Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is looking for service providers to deliver additional support to older people across North Queensland as part of the new Care Finders initiative.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte said the Australian Government’s Care Finder program supports those vulnerable older people who have no one else who can support them, to access aged care services and other supports in the community.

“Care Finder services will provide intensive, face-to-face support to older persons who are isolated or have no support person, and who may be finding it difficult to access the care and support they need,” Ms Whyte said.

“Care Finders can help vulnerable older people to navigate the aged care system to find support services to improve their quality of life, whether that be providing help to access services for the first time, or changing or finding new services and supports.

“If someone requires Care Finder services, then a local organisation can connect them with a dedicated Care Finder. The Care Finder will visit them, usually in person, to firstly understand the person’s situation, and then work through the steps to address their needs.”

The Care Finder program is part of a suite of aged care reforms responding to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Ms Whyte said NQPHN has released a Request for Tender (RFT) to find lead providers that have demonstrated local connections, specialist skills, and experience in supporting older persons.

“We are looking for organisations with experience in providing health and wellbeing services to older persons in North Queensland. They should also have experience in intensive case management delivery models and operational, financial, and clinical governance,” Ms Whyte said.

“Providers who can deliver quality services that are integrated across the human and health service sectors, that promote consumer choice and reablement, and who have experience working with vulnerable populations will also be highly desired.”

NQPHN and the lead providers, selected from the RFT process, will work closely with communities within the Torres and Cape, Cairns and Hinterland, Townsville, and Mackay Hospital and Health Service regions to ensure Care Finder services respond to local needs, are integrated with the broader aged and health care system, and deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for older people.

“We have undertaken a considerable health needs assessment and completed substantial planning to ensure the Care Finder initiative meets the needs of North Queenslanders,” Ms Whyte said.

“We look forward to working with the prospective lead providers on the establishment and implementation of Care Finder services to improve the wellbeing of older persons in the region.”

Organisations wishing to submit a tender application can visit NQPHN’s online procurement portal at www.nqphn.com.au/commissioning/etenderbox

The RFT closes on 15 February 2023.

Making it easier for GPs to care for former and transitioning ADF members

Two doctors have facilitated separate workshops involving veterans and general practitioners (GPs) as new pathways are created to help former and transitioning Australian Defence Force (ADF) members receive care in the mainstream civilian healthcare system.

Dr Wai-Keung Lee of Townsville and Dr Kerry Summerscales of Mackay were involved in the Townsville workshops as part of a partnership-first between Primary Health Networks’ (PHNs) and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) contributing to a national suite of tailored HealthPathways to help former and transitioning Australian Defence Force (ADF) members access mainstream primary healthcare.

The activity is one of many actions resulting from a national PHN submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The partnership led by the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECCPHN), Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), and DVA is the first of its kind, underpins this key action, and is a direct result of the recommendations made in the report submission.

The HealthPathways will help GPs support former and transitioning ADF members to navigate the mainstream civilian health care system. The clinical pathways will be provided to all PHNs nationally to ensure a consistent approach, localised for each region, based on the available resources.

To help ensure the Veterans’ HealthPathways (VHPs) are effective and to identify areas to improve GP and veteran engagement more broadly, HNECCPHN, NQPHN, and DVA consulted former and transitioning ADF members, and GPs in two focused, yet robust, workshops, held in the Oasis Centre in Townsville.

In the first workshop, former and transitioning ADF members discussed the transition from Defence into mainstream healthcare and were asked what worked well, what didn’t, and what could be improved.

In the second workshop a group of local GPs reviewed the prioritised activities from the former and transitioning ADF members and provided ways to improve or add to the VHPs pages.

Using the outcomes from the consumer workshop, a survey was undertaken in August to encourage further feedback from former and transitioning ADF members and families. Feedback from the survey will also be used in the pathway development and revision process.

Workshop facilitator HealthPathways GP Clinical Editor Dr Wai-Keung Lee, of Eastbrