Programs

PROGRAM	OUTLINE
GP Workforce	Support the Rural Family Medical Network. Monitor GP movements and provide support to new GPs and Registrars. Provide support to the Locum service program with Rural Health West. Monitor the ACCOG housing and seek new initiatives for GP housing. Be involved with all GP education in particular WAGPET or equivalent initiatives. Liaise with Rural Health West on rural GP issues as they arise. Involve the Division in student GP initiatives such as John Flynn Scholarship Students, medical student initiatives and Rural Health West’s school based program. Actively involved with other GP organisations such as AMA, RACGP, Rural Health West, SBO, ADGP.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)	Organise all education for GPs and practice staff including GP weekend events, online education, recording of education sessions, negotiating with sponsors and organising CPD points. Organises the individual GP CPD grant process.
Quality use of Medicines	National Prescribing Service (NPS):  Provides up to date information on pharmacotherapy to GPs and pharmacists
	Home Medicines Reviews (HMR):  A program to build relationships between GPs and Pharmacists to facilitate a review in the home of patients who have been prescribed 5+ medications. This is to identify if what they have been prescribed, and ‘over the counter’ medications they are taking, are not conflicting and are not causing a negative impact
	Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMR):  Disseminate information to Aged Care facilities and provide education session to GPs.
Wheatbelt Support Services These 3 funding sources combined provide an integrated service across the region.	Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Initiative: Provide counselling to patients of GPs who have undertaken Level 1 or 2 training in Mental Health so they can provide a 3+ visit, care plan and claim a higher fee for service
	More Allied Health Services (MAHS): Provide relationship and generic counselling to residents throughout the region (originally by GP referral only)
	Regional Health Services (RHS): Provide relationship, generic counselling, education and personal support to residents throughout the region open to referral from anyone
	Provide relationship, generic counselling, education and personal support to residents throughout the region. Open to referral from anyone with GPs having top priority. Support the Education Officer to provide suicide awareness and other education sessions in their territory.
IM/IT	Provide IM/IT support to Practices throughout the Network. Information provided on software and hardware. Provide basic IT procedures manual to all practices. Provide support to practices, assisting with Information Management.
Practice Support	Provide ongoing support to practices. Assist with Accreditation criteria as required. Distribute health promotional information. Assist GPs with information on new initiatives, MBS items, PIP and SIP. Provide education to practice staff through the “Practice Staff Network Meetings”. Facilitation of communication of information to GPs and practices via Newsletters, fax-outs and other appropriate means. Regular maintenance and updating of website to ensure it remains an effective means of communication.
Immunisation	Disseminate information about any changes in Immunisation schedules and educate staff in handling & storing vaccines. Assist set up of recall systems and monitor ACIR information. Assist Immunisation Certificate Course as required. Data cleansing on an as required basis.
Practice Nurse Program	Assist GPs to employ or contract Practice Nurses. Provide appropriate support and training to Practice Nurses. Provide ongoing training and support to improve the IM/IT skills of the Practice Nurse, improve their awareness of relevant MBS items and increase their skills and confidence when using the electronic medium, particularly with electronic recall and reminder systems. Disseminate information in relation to upskilling.
Chronic Disease	Provide ongoing support to GPs and allied health staff to encourage the use of GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements to improve patient care. Encourage the use of GPMP and TCA to more accurately remunerate GPs.   Provision of electronic and paper-based templates to assist with management of Chronic Disease patients. Supply of Data Extraction Tool to assist with patient management. Provision of recalls and reminders in Medical Director to manage Chronic Disease patients.
Lifescripts	Deliver a short message to GPs about using Lifescripts opportunistically, such as when undertaking the 45-49 year old health check.
WA Country Health Service / OATSI	Assist with the placement of an Aboriginal Health Worker in practices. Ensure practices operate in a ‘culturally secure’ way making Aboriginal people comfortable accessing their services. Facilitate cultural awareness training for all Network staff and new GPs in the area.
Aged Care GP Panels	Support GPs and Allied Health Professionals to increase their involvement through local Aged Care Panels.
Mental Health	Provide a liaison between GPs and MH services to enhance the quality of service between the two. Disseminate information to GP and practices. Provide Familiarisation Training to GPs wanting to access the Better Outcomes initiative.
Wheatbelt Resilience Program	The project aimed to build community resilience and reduce risk factors for suicide in the Wheatbelt through education and training of community.  Community Resilience Groups were established in towns identified by the Federal Government.  Education modules are available through the Network.
After Hours GP / Round the Clock	The program effectively trains nurses in hospitals, provided protocols for after hours emergencies and allows for access to General Practitioners after hours.  Includes the production of the Wheatbelt Nurses Guidelines, available to Wheatbelt hospitals at no charge or for other agencies at a minimal cost.