Connect Feb 2019 | an Adelaide PHN Publication

Connect | Page 2

50–74 years old

BOWEL

screening

YEARS

EVERY

2

A simple test could save your life.

Talk to your GP about cancer screening today.

IN THIS ISSUE CEO Foreward

4

Introducing Our New Website

6

SA Primary Health Care Conference 2019

7

General Practice Liaison Unit - Book Now!

8

Introducing emerge

10

GP Round Table Workshop

11

Commissioning Matters

12

After Hours - Flip Book

15

HealthPathways Update

16

The Adelaide Respiratory Health Project

18

Reconcilation Hub

20

Health Priority Checklist

21

Welcoming Winmante

22

Reflections: Smoking Ceremony

24

My Health Record - Are You Connected?

25

Primary Care in Action

26

saphnconference.com.au

REGISTER NOW

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A

LETTER FROM THE

CEO

DEB LEE

Happy New Year! We certainly hope you had a great break over the Christmas/New Year period – well earned – and here we are already nearing the end of Summer and the first quarter for 2019!

Those of you who have been following the media will know that PHNs (and their commissioned service providers) received some great news before the end of last year. The Minister announced ongoing funding for primary care mental health services, including headspace centres and hYEPP. We were also very happy to hear that they have agreed to extend the end date for the Health Care Homes trial, which will now end in June 2021 with patient enrolments now continuing through until 30June 2019 or until the new cap of 12 000 patients is reached.

The confirmation of ongoing funding for our primary care mental health services is very exciting news and will mean that our fabulous commissioned service providers can continue to build on the quality and effectiveness of their services, with certainty that funding will continue.

Equally we very much look forward to continuing to work alongside the 18 practices that Adelaide PHN has enrolled as Health Care Homes.

We are very pleased with the progress and starting to see some real innovation and outcomes with this model. It is indeed heartening to hear that the Commonwealth shares our excitement and, as part of their ongoing review of this trial, has agreed to reformat the patient enrolment numbers and the end date for the trial. Adelaide PHN has the highest number of enrolled patients in Health Care Homes in Australia (across the 10 trial sites) – currently around 2000. We look

forward to being able to showcase the fantastic outcomes these practices achieve as they progress with the trial.

Our investment and focus on collaboration and consulting with our various stakeholders continues strongly in 2019. Our biannual Primary Health Care Conference is being held again this year in June and we look forward to another successful few days of innovation, collaboration and integration.

Building on our GP Round Table Workshop in November last year, we are holding two more general practice round tables – one in March and another in May. You can find our summary report of the 2018 workshop on our website - here.

Registrations for the fast approaching March workshop are open - click here to join us. We will be opening the May round table up to include practice nurses and practice managers – with a maximum of three participants per practice (one place for a GP, one for a practice nurse and one for a practice manager). We’d love you to join us and tell us what you would like your PHN to be doing.

To finish this foreword, I’d like to remind all of our region’s GPs about HealthPathways SA – visit the project site here, login to the portal and navigate to our new suite of mental health pathways – the perfect way to find services for patients! We welcome your feedback/comments/questions via the feedback button or by contacting the team.

As always, if you would like to know more about any of our services (including HealthPathways SA) or would like one of our team to visit your practice or meet with your organisation – please contact us. We would be delighted to arrange to come out and see you. In the meantime, stay cool!

Warm regards

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INTRODUCING THE NEW adelaidephn.com.au Have you visited adelaidephn.com.au lately? In December 2018, we soft launched a new website brimming with features to better connect you to health and our work here at Adelaide PHN! It’s now easier to explore what we do at Adelaide PHN; the ‘our work’ tab in the main navigation is dedicated to this specific purpose. Within this tab you will find our brand new directory of our services and programs - a new feature we developed in direct response to member and partner feedback. Start exploring the directory now by clicking here, or search listings by key words or filters like ‘mental health’, ‘health workforce’ or ‘aged care’.

