Practice support
2,560
interactions with general practices in the 12-month period
Interactions on various types of practice support topics included:
386
accredited general practices
200
practices supported on infection control
11
education events with an average of 69 attendees / learning outcomes achieved – an average of 87.86%
The Practice Support and Development Team continued to support primary health providers to help improve quality of care and better patient health outcomes.
Through innovative initiatives and responsive solutions, we have worked diligently to support General Practices with tools they need to navigate the complex healthcare landscape. To support the capacity in primary care, the teams tailored engagement meets the needs of each general practice through a structured and integrated approach. Consisting of eight Practice Support Officers, the team are dedicated to supporting their own allocated practices. This method ensures continuity of support and enhanced engagement and promotes relationship building.
Coming out on the other side of COVID-19, we have made significant strides in helping practices return to a ‘business-as-usual’ type model, with COVID-19 still in the forefront. Facilitating continued support on risk management, pandemic and emergency preparation, infection prevention and control ensures practices are always vigilant.
Key highlights
The team supported 209 (54%) practices to achieve Accreditation against the RACGP 5th edition Standards. Accreditation, being a 3-year cycle, a planned and timely approach to ensure practices are ready for their final accreditation survey audit is essential.
The team also supported general practice with over 2,560 engagement interactions, including 279 practice visits and over 200 support engagements on infection control.
Eleven educational events with an average of 69 attendees were hosted and facilitated. Interestingly, topics such as Health Assessments, Infection Control and Triage attracted the most attendees with over 80 people attending. An overall consistent average of 87.86% rating of learning outcomes was achieved.
Practice Nurses in general practice
Nurses working in general practice play a pivotal role in delivering primary care and CESPHN is committed to supporting and optimizing this role. Nurse orientation sessions are offered ensuring transitioning to general practice from other areas of health is effective and positive.
A ‘glance’ into this program for the future, we will see more education opportunities such as cervical screening training, Spirometry training and an Annual Practice Nurse Forum. We also hope to increase our engagement with practice nurses, introducing an Advisory Group to help identify gaps and needs within the sector.
Collaboration
Other programs the team has supported include the distribution of PPE during COVID-19 peak period, Vax at Home Program, COVID at Home Program, GP Grants Program 2023, World Pride Sydney 2023, GP Registrar and workforce development.
Participation in the St George Hospital Integrated Working Group aims to support the development of improved communication between General Practices and St George and Sutherland Hospital clinicians. This group has promoted improvements in discharge summaries to GPs, increased linkages with nurses working in general practice and participation in HealthPathways. The establishment of a GP Grand Round Education Program has also been a successful contribution to the ongoing connection between acute and primary care.
By focusing on collaboration, innovation, education and quality improvement, the Practice Support and Development team aims to contribute significantly to the ongoing transformation of primary care.
Thank you to our team for their dedication to this important program and also to the general practice staff who continually show up to be the front line of healthcare and for their unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for their patients.
World Pride February 2023
World Pride 2023 came to Sydney in February 2023, with up to 500,000 people from all over the world embarking on our wonderful city to attend the festivities. WorldPride is a global LGBTQIA+ festival that has been staged since 2000.
To ensure access to primary care was available within the Central and Eastern Sydney region during this time, an expression of interest was distributed to general practices within targeted areas to have the opportunity to participate and support this initiative. Five general practices were successful and offered the opportunity and funding to extend their practice operating hours in order to support those people visiting and attending the festivities who may need medical care.
As a result of this initiative, 233 consumers were seen in these extended hours in general practice during the 17 days of the WorldPride festivities, therefore supporting other services such as emergency departments in local hospitals. Thank you to the following general practices who participated in this program – Key Health CBD South, O’Connell Street Clinic, Holdsworth House, CityDoc Medical Centre and East Sydney Doctors.
GP Grants Program 2023
The Australian Government has provided $220 million in grants, over two years from 2022-23 to support general practices and eligible Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to expand patient access and support safe, and accessible, quality primary care.
Under the Strengthening Medicare – General Practice Grants Program a single one-off grant of either $25,000, $35,000 or $50,000 (based on practice size and accreditation status) were made available to support innovation, training, equipment, and minor capital works on any of the three investment streams below:
- Enhancing digital health capability,
- Upgrading infection prevention and control arrangements,
- Maintaining or achieving accreditation
A GP Grant expression of interest was sent to all general practices within the CESPHN region in April 2023. Four hundred and eighty-four practices were approved for the grant and $12.8 million was provided to support practices within the CESPHN region.
The GP Grants Program has also enabled CESPHN to update its internal contract systems, upskilling of staff and enhanced collaboration across teams.
We surveyed general practices who had received a grant. Of those who responded
- Ninety-six percent (n=106) felt that the grant funding will help support their practice to implement quality improvement initiatives and that the application process easy or very easy.
Pleasingly 90% (n=93) indicated the support offered from CESPHN during the application process was very helpful or extremely helpful.
Next steps for this program will be for our CESPHN teams to continue to support general practices in their quest to implement quality improvement initiatives and guidance through the reporting requirements for this program.
Allied health
In June 2022, we facilitated a bespoke CPD event: ‘A focused look at running a successful private allied health practice’.
This was a great opportunity for networking and discussion between the allied health professionals in attendance and the panel of experts on a range of points related to marketing, accounting, human resources and culture within a practice.
As part of the implementation of the Allied Health strategy, we supported practitioners to connect and belong through our support services and education events.
We also provided CPD events related to My Health Record, secure messaging, digital supports for the NDIS and running a successful private allied health business.
The number of allied health professionals connected to secure messaging increased from
412
in 2022
462
in 2023