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In Practice: Medicines safety resources
The RACGP has a new education toolkit and on-demand recordings for GPs in their role of reducing medicine-related harm.
The RACGP’s medicines safety toolkit arms GPs with resources to reduce medicine-related adverse clinical outcomes.
This week’s In Practice also includes a Government-led survey for GPs to have their say on private hospitals’ financial viability, the latest AJGP Academic Post Program registrar abstract supplement, and a raft of upcoming CPD-eligible events.
Digital initiatives to support medicines safety
Medicine-related issues can occur at any time throughout the medicines management process, from when the decision is made to use a medicine, during dispensing, and while using the medicine. Medicines safety seeks to minimise medicine-related errors, unsafe use, and potential adverse clinical outcomes.
The RACGP’s newly available on-demand webinar covers useful digital initiatives which support medicines safety in Australia.
Also available is a comprehensive medicines safety education toolkit which details how these initiatives can help reduce the considerable burden of medicine-related problems and harms.
Each of these resources are CPD-accredited Education Activities.
Private hospital financial health check survey
To better understand the financial viability challenges facing private hospitals, the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) is undertaking a private hospital financial health check. It will assess the sustainability of private hospitals and key market challenges, and advise the Government on these issues.
Two surveys for GPs and non-GP specialists have been developed and are being run by the Australian Medical Association on behalf of the DoHAC. All RACGP members are invited to complete the survey to provide their experiences with, and observations on, private hospitals in their community.
The survey is open until 28 July. It takes around nine minutes to complete, and all information collected will be de-identified.
RACGP Awards nominations extended
Nominations for GP of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, Practice of the Year and other RACGP Awards are now open until 11.59 pm (AEST), Wednesday 31 July.
The RACGP Rural awards and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health awards have also been extended and are open until 11.59 pm (AEST), Wednesday 14 August.
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate the GPs, practices, registrars, supervisors and medical educators going above and beyond for the health of Australians. Award categories and nomination submissions are available on the RACGP website.
AJGP Academic Post Program registrar abstract supplement
General practice research underpins clinical practice, and is the foundation for delivering high-quality, innovative and effective patient care. Building research capacity in GPs in training is a priority for the RACGP, with formal learning about research methodology, critical appraisal of literature, scientific data and evidence-based practice included in the college’s training programs.
The Academic Post Program supports Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) registrars to complete a funded 12-month, part-time academic position within a university department of general practice or rural clinical school, where they complete a small research project and participate in teaching activities.
The 2023 academic post registrar cohort conducted research in a wide range of general practice areas, including women’s health, chronic disease and inclusive healthcare. The RACGP is proud to present their abstracts in a special Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) supplement.
RACGP Specific Interests webinar series: Measuring outcomes
This webinar series is designed for GPs unsure about how to meet Measuring Outcomes (MO) CPD requirements.
Led by the Chairs of RACGP’s Specific Interests groups, this series of upcoming and on-demand webinars covers a range of topics. Each webinar provides ideas of simple, practical and effective quality improvements GPs can start implementing into their practice, and explores how to use the RACGP’s MO tool to quickly and simply document CPD.
Registrations for the following sessions are now open:
Recordings on topics including aged care, antenatal and postnatal care, psychological medicine, diabetes and more are also
available to view here.
Rural emergencies: procedures, protocols and people
RACGP Rural’s health webinar series, held on the first Thursday of the month, presents free sessions on important health issues and resources for rural and remote GPs.
The next webinar: ‘Rural emergencies: procedures, protocols and people’ is on Thursday 1 August, 7.30 pm (AEST). Presented by GP anaesthetist Dr Antony Wong, rural cases will be shared to show how protocols, guidelines and resources are used in the assessment, management and transfer of rural patients.
Learning outcomes include:
- identifying common procedures and resources used to manage emergencies in a rural setting
- discussing protocols and guidelines used in the assessment, management and transfer of patients in rural communities
- discussing people, or human factor elements required to manage emergencies in a rural setting.
Register online, or members can catch up on past sessions in this series on the RACGP website.
Toolkit for GPs working in aged care
Western Australian GPs working in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) can improve patient care with a new RACGP toolkit.
The toolkit provides access to practical information and resources on a wide variety of clinical topics, including palliative and end-of-life care, engaging with RACFs, as well as professional development, referral pathways and specialist services, and guidance for GPs to navigate MBS item numbers for different consults. Members can also self-record CPD hours upon completion of each module. The toolkit is available for WA members on the
RACGP website.
Doctors for Women in Rural Medicine Committee meet-up
Date: Thursday 29 August, 7.30 – 8.30 pm (AEST)
RACGP Rural’s
Doctors for Women in Rural Medicine Committee invites members to the next online meet-up, where attendees will hear from Dr Dinara Markhabullina and Associate Professor Ayman Shenouda who’ll share their stories and perspectives on the challenges facing female international medical graduates (IMGs) working in a rural environment, and what’s helped them on their journey.
Dr Markhabullina has been practicing in Australia since 2021 after migrating from Russia. As an IMG, her journey has been filled with unique challenges, particularly balancing professional responsibilities while being a mother of three, and pursuing further training as a GP in training and Rural Generalist Pathway trainee.
Associate Professor Shenouda is the Chair of the RACGP IMG Committee and former Chair of RACGP Rural. He has been practicing as a rural GP in Wagga Wagga for the past 20 years, where he established Glenrock Country Practice.
Members are invited to join and hear from these two inspiring GPs, while also having the chance to connect with rural and remote members from across the country, learn from peers and share their own stories.
Register online.
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