In Practice: Member Engagement Survey reminder

This week’s In Practice also includes a countdown to GP24 next week, the newly updated diabetes clinical handbook, and upcoming opportunities for Tasmanian members.
 
Have your say in the Member Engagement Survey 
RACGP members are reminded to give feedback on what is important to them in this year’s Member Engagement Survey, which closes at 11.59 pm (AEDT) on Friday 29 November. 
 
This feedback will directly shape the college’s work and advocacy efforts over the next year, ensuring the issues that matter most to members are prioritised. Last year’s results showed 96% of members thought advocacy was important, so the RACGP developed its first Advocacy Plan to ensure advocacy is clear, consistent and focused on what matters most to GPs.
 
The survey is an opportunity to tell the RACGP how it can better support members and what they want out of membership, while receiving 0.5 Reviewing Performance CPD hours. It can be completed online or via the unique link emailed.
 
GP24 begins next week
There’s only one week left until GP24, which takes place in Perth on Whadjuk Noongar Country, 21–23 November. 
 
On top of three days of inspiring presentations and much more, the RACGP Awards will be presented, the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural and Health Training Framework launched, and a huge year in general practice at the conference Gala Dinner will be celebrated.  
 
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler will also be attending for a Minister’s address on Friday 22 November. More details and information to plan your GP24 experience are available in the full conference program.

Your member forum on governance: Shaping tomorrow's college 
With the RACGP being larger and more complex than ever before, the college wants to ensure its governance is fit for purpose and more efficient. To do that, it needs GPs’ input.
 
Join RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins, President-elect Dr Michael Wright, Chair Dr Lara Roeske, and CEO Georgina van de Water for an open discussion on future-proofing the organisation.
 
This session will be held in person at GP24 in Perth, as well as being streamed online from 3.05 – 3.50 pm (AWST) on Friday 22 November.
 
The college invites members to come along and have their say. If you are unable to attend live, the session will be recorded and can be watched on demand. 
 
Questions can be submitted to the panel prior to the session via Qualtrics. 
 
Updated diabetes handbook 
The RACGP has launched its updated Management of type 2 diabetes: A handbook for general practice, known as the diabetes handbook, which brings together the latest evidence and advice for GPs and other primary health professionals to support quality care of the condition.
 
The new edition is the result of a long-standing collaboration between the RACGP and Diabetes Australia, and provides up-to-date, evidence-based information tailored to Australian general practice. It contains new sections as well as significant updates to existing topics.
 
New MBS item: Exclusion of diagnosis of heart failure
The Department of Health and Aged Care has created a new MBS item (66829) to support the testing of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to aid in determining the clinical necessity of an echocardiogram in the diagnosis of heart failure in a non-hospital setting.
 
Previously these tests could only be provided in hospitals but are now supported by the MBS to be provided in a non-hospital setting. MBS item 66829 has a fee of $58.50 and provides a 75% benefit of $43.90 and an 85% benefit of $49.75.
 
Its use is restricted to assisting in the decision-making regarding the clinical necessity of an echocardiogram, where heart failure is suspected based on signs and symptoms but diagnosis is uncertain. This item can only be claimed once every 12 months for each patient.
 
More information is available on the MBS factsheet.
 
EOI for Tasmania Clinical Advisory Working Group
With a significant increase in the number of continuing professional development (CPD) events RACGP Tasmania is planning for 2025, the faculty is seeking expressions of interest from members to join a Clinical Advisory Working Group.
 
This group will be comprised of no more than three members who will be asked to review planned events and provide input and oversight of the clinical content being offered. This is an opportunity to be more involved in the planning and delivery of CPD events for RACGP members in Tasmania.
 
Expressions of interest can be sent to georgie.morse@racgp.org.au by 5.00 pm, Thursday 28 November.
 
Persistent pelvic pain: From chaos to calm
Date: Thursday 5 December, 7.00 – 8.30 pm
Venue: RACGP Tasmania, 62 Patrick Street Hobart, and via Zoom for members outside of Hobart
CPD: 1.5 hours RP
 
RACGP Tasmania presents session three of the 2024 Peer Group Learning Supper Series, facilitated by Rachel Andrew, pelvic health physiotherapist at Vagenius Training, and Dr Emily Ware, a GP and women’s health specialist.
 
Each presenter will discuss a real case they manage then ask participants what further questions they might ask the patient, investigations they might order, what the drivers might be, and ideas on management. Rachel will talk about how she managed the case from a physiotherapist point of view. 
 
RSVP to tas.events@racgp.org.au. Sessions will be capped at 20 participants, RSVP is essential.
 
Rural FPS Skills Training
RACGP Rural’s Online Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST) package provides GPs with essential training to enable them to become a GP provider of FPS and provide cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-derived counselling to patients in their practice.
 
This flexible, fully online and accredited training package uses technology, peer learning groups and locally available resources to provide GPs with access to complete all the requirements of FPS ST, without leaving their home or practice. 
 
The online training package has GPMHSC accreditation and on completion GPs can register with Medicare as FPS providers and access FPS related MBS numbers 2721, 2723, 2725 and 2727.
 
Next intake: Monday 25 November, to complete by 3 March 2025
Cost: RACGP members $1279
Register online.
 
Survey on care coordination and post-sepsis support
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) is conducting a survey on care coordination and post-sepsis support.
 
The ACSQHC is seeking GPs’ insights to help improve coordinated care, discharge planning, and follow-up care for people with sepsis and those bereaved by sepsis. Survey and interview data, together with the views of sepsis survivors, families, carers and people bereaved by sepsis, will be used to inform a model-of-care principles and business case for health service investment in coordinated care and post-sepsis support.
 
The online survey takes 10 minutes and is open until Friday 6 December.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

CPD diabetes management GP24 In Practice MBS member engagement survey RACGP Tasmania