. Evaluation measures will include effectiveness in building RN confidence and reported reduction in unnecessary hospitalisations. Findings will inform a future planned, region-wide implementation.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
The Care Finders program is a free region-wide service to support vulnerable older people who have no-one else to help them, to learn about, apply for and set up support services.
Care finders can help people understand what aged care services are available, set up an assessment, and find and choose services. They also help people with access to other supports in the community, both accessing services for the first time and changing or finding new services and supports.
On the North Coast, Healthy North Coast has commissioned four organisations to provide this important service: EACH, Carexcell, Lifetime Connect and Footprints.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Healthy North Coast commissions two service providers to deliver psychological therapies and supports for older people with, or at risk of developing, a mental illness and who are living in residential aged care homes (RACHs).
The aim of the program is to both provide direct support to residents and their families and carers, as well as upskill the RACH workforce to respond to the needs of residents presenting with mental health concerns.
Strategic Priority Area: Securing a Healthier Future
Delivered by Feros Care, the Healthy Me, Healthy Community program aims to build individual and community connections to reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing in Port Macquarie.
The program helps people to connect with community, activities, supports and services that address their broader social determinants of health, as an alternative or supplement to a clinical approach.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified several critical areas affecting aged care residents and our health system. Key challenges include:
Telehealth offers valuable opportunities to enhance support for residents living in aged care homes. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, this initiative provides telehealth equipment and staff training as part of the response to the Royal Commission’s findings.
By improving access to primary care clinicians, specialist services, and other service providers through telehealth, we can significantly enhance health outcomes for residents, reducing unnecessary hospital transfers and emergency department visits.
The selection of telehealth equipment was guided by our Healthy Ageing Strategy (HAS), a comprehensive digital discovery questionnaire, and consultation workshops with various stakeholders. These efforts included interviews with residents to understand their attitudes toward telehealth, ensuring the initiative meets their needs and preferences.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Aims to provide people who have life limiting conditions the opportunity to exercise choice and receive high quality care at home, harnessing improved and better coordinated supports and services that meet their individual needs.
Program objectives:
These objectives will contribute to achieving the following intended overarching outcomes of:
Funding is open to all primary care providers within disaster affected communities across the Healthy North Coast footprint.
Workforce Locum support and R&R funding criteria
Wellbeing Flexible Funding Criteria & Eligibility
| *Team Size (Total staff and contractors) | Funding Available |
| Small (1-5) | $500-$1500 |
| Medium (6-20) | $1500-$4000 |
| Large (>20) | $4000-$5000 |
Primary Health Coordinators