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In Practice: Seeking GP feedback on mental health care


Morgan Liotta


14/10/2021 1:21:22 PM

GPs can also be informed about a number of upcoming educational webinars, networking opportunities and training programs.

Two men in serious discussion
The college is calling for GPs to give their views on providing mental health care in the general practice setting.

This week’s In Practice round up includes a new college position statement on GPs’ role in aged care, new patient resources on healthcare costs, and upcoming webinars and program application deadlines.
 
RACGP position on sustainable GP-led aged care
For the past three years, the college has been actively advocating for greater support for GPs working in aged care, including submissions to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and ongoing engagement with government around key announcements in this sector.
 
Most recently, the RACGP has developed a position statement on GP-led aged care. The position statement addresses the barriers faced by GPs providing services to older people and highlights the critical role of GPs in aged care.
 
It also makes recommendations to improve access to primary care for older people, enhance continuity of care for this group, and support GPs to continue to provide high-quality care in this sector.
 
The position statement is available on the RACGP website.

Have your say on mental health and general practice
The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) has invited a selection of GPs to complete a short 10-minute survey on mental health and general practice.
 
GP feedback will help the GPMHSC understand the different attitudes towards, and views on, the uptake of mental health training, as well as the use of relevant Medicare Benefit Schedule item numbers. The information collected from the survey will also assist the GPMHSC to advocate on policy development and reform for general practice and mental health care.
 
Selected GPs would have received an email inviting them to complete the survey. For further information, the GPMHSC can be contacted on 03 8699 0554 or gpmhsc@racgp.org.au
 
New patient resources on healthcare costs
The RACGP has developed new patient-focused resources that highlight the ongoing lack of investment in general practice and rising healthcare costs.
 
The resources include a printable poster and patient fact sheet to display in general practices, advising patients to ask their GP about how they can write to their local MP. The college has also developed a letter template that can be pre-filled by GPs and given to patients to send to their local MP.
 
Further information and resources are available on the RACGP resources to help you manage your billing webpage (member login required).
 
Any feedback can be emailed to healthreform@racgp.org.au
 
Gambling harm awareness training for GPs
Webinar: Tuesday 26 October, 7.00–8.30 pm (AEDT)
 
GPs play an important role in identifying people with gambling problems and can refer them to available resources. This educational webinar aims to improve the awareness of gambling harm and arm GPs with the resources and solutions to help those in need.
 
The webinar will upskill GPs in managing and treating patients experiencing gambling harm.
Although applicable on a national scale, the content of the webinar will focus primarily on resources and services available in New South Wales.
 
Register online.
 
Practice Experience Program
Applications are now open for the Practice Experience Program (PEP) for non-vocationally registered doctors who plan to sit the RACGP Fellowship exams.
 
From January 2022, rules around exam eligibility are changing and only those on an RACGP-approved program or those who have satisfactorily completed the PEP will remain eligible to sit.
 
Under the current Federal Government funding scheme there are only two more application periods remaining:
 

  • 4–25 October 2021 − program start date 1 April 2022, program end date 31 March 2023
  • 10 January – 1 February 2022 − program start date 1 July 2022, program end date 30 June 2023
 
More information is available on the RACGP website.
 
Applications open for the RACGP Future Leaders Program
The Future Leaders Program is designed to give RACGP Fellows the confidence to lead change in their community, through helping to develop leadership skills, identify strengths, guide strategic thinking and produce beneficial change for the health community.
 
Further information is available on the RACGP website, where GPs can also apply for the 2022 program.
 
More spaces available for AOD Treatment Skills Training
The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) GP Education Program − Treatment Skills Training is a practical course focusing on consultation skills and AOD clinical knowledge, designed to enhance GPs’ ability to talk about alcohol and drug use with their patients.
 
The training aims to provide busy GPs with practical tips that can be incorporated into practice.
A $1200 grant payment will be awarded on completion of training.
 
More information and to apply is available on the RACGP website.
 
General Practice: Health of the Nation 2021 report
The RACGP’s General Practice: Health of the Nation 2021 report is launching on Thursday 21 October at 10.00 am (AEDT).
 
With almost 22 million Australians visiting a GP each year, a well-supported, accessible and high‑quality general practice sector is vital to the health of communities across Australia.
 
Providing a glimpse of the future of general practice, this year’s Health of the Nation report shines a light on a number of critical issues impacting GPs and their patients, including treating multimorbidities, the increasing mental health burden on general practice and the challenges of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
 
The report also identifies some of the critical challenges faced by general practice and what must be addressed to ensure Australians can access the care they need, when they need it.

The 21 October launch and full Health of the Nation report will be available on the RACGP website.
 
Rural member meet-up: Climate change and rural health
Webinar: Tuesday 26 October, 8.00–9.00 pm (AEDT)
 
RACGP Rural members are invited to join the conversation in this month’s meet-up to connect with rural and remote colleagues and learn more about the impacts of climate change on the health of rural communities.
 
This event will be hosted by Dr Catherine Pendrey, with insights from experienced rural GPs Dr Rebecca McGowan and Dr Michelle Hamrosi about climate change, rural health, and what GPs can do.
 
Dr McGowan is the lead GP in her practice in Albury, New South Wales (NSW), as well as a speaker and educator on preventive health issues. She is passionate about improving health outcomes in rural and regional Australia and reducing the human impact on climate change.
 
Dr Hamrosi is an experienced rural GP and ANU clinical lecturer from Broulee on the south coast of NSW (Yuin Country), where she lives with her family. In 2020 she experienced first-hand the devastating impact of the Black Summer Bushfires, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Register online.
 
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Health of the Nation In Practice mental health care webinars


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Dr Campbell Robert Crilly   15/10/2021 9:11:35 AM

Mental health and aged care consults are often complex and time consuming. Generally the remuneration for these services is inadequate for the time expended. The patient is either not willing or unable to pay for an appropriate fee for the service. Government incentives are inadequate and often reduce in value over time once initiated. Private general practice costs continue to rise and have not kept pace with the cost of service provision.