General Practice

The Nepean Division of General Practice can support your practice to undertake accreditation or re-accreditation as follows:

• Sample policies, procedures and documents

• Assistance with self-assessment software

• Assessment of practice readiness to undergo accreditation

For more information, please click here for a flyer.

The Aged Care Access Initiative (ACAI) improves the access for low care residents of Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) to allied health services and GPs. The initiative began on 1st July 2008, and funding has been extended to continue through to June 2012.

ACAI funding supports improved access to health providers by:

• GP incentive payments to encourage GPs to provide increased and continuing services in RACFS; and
• Allied Health Professional payments for the provision of services in RACFs additional to those currently covered by Medicare and other arrangements

The GP incentive payment operates through the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) and is designed to encourage GPs to provide more services in RACFs and MPSs. The PIP payments are administered through Medicare Australia.

The guidelines for the GP incentive component are available here on the Medicare Australia website.

In the Nepean area, the allied health component is managed by the Nepean Division of General Practice. Click here for more information and a link to program guidelines for the Aged Care Access Initiative Allied health component.

The Nepean Division of general practice aims to support general practices with the implementation of Chronic Disease Management initiatives. These include:

Education and training for General Practitioners, Practice Nurses and Practice Staff

• CPD events
• Nepean Practice Nurse Network
• Resource development and distribution including IM templates

Collaboration and partnerships between General Practice, the Local Health District, Consumers representatives and other health service providers and organisations

• Diabetes Local Network and Services
• Cardiovascular Local Network and Services
• GP Liaison Nurse Services
• Community Health Services
• ‘Connecting Care’ Program for Patients with Severe Chronic Disease
• Palliative Care Services
• Aged Care Services
• Research programs

General practice systems management of chronic disease

• Chronic Disease Data Quality Improvement Program
• APCC Diabetes Prevention and Management Program
• Practice Incentive Program (PIP) for Chronic Diseases

Health promotion and prevention services

• Chronic Disease Care Plans, Team Care Arrangement and Case Conferences
• Health Assessments
• Medication Management Reviews
• Chronic Disease Self Management

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the worst health outcomes
of any cultural group in Australia, experiencing lower rates of access to
primary health care and higher rates of hospitalisation than non-Indigenous
Australians.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney
and respiratory diseases and cancer are the major contributors to the higher
mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package aims to support both health services
and Aboriginal and Torres Islander individuals to improve access to and
outcomes of care.

Click here for further information on the Divisions Closing the Gap program and support available to practices.

The Nepean Division of General Practice continuing professional development program conducts a series of education events that aim to support GPs in attaining both knowledge and skills in line with the RACGPs QI&CPD 2011-2013 Triennium requirements.

The Division also provides a range of educational activities for practice nurses and practice staff that focus on relevant clinical and practice support areas.

GP QA&CPD Points

• The Division has a current contract and is an accredited activity provider with the RACGP Quality Improvement &Continuing Professional Development 2011-2013 triennium program.

• All GP education events hosted by the Division will be endorsed by the RACGP QI&CPD program for either category 1 or category 2 points.

• Please note the Division does not have access to GP point’s statements. Individual GP QI&CPD points statements can be found by logging in to the RACGP website

• The Division will have records of your attendance at Division hosted education events and will forward certificates of attendance for most events. Any enquiries, please contact the Division on telephone 4721 1150.

Education Events

• Monthly Education meetings are held on the first Friday of each month from 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm from February to December each year. These are category 2 activities.
  

• Some evening education meetings are held in conjunction with the Nepean Medical Association in a joint effort to provide education aimed at meeting the local needs of GPs in the Nepean area. Education events include both category 1 and category 2 activities.
  

• The RACGP calendar of events can also be viewed to locate other accredited education activities that may be available by logging in to the RACGP website

Reserving a place at an education event

• Check the calendar of events. RSVPs can be submitted online or faxed to the Division on 4721 1176.

• If you book into one the Division education events and cannot attend, please contact the Division to cancel your registration. This would be appreciated as people on the wait list for an event can be informed of a vacancy. It also assists with the Division providing final numbers for catering purposes.

