Disaster Medicine is the prevention, production and mitigation of the effects of disasters on the health of communities, the provision of appropriate treatment for those affected and the restoration of health services. Contact: 9222 4090. Website: www.health.wa.gov.au/disaster/

Health Networks would like to thank everyone who has contributed to improving health in WA by sharing their expertise as a member of a working or advisory group, connecting with others at stakeholder forums, or by improving policies and frameworks by taking the time to provide feedback on draft documents. Health Networks look forward to working closely with GPs and GP Networks in 2010 to improve health services across the state by translating the models of care and policy frameworks into practical changes in service delivery between primary care and hospital health services.

WA health boss Peter Flett resigns after budget row with Troy Buswell
Dr Flett refused to give a definitive reason for his resignation, citing only that “balancing the budget has been, and always will be an enormous challenge”.
Dr Flett is only one year into his $540,000 a year job.
Mr Buswell criticised Dr Flett this week for recently telling a parliamentary committee that the Health Department was expected to be $200 million over budget this financial year.
Dr Flett said it was with “huge regret” that he was resigning as Health Department boss. More information...

General practice nurses who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in paediatric conditions are invited to attend this educational event planned at Princess Margaret Hospital. Topics will include but are not limited to: Paediatric Asthma, Anaphylaxis and Epipens, Immunotherapy and Immunisations More information…

The package, inclusive of information, videos, activities and links to further resources, consists of five self directed learning modules:
• Culture, self and diversity
• Aboriginal history
• Working with Aboriginal people
• Providing clinical services
• Improving cultural security
You can access the Cultural Orientation Plan at http://lms.cucrh.uwa.edu.au/moodle/

The Department of Health Western Australia (WA) is pleased to announce the launch of the revised International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in WA website:
The website provides information for IMGs interested in a career with WA Health including links to current job vacancies; processes and procedures for applying to work in WA; how to obtain medical registration; advice on moving to and living in WA, as well as links to external agencies such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, specialist colleges and the Australian Medical Council.
Advice for employers is provided on the processes and documentation necessary to facilitate the recruitment of an IMG, with explanations on issues such as immigration, Medicare Provider Numbers, Unmet Area of Need and District of Workforce Shortage. All forms and templates required to commence the recruitment process are available online.
http://www.overseasdoctors.health.wa.gov.au/home/

The Department of Health has released its annual report into serious health care incidents in Western Australian hospitals.
The WA Sentinel Event Report 2008-09 showed that over the past year, 90 patients experienced serious harm or died as a result of the care they received in a public or private hospital, nine more than the previous year.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Simon Towler said while the number of notifications had increased, the rate of sentinel events had remained stable at 0.01 per cent (1 in 10,000) of all hospital admissions over the past year. http://www.health.wa.gov.au/press/view_press.cfm?id=878

Health Minister Kim Hames has appointed high-profile Perth GP and public health advocate Dr Rosanna Capolingua to the chair of the Healthway Board.
Dr Capolingua will take over from previous chair, dual Olympic gold-medal hockey player Jenn Morris.
Dr Hames said Dr Capolingua was a highly respected health professional with a strong background in the public health arena. She has been a member of the Healthway Board since 2000 and also a member of Healthway’s Health Advisory Committee.
Dr Capolingua also served as president of the Australian Medical Association at a State level and, from 2007 to 2009, as the association’s Federal president. http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=132958

The Federal Government has announced changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) in a first step to simplify the schedule, remove red tape and to encourage preventative care.
The changes will be introduced in May 2010.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomes the Government’s commitment to Medicare reform but encourages the Government to look at other significant changes, including higher rebates for high quality general practice care.
A recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report confirmed that the complexity of work being delivered by Australian GPs has dramatically increased in the past 10 years. Yet since 2000, workforce data shows that GP supply has decreased by 2%, while specialist supply has increased by 17%. We need to do more to attract the next generation of doctors to general practice. More information...