Find ways to get involved with Adelaide PHN via the new ‘engage with us’ tab.

In this tab you will find pages listing commissioning opportunities, sponsorships and grants, and upcoming consultations. You can also find out information about joining our membership via this tab.

With our vision being to ‘connect and facilitate a quality health system’ we have implemented the ‘connecting you’ tab. To support community to find the right health service and care - we provide quicklinks within this tab to health directories and key resources like ‘Head to Health’. For Health Providers we provide quicklinks to our most relevant pages as well as point of care resources like ‘HealthPathways’ and ‘GP PASA’.

Start exploring

by clicking here

THE

SA PRIMARY HEALH CARE CONFERENCE IS BACK! Join Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN for our second SA Primary Health Care Conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June 2019.

The 2019 conference themes are innovation, integration, and collaboration.

A pre-conference mental health workshop will occur on Friday 14 June (Category 1 40 RACGP and ACRRM points will apply - application pending).

Conference attendees will have the chance to interact in workshops and engage with a diverse range of experts through keynote presentations, TED-style talks and panel discussions.

All primary health care professionals from across South Australia are invited to attend.

Registration is FREE and filling up fast! Register now via Eventbrite - click here.

For more information, including the program outline, sponsor and exhibitor opportunities, please visit saphnconference.com.au.

saphnconference.com.au

REGISTER NOW

The Northern Adelaide General Practice Liaison Unit (NAGPLU) has been actively visiting general practices in the northern regions of Adelaide and are keen to engage with more!

Established via a partnership between Adelaide PHN and SA Health (NALHN), the NAGPLU works to improve coordination of care between hospital and community GPs by improving information exchange, cooperation, efficiency, and communication in relation to patient care and service provision.

GENERAL PRACTICE LIAISON UNIT an update & call for bookings

The NAGPLU has commenced face-toface practice visits to enable discussion, promote engagement and educate GPs about available services. Eight practices have been visited so far, with another 16 practices booked in. Eager for more bookings, general practices in the northern region are encouraged to contact the NAGPLU to book in their own visit.

Common themes already identified as a result of general practice visits include - delays in hospital correspondence (outpatients and discharge summaries), outpatient department waiting times and improving capacity for shared information (integrating care, communication and collaboration).

These themes have confirmed some of the work being done in affiliation between the NAGPLU and northern area Health

Care Homes practices. For instance, the NAGPLU has cdmNet access within the Lyell McEwin Hospital; cdmNet is a shared care planning platform that is supporting information sharing between a patient’s general practice care team and hospitalbased care team.

From March 4 2019, the NAGPLU will also be commencing GP education sessions with a view to scheduling every quarter.

Sessions will focus on department and/or condition specific topics, issues relating to common GP referrals and other concerns raised by local GPs. Delivered by Sonder, these sessions will be accredited and contribute to GP QI and CPD.

To book in your own practice visit or to get in touch with the NAGPLU please email Health.NALHNGPLiaisonunit@sa.gov.au or call (08) 8282 0495.

For more information about…

• the NAGPLU - search SA Health’s website or click here • Sonder and upcoming GP education sessions - visit sonder.net.au • Adelaide PHN - visit adelaidephn.com.au

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introducing

EMERGE

Adelaide PHN and Sonder have opened the doors to emerge – a new, free service in Adelaide’s outer northern and outer southern metropolitan regions, specifically created to help people aged 16-25 years who are experiencing (or at risk of experiencing) severe and complex mental illness.

The program aims to help young people who might otherwise ‘fall through the cracks’.

Is pregnanc y or Commissioned and funded by Adelaide PHN as part of a suite of mental health services across the metropolitan region, emerge has Is p re g n an early depression, renthood a specific focus on young people dealing with anxiety,pa eating disorders, bipolar disorder, psychosis, trauma and borderline mare personality disorder, where these conditions akhaving inga significant youesa dly or parent ar impact on their lives. emerge will provide these young people with access to client and family-centred treatment that is specialised, anxious? clinical and evidence-based.

mak ing you anxious Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia For further information - including referral advice - see the full media release on our announcements page or contact Sonder via 8209 0700 or sonder.net.au.

National Helpline 1300 726 306

PANDA’s National Helpline provides specialist perinatal emotional and mental health support to anyone during pregnancy and early parenthood, including partners and family members.

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Au National Helpline 1300 726 306 Helpline hours | Mon to Fri, 9am - 7.30pm AEST/AEDT

panda.org.au | howisdadgoing.org.au PANDA’s National Helpline provides specialist p emotional and mental health support to anyon pregnancy and early parenthood, including pa

GP

ROUND TABLE

WORKSHOP

Following the success of our November 2018 workshop, Adelaide PHN is holding a second GP Round Table workshop for local doctors.

Facilitated by Enzyme, this is an opportunity for GPs working across the Adelaide region to provide feedback on:

TUESDAY 19 MARCH 5:45PM - 8:45PM JARMERS KITCHEN BOWDEN

• what you want us to be doing to support general practice • how we can enhance primary, acute and tertiary care relationships The workshop will follow the Enzyme methodology - ensuring individual’s comments are confidential and not identifiable.

In recognition of time, GPs will receive a $75.00 payment for participation.

A summary report from the November workshop is available on our website click here.

REGISTER NOW: gproundtablesession.eventbrite.com.au

COMMISSIONING MATTERS

Adelaide PHN receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Health to commission services which meet the health needs of the Adelaide metropolitan community.

Below is a summary of our recent commissioning actitivities.

National Psychosocial Support (NPS) Measure Update The National Psychosocial Support (NPS) Measure has been designed to support people living with a severe mental illness who need some assistance to engage with their everyday lives. The NPS measure will provide people with individually targeted support and may include assistance to develop skills in managing relationships, support with their housing, planning everyday tasks accessing services and achieving personal goals.

In October 2018, Adelaide PHN conducted community consultations with people living with a mental health condition, their carers and families, service providers and other health professionals to find out what were the most important types of support to ensure that people could live their best lives. People told us that support should: • be available when they needed it, by trained and knowledgeable staff • provide an option to contact the service and refer themselves rather than need a GP referral • provide support for their overall wellbeing including support to develop skills in managing their relationships, support with their housing, planning everyday tasks accessing services and achieving personal goals Adelaide PHN has been working with Neami National and Life Without Barriers, two experienced providers in the Psychosocial support sector, to use this feedback to develop an interim support measure. This will be available for people experiencing mental illness from early 2019. Keep an eye out on our announcements page for updates.

Mental Health Shared Care Service (MHSCS) Project This project will provide clinical care planning, clinical care coordination and psychological therapy services for eligible individuals with severe and complex mental health and associated co-morbid difficulties, predominately residing in targeted Local Government Areas of the outer northern, outer southern and western/central areas of metropolitan Adelaide.

Contract negotiations are currently under way with the preferred providers for this project.

Enabling Choice for South Australians - Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care Measure Enabling Choice for South Australians (ECSA) is the Adelaide PHN response to the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care Measure. ECSA aims to build on existing resources and programs to support capacity building and continuous quality improvement in residential aged care settings around the planning and delivery of palliative and end-of-life care. Six aged care organisations are involved and quality improvement work will take place across twenty-one sites.

The quality improvement facilitators have got off to a great start working with three of the six residential aged care organisations. They are reviewing current processes and practice with the aim of developing quality improvement plans and implementing change. This project, which will continue until June 2020, will report back to the Commonwealth and be the subject of in an external evaluation being carried out by Deloitte.

People’s Experience of General Practices and Commissioned Service Provision Several additional organisations including headspace centres across the Adelaide PHN region have entered memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Adelaide PHN to measure people’s experience and satisfaction.

This is being implemented by using the HappyorNot© Smiley Touch devices to gather real time high level feedback. The information collected will enable a de-identified comparative analysis to support an environment of continuous improvement.

Should you wish to be involved, please contact the Adelaide PHN team at: enquiry@adelaidephn.com.au

Adelaide PHN is working with Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) and Autism SA to reduce waiting times for children to be seen for an assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Global Developmental Delay (including Psycho-Educational assessment).

To achieve this Adelaide PHN has engaged Adelaide Paediatrics to receive referrals from NALHN (in the northern Adelaide suburbs), Autism SA (in the southern Adelaide suburbs) and direct from general practice. This will increase throughput of assessments and decrease the time for children to receive a diagnosis during this critical developmental phase.

For more information please contact Adelaide Paediatrics on (08) 7123 0820.

MATTERS

Paediatrics Partnership Northern & Southern Project - Adelaide Paediatrics

COMMISSIONING

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As always...

Adelaide PHN advertise commissioning opportunities via TenderLink - an online e-Procurement system. Organisations that wish to apply for Adelaide PHN tenders, and receive tender notifications must register on the e-Procurement system.

To register, visit tenderlink.com/adelaidephn. Organisations already registered are reminded to regularly check and update their contact details with TenderLink, to ensure timely receipt of notifications. Please contact TenderLink on 1800 233 533 for all registration queries and support.

Our Commissioning Handbook – The Service Providers Guide is available on our website. This handbook is a great resource that not only articulates our expectations but also provides some useful tips to aid the commissioning process for our current and future partners.

ADELAIDE

AFTER

HOURS FLIP CHART

At the end of 2018 Adelaide PHN sent out copies of the After Hours community awareness flip chart to over 48,000 households across the City of Port Adelaide Enfield region.

This provided residents with a hardcopy resource detailing available after hours GP practices, dental services and pharmacies in their area as well as information about emergency services and self-care tips and resources.

Preliminary evaluation results show that 90% of people would keep the flip chart and 83% said the flip chart has provided them with new information.

‘Thank you so much, we have not got a computer or laptop. It was great to receive this. Thanks’ ‘Wonderful service to provide this information to all households.

We’ve just recently moved to this area and are grateful for this flip chart’ The mobile optimised website, available at adelaideafterhours.com. au, continues to target the entire Adelaide metropolitan region.

After successful promotion through radio, social media and printed translated materials this valuable web resource is continuing to be accessed and used across the Adelaide region.

For more information about the Adelaide After Hours project please contact us at enquiry@adelaidephn.com.au or visit adelaideafterhours. com.au

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news from

HEALTHPATHWAYS HealthPathways is an online portal providing GPs and other health professionals with easy access to comprehensive, evidence-based assessment, management, service and referral information.

The program engages local GPs along with other health professionals to develop pathways that support people’s journey ensuring they access the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

SUITE OF MENTAL HEALTH PATHWAYS LAUNCHED Recently, the team were proud to launch of a suite of mental health pathways and support service information pages. The suite is now freely available via the portal and includes: • Depression in Adults • Medications for Depression in Adults • Bipolar Disorder • Anxiety in Adults • Medications for Moderate or Severe Anxiety in Adults • Eating Disorders in Adults Pathways still in development include: Suicide Risk, Deliberate Self Harm, Perinatal Depression and Anxiety.

DEVELOPING THE NEW CERVICAL SCREENING PATHWAYS HealthPathways GP Clinical Editor, Dr Couchman has been working with subject matter experts to ensure the pathway provides concise information that is easy to access during a patient consultation including: • screening requirements for different population groups • procedures for clinician-collected and self-collected samples • indications for ordering a co-test and/or referring for gynaecology assessment/ colposcopy • how to manage screen-detected abnormalities • patient resources • GP education modules • service information including referral details for your local gynaecologist / colposcopy clinic within SA

ACCESS AND MORE INFORMATION Visit the project site to learn more about Healthpathways SA, registration information and to access the portal. saproject.healthpathwayscommunity.org

The pathway combines all of the key resources you will need in order to navigate the new National Cervical Screening Program in one location - Dr Katrina Couchman (Mt Gambier)

ADELAIDE

RESPIRATORY

HEALTH PROJECT Improving outcomes for people in Playford and Onkaparinga The Adelaide Respiratory Health Project (ARHP) launched in November 2017 and was developed to better integrate care for people with asthma and or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Playford and Onkaparinga.