Medicare Group Exercise Programs for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

These 8 week programs are facilitated by Accredited Exercise Physiologists and provide patients with practical exercise activities and home based exercise plans which are appropriate for their health status. The emphasis is on behavioural change and patients are equipped with knowledge, skills and motivation to better manage their diabetes and reduce the risk of complications. Many programs also provide education on healthy eating and include a group session with a dietitian.

Programs are available throughout the Nepean and Blue Mountains.

Patient Eligibility

Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and a current GP Management Plan are eligible. There is no age restriction.

Patient Entitlements

Eligible patients are entitled to 1 individual assessment and 8 group services per calendar year.

• Find a group exercise program
  
• Patient brochure
  
• GP Fact Sheet
  
• GP Referral Form
  

Local Diabetes Network

Diabetes Network meetings with the Local Health District Diabetes Service

A regular meeting is held between the Divisions in the local area and the Local Health District Diabetes Service. The purpose of the meetings is to promote an active working party in Diabetes Management in General Practice at an operational level, that build upon the existing links established within the Memorandum of Understanding between the Divisions and the Local Health District in addressing the Diabetes service needs of general practice.

Frequency of Meetings

Meetings will be held once every three months, or as the need arises for matters of imminence or urgency.

Have Your Say

Just fax (4721 1176) or email the agenda item you want tabled for discussion at the meeting. We will provide you with some feedback covering the ensuing discussions.

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the meeting are available on request. Please contact the Division on telephone 4721 1150

Diabetes Services

• Nepean Hospital Local Health District Diabetes Service

• Diabetes Service Referral Form

• Consumer Support Groups

For GP and Practice Nurse links and resources on Diabetes, click here

The NDGP Immunisation Program aims to assist practices achieve and maintain immunisation coverage rates of 90% or higher. The focus of the immunisation program is to support and encourage participation of general practice in the General Practice Immunisation Incentives (GPII) Scheme as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP). The Division can also provide GPs and practice staff with a high level of education regarding Cold Chain Management. For a flyer on our Immunisation Program, please click here.

Services

Mental Health Nurse support for General Practitioners in managing patients with severe mental disorders in the community and provide services that are tailored to the person's needs, which could include:

• establishing a therapeutic relationship with the patient
• periodic review of the patient's mental state
• medication
• monitoring and management
• providing information on physical health care to patients
• liaising closely with family/carers as appropriate
• integrating services form General Practitioners, Psychiatrists and Allied Health workers including arranging access to interventions form other health professionals when these are required
• contributing to the planning and care management of the patients through MBS 2710, 2712, 2713, 291 and 293
• undertaking home visits
• telephone calls to patients

Expected benefits for General Practitioners

General Practitioners will have increase capacity to directly provide and coordinate services for people with severe mental disorders in the community.  Services provided by the mental health nurse may also reduce workloads for GPs and other practice staff.

Expected benefits for Patients

• Continuity of care
• Access to clinical care by a mental health nurse in the community
• Provision of multidisciplinary, community based care through one practice
• A single person coordinating both clinical care and coordination with other agencies and service providers
• Additional assistance with medications.

Entrance Criteria

General Practitioners and Psychiatrists will determine which patients have a severe mental health disorder and would benefit form receiving services by a Mental Health Nurse.  Patients would be selected based on the following criteria:

• The disorder causes significant disablement to social, personal and occupational functioning
• At least one hospitalisation for treatment of disorder or is at risk of requiring hospitalisation
• Continuing treatment and management expected over next 2 years
• General Practitioners or Psychiatrist is principally responsible for the patient's clinical mental health care
• Patient provides consent to treatment from Mental Health Nurse.

For more information contact Philip Gregory at the Division on 4721 1150

The Nepean Division of General Practice provides NPS Facilitator visiting services.

The Current NPS Topic being delivered by the Division is:


The Nepean Division of General Practice provides NPS Facilitator visiting services. Academic detailing and/or small group case based discussions within General Practice Networks cover health conditions with known medicine use issues and evidence-based best practice prescribing.

Contact Paul Morcos on (02) 4721-1150. For more details on NPS Facilitator visits, click here

For more information about NPS in general, please click here