On 13 November 2009 the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference (AHMC) affirmed its commitment to the introduction of national healthcare identifiers in 2010 and agreed to release exposure draft legislation for establishing a Healthcare Identifiers Service for consultation.
The supporting publication Building the foundation for an e-health future…update on legislative proposals for healthcare identifiers was sent to you prior to the stakeholder forum on the Healthcare Identifiers Service held on 20 November 2009 in Canberra. This publication outlined the key legislative proposals that have formed the basis for the drafting of the legislation.
A copy of the Bill and other relevant documents are available here or via the ‘What’s New’ link on the Department’s Healthcare Identifiers Service website at www.health.gov.au/ehealth/consultation or by phoning 02 6289 3919.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is constantly examining methods to improve communication with General Practitioners (GPs), specifically, how to raise awareness of the various DVA-funded health services available to their veteran patients.
To assist in addressing this, DVA as developed an Information for Medical Practitioners package, particularly aimed at newly graduating GPs, those practising in rural and regional areas, and GPs who are International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Moreover, it can be utilised as a ‘refresher’ for any GP who treats members of the veteran community.
The package consists of:
o an Introduction;
o three information modules;
o a list of web links to information referred to in the modules;
o two useful DVA reference documents - the DVA Funded Health Services and DVA Treatment Entitlement Cards Charts; and
o a feedback form. More information...

Patients and doctors are set to benefit from the Rudd Government’s moves to streamline and simplify the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).
15 measures to simplify the schedule, remove red tape and encourage preventative care will be in place by 1 May 2010.
This is part of the Government’s work to put primary care at the frontline of our health system and ensure that we encourage GPs to deliver quality preventative health.
The Government’s action addresses doctor’s concerns that the current MBS is overly complex, encourages ‘six-minute medicine’ and fails to encourage preventative care, particularly for those with chronic illnesses.
More information…

Stay On Your Feet WA® organises many events for health professionals and key stakeholders, most recently ‘No Falls Day’ and ‘Stay On Your Feet WA® Week. This e-Bulletin is produced as a joint effort of ICCWA and WA Health Networks and primarily targets health professionals and key stakeholders. More information...

The PHCRIS eBulletin is designed to inform you of recently published articles and reports, news items, media releases, upcoming conferences and courses. The latest edition has as its lead "New PHC RIS RESEARCH ROUNDup: Australia's primary health care research workforce" http://www.phcris.org.au/publications/ebulletin/

One of the key activities to be undertaken by AGPN under the Nursing in General Practice (NiGP) Program is to host a two day annual forum for Practice Nurse Program Officers and other interested staff. This forum will be our fourth event.
The key aims for the forum are to:
• showcase nationally relevant NiGP initiatives and models;
• share knowledge,skills and resources;
• coach and collaborate with general practice networks to bulid their capacity to support nursing in general practice
• bulid support networks amongst general practice networks (GPNs) NiGP program officers nationally;
• provide an opportunity to review the strengths and weaknesses of the NiGP program and
• prioritise future activities. More information…

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), the Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand (IMSANZ), and the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM) are pleased to host the World Congress of Internal Medicine 2010, to be held in Melbourne, Australia on 20 – 25 March 2010. The Congress will be held in conjunction with the annual RACP Physicians Week. http://www.wcim2010.com.au/

The first Australian Clinical Networks Conference is to be held in Melbourne in 2010 and is being hosted by Victorian Department of Human Services.
The conference will bring together Clinical Networks from across Australia and internationally to provide an opportunity to share and promote ideas on Clinical Networks.
Sharing examples of ‘best practice’ in Clinical Networks will be a key theme looking at areas such as:
• Establishing and maintaining effective networks,
• Evaluation and outcomes of clinical networks,
• Consumers as network participants and partners in improving care, and
• Connected and collaborative care. More information...

Across Australia, there are a number of people, organisations and communities working together to address indigenous alcohol and drug issues and associated harm. Recognising that harmful alcohol and other drug use contributes significantly to the poor
health outcomes of indigenous Australians, the continuing capacity and quality of these efforts is contingent on learning good practices and skills, building a local workforce and strengthening indigenous communities to respond effectively. More information...
 

The largest healthcare event in Australia
Hear an unrivalled roster of over 60 international and local healthcare leaders sharing their ideas, debate strategy and discuss long term solutions
Policy reform and implementation
Understand how structural reform, funding models and technology will impact on the delivery and quality of healthcare
Have your say in the healthcare reform debate
Make your thoughts known and influence outcomes by participating in high level panel sessions and networking activities
Pre-Conference Masterclass:
Chronic Disease Self-Management More information…