Funded by Adelaide PHN, the project is a partnership between Asthma Australia and Lung Foundation Australia and will continue until August 2019.

The ARHP is empowering staff in four general practices and 12 pharmacies to help patients with self-management of respiratory conditions. ARHP general practices are providing quality spirometry services with interpretation and respiratory device counselling.

Pharmacies are educating their consumers about medications, disease management, inhaler technique, and screening for COPD. The tools and processes developed by the ARHP team have been quickly adopted by participating sites and integrated into their clinical practice.

The ‘Pharmacy Checklist’ is a conversation starter to identify and address patients’ needs.

“It is now embedded in our practice when assessing respiratory patients...”

- Adam Forest, Managing Pharmacist Christies Guild Terry White Chemmart

The ARHP has led to positive consumer outcomes such as: • direct referrals to Asthma Australia counselling services and increased enrolments in the consumer support program, COACH • COPD screening leading to multiple GP referrals from pharmacies • effective and fast assessment of patient device technique • provision of spacers with dispensing or sale of MDIs • confident and efficient quit smoking service and offer of support from Quitline® • one-on-one education with a nurse as part of GP management planning

Photo | Julia Spencer Project Nurse, Asthma Australia, training Thuong Phan, National Pharmacies Craigmore

Collaboration between general practices and pharmacies are also increasing with shared communication about clients identified as overusing medication, requests to demonstrate device technique and home medication reviews referrals. Even non-participating GPs have expressed strong interest in ARHP and are keen to learn and implement project strategies in their practice!

For more information about...

• ARHP - visit Asthma Australia’s website • Adelaide PHN funded programs - explore our Directory of Services and Programs

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membership activity

RECONCILIATION HUB The second Reconciliation Hub learning circle was held in November 2018.

Participants joined in conversation about reconciliation and Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) with Kaurna Elders, Frank Wanganeen and Yvonne Agius, as well as the CEO of Reconciliation SA - Mark Waters. Both Elders have deep experience in working in this space, including as members of RAP advisory committees. In January 2019, Mark Waters handed over the CEO baton to Shona Reid, so we had the opportunity to learn from Mark’s experiences, wisdom and reflections.

The session was facilitated by Parry Agius, Linking Futures.

Participants enjoyed the structure of a learning circle, including time for personal sharing, reflection, and listening to a variety of perspectives and experiences.

An Adelaide PHN commissioned service delivered by Sonder

Weekend After Hours Mental Health Service Sat - Sun | 5:00pm - 10:00pm

HEALTH PROMPT LIST The Health Prompt List is a resource for community to use in preparation for, during and after an appointment with their GP or health professional. It is available for download and print on the Adelaide PHN website.

The Health Prompt List has been designed to assist people with thinking about things they may wish to talk to their GP about. It provides a list of suggestions or ‘prompts’ under four key areas – physical health, managing your health, mental health and keeping well. There is also a section for people to record a few notes of what they talked about with their GP for later reference.

The Health Prompt List was developed by the Consumers and Carer Health Priority Group - part of a previous iteration of Adelaide PHN’s membership structure.

Find out more about Adelaide PHN membership via the About Us tab on our website - or click here.

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WELCOMING WINMANTE supporting Aboriginal health in the south

Winmante: place of creation, creativity and growth Wonderful to see the Winmante Medical Centre open its doors at Morphett Vale over the weekend, with Crows hero Eddie Betts as the ambassador.

Dedicated to providing high quality medical care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the not-for-profit centre is a new approach for Adelaide Alongside Community GP, Adelaide PHN is proud to have played a key role in helping establish this important resource after identifying a gap in health services for Aboriginal communities in the southern suburbs.

“Members of the local Aboriginal community approached us about the issue 18 months ago and we’ve been involved ever since -

providing a wide range of support and coordination to make the centre a reality,” said Deb Lee, Adelaide PHN’s CEO. “That’s why it is so exciting for us to see the doors are now open and people will start to reap the benefit.”

The centre will not only help Aboriginal patients, it will also employ Aboriginal health workers and is available to nonAboriginal people to access.

Going forward, Adelaide PHN will stay closely involved with the centre to ensure it is fully integrated with other health providers in the region to ensure patients receive seamless high quality, effective ‘wrap-around’ care.

Find out more about at winmante.org.au

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A SMOKING CEREMONY connecting and exploring meaning

On 22 November 2018, Adelaide PHN held a launch for the new artwork by Allan Sumner: Taikunthi Kumangka.

Hanging in the Adelaide PHN offices, the artwork’s name means ‘partnering together in one group’.

Allan Sumner gave a Welcome to Country and spent time telling the story and the process of creating this special piece of work in partnership with Adelaide PHN. The launch provided an opportunity for Adelaide PHN staff to hear about the undelying meaning of each element used in the artwork, and to participate in a Smoking Ceremony outside our Mile End office.

Allan’s artwork reflects Adelaide PHN’s commitment to reconciliation, recognising cultural identity, and creating a community that is inclusive and welcoming to Aboriginal people. The artwork talks about connectedness as an organisation and bringing together people interested in improving the primary health care system.

Part of our ongoing work at Adelaide PHN is to engage with and improve primary care for Aboriginal people. We achieve this by commissioning activities which respond to the health needs of Aboriginal communities and by building the cultural capacity of local primary health care providers to deliver culturally safe services and care. As an organisation, we are also undergoing a period of active reflection in regard to our own practises and spaces.

MY HEALTH RECORD

ARE YOU CONNECTED?

The My Health Record (MyHR) Opt-Out officially ended on 31 January 2019.

The Australian Digital Health Agency are now working towards reconciling all records before they are made live.

Over the last year, Adelaide PHN has worked closely with health care providers and community members to raise awareness and understanding of the MyHR. The Adelaide region has seen high engagement of health care services connecting to the MyHR. We have seen...

296

general practices and

42

allied health providers

...connect to MyHR within the metropolitan area. 15 private hospitals, 10 public hospitals, 20 specialist rooms, and 262 pharmacies have also connected.

Adelaide PHN will continue to work with health care providers and services in the metropolitan region to register, understand and participate in the MyHR system.

Want to connect your practice or service? Contact the Adelaide PHN digital health team digtialhealth@adelaidephn.com.au

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ADELAIDE PRIMARY CARE IN ACTION

Highlights of programs and activities affecting the deliver and experience of primary care in Adelaide.

Get To Know

Your Heart Age The Heart Foundation has launched a Heart Age Calculator in an effort to get more people thinking about their personal risk of heart disease.

The Calculator asks questions to determine a consumer’s heart age.

Where a person’s heart age is found to exceed their actual age, the calculator recommends talking to a doctor for a heart health check (absolute CVD risk assessment).

The Heart Age Calculator is not a clinical tool and does not replace a CVD Risk Assessment, the Heart Foundation recommends doctors and health professionals use the Absolute CVD Risk Assessment tool to complete a heart health assessment.

More information is available on the Heart Foundation website.

Supported by Adelaide PHN

CLOSING

theGAP

day ADELAIDE SHOWGROUND Goyder Pavilion

2019

Wednesday March 27th

ae ch i M

l O’Loughli

n

11.00 AM - 3.00 PM

JOIN US TO CELEBRATE THIS SPECIAL DAY Free gener a

a shu Jo

Warrior

th chec eal ks lh

MC MICHAEL O’LOUGHLIN, SYDNEY SWANS SUPER STAR & AFL HALL OF FAME MEMBER MUSIC FROM THE MERRG | DUSTY FEET MOB COMEDIAN JOSHUA WARRIOR | DEADLY FREE LUNCH | FREE GENERAL HEALTH CHECKS HENNA TATTOOS | REPTILE ZOO SPECKY INFLATABLE FOOTY GAMES & MANY MORE FUN ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

FREE REGISTRATION ONLINE closingthegapday.net This event has been made possible by funding from the Adelaide Primary Health Network.

If you require transport assistance to this event, contact Sonder’s Closing the Gap team (08) 8209 0700 or email info@closingthegapday.net

Our event partners

Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc.

National Advance Care Planning Week 1–5 April 2019

Learn more.

Get involved.

Make your voice heard.

An important part of healthy ageing is making informed choices about your health care.

Advance care planning gives you options and a say in your medical decisions, if you are ever too unwell to speak for yourself.

Advance Care Planning Australia is administered by Austin Health and is supported by funding from the Australian Government.

acpweek.org.au

#acpweek19

Australian of the Year SA doctor co-awarded title

Congratulations to Dr Richard Harris SC OAM (SA) and Dr Craig Challen SC OAM (WA) who were announced joint Australian of the Year 2019.

Dr Harris and Dr Challen both received the award in recognition of their particpation in the July 2018 retrieval of a junior football team trapped in the flooded Tham Luang Nang Non Cave, Thailand. Dr Harris is a South Australian anaesthetist, experienced diver and a specialist in aeromedical retrieval. He has previously participated in complex diving recoveries.

Dr Challen is a retired veterinary surgeon and experienced deep diver.

The Prime Minister, The Hon Scott Morrison MP, presented the Australian of the Year Award recipients with trophies at a ceremony in Canberra on January 25 2019.

Find out more at australianoftheyear.org.au

Flinders Foundation

Leadership & Innovation in Health Award Congratulations to Anthony Bernhardt, Semi Finalist in the prestigious Flinders Foundation Leadership and Innovation in Health Award.

Bernhardt recieved the award in November 2018 at the SA Community Achievement Awards Presentation Gala.

Bernhardt is an Aboriginal outreach worker for the Closing the Gap Program, and works to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a chronic disease. Bernhardt assists with appointments and ensures client’s cultural needs are understood.

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Lift Cancer Care Services Lift Cancer Care Services is a one stop shop that caters specifically for oncology patients in the areas of exercise medicine, speech pathology, dietetics, physiotherapy, psychology and pain medicine. Lift is located at the Tennyson Centre in Kurralta Park.

Exercise Medicine Exercise is one of the best ways to manage the physical and emotional side effects of cancer treatment. Lift offers individualised exercise medicine for patients who are undergoing active treatment for cancer.

Each patient undergoes an initial assessment to determine what is safe and appropriate in the context of their pathology, current treatment, co-morbidities and functional capacity. Following an initial assessment, patients will attend Lift for exercise medicine under the supervision of a medical practitioner and physiotherapist. Patients are monitored throughout each session of exercise medicine to ensure they remain safe.

Referral for exercise medicine – from patient’s oncologist or surgeon

Speech Pathology Difficulty swallowing, problems chewing, and voice or communication problems can be common issues to arise from cancer and its treatment. Such issues can be helped with the input of a speech pathologist. If left undetected or untreated these problems can impact significantly on quality of life

Referrals to speech pathology – from patient’s GP, specialist or other allied health professional. EPC Plans accepted

Dietetics Our dietitians assess and assist patients to manage their nutritional needs before, during and after treatment for cancer. They provide appropriate nutrition advice to help manage treatment side effects that impact on patient’s ability to eat, improving quality of life and optimising the ability to cope with treatment by maintaining nutritional requirements, energy levels and strength.

Referrals to Dietitian – from patient’s GP, specialist or other allied health professional. EPC Plans accepted

Physiotherapy Our physiotherapists focus on early recovery, maintaining independence and improving physical functioning. They target specific problem areas, assist with symptom management and advise on strategies to manage long term change by providing exercises, hands on treatment and activity modification guidelines. Our physiotherapists are also skilled in providing treatment that will prevent complications before and after surgery.

Referrals to physiotherapist – from patient’s GP, specialist or other allied health professional. EPC Plans accepted

Psychology - Nicole Ferrar Nicole can see patients who have been diagnosed with cancer or their family members and carers. Having worked for many years in the oncology setting, Nicole understands the impact of cancer and its treatment on patients and their families. She has developed specialist skills and knowledge to support her patients as they travel through diagnosis, surgery, treatment and beyond. While Nicole has developed skills in a range of therapeutic approaches throughout her career, she tends to use mindfulness-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as meaning-centred and existential practices. You will find Nicole to be empathetic, accepting and calm, and she is keen to support patients in a flexible way that best suits their needs.

Referrals to psychology – from patient’s GP. MHCPs accepted

Pain Specialist - Dr Alette Bader Dr Bader is experienced in the areas of chronic pain, acute pain, and cancer pain. Her goal is to improve pain control and restore quality of life for those who have otherwise been unsuccessful in pain management.

Referrals to Dr Bader – from patient’s GP or specialist

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TRANSVAGINAL MESH UPDATE FROM SA HEALTH

SA Health has opened the Pelvic Mesh Clinic to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary health care for women experiencing major complications related to pelvic mesh implants.

The clinic, located at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, brings together experts from specialist surgical advice, pain management, continence management, pelvic floor physiotherapy, urogynaecology, psychology and urology assessment disciplines, who work together to review each woman patient. The clinic is part of the SA Health strategy developed to support ‘mesh affected’ women in South Australia Women will be assisted by a triage nurse, who will discuss treatment and care options, help coordinate appointments and connection to support services. The triage nurse will communicate directly with physicians to ensure seamless care and management during treatment.

A clinical referral pathway and medical officer referral form have been developed to support clinician referral to the clinic. Each referral will be reviewed to determine the clinical urgency of the woman’s condition and appointments will be scheduled based on clinical need. Those women assessed with less complex complications may be referred to a local gynaecology service.

The Pelvic Mesh Consumer Support Line: 1800 66 MESH (1800 666 374) remains in operation for consumers requiring information about transvaginal mesh, operating between 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

Information for GPs and consumers are available at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/pelvicmesh

APNA’s 2019

National Conference >> apna.asn.au/conference

ESSURE CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICE | SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE Essure is an implanted device that provides permanent contraception for women. A soft, flexible insert is placed into each of the woman’s fallopian tubes and, over the following three months, a barrier forms around the inserts, which is intended to prevent pregnancy.

On 9 February 2018, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) removed the Essure® contraceptive device from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods; after an increase in device incidents in Australia and worldwide since 2013. The device has been recalled from sale around the world by Bayer in May 2017.

Reports state some women have suffered severe side effects, including irregular periods, hair loss, pelvic or abdominal pain, reduced libido, pain during intercourse and also nickel poisoning in those where the device has corroded.

The Essure device has been supplied to Australia since 1999. It is not known exactly how many of these implants were undertaken in Australia.

Symptoms may include: • Extreme pelvic pain • Abnormal periods • Memory lapses, dizziness, fainting • Severe bloating • Fatigue • Migraines • Weight gain • Changed toilet habits • Twinges in the implant location and aching joints Women experiencing complications following the insertion of Essure implants should visit their GP.

Support and Information SA Health Pelvic Procedure Consumer Support Line: 1800 370 559 9:00am - 4:00pm, Mon - Fri (exc. public holidays) Information Resources are available via: • sahealth.sa.gov.au • tga.gov.au

The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) warmly invite you to join us for our 11th National Conference.

The practical and engaging program will feature: • Wound Care • Chronic Disease Management • Ear Irrigation

• Cardiovascular Disease • Diabetes Management • Vaccinations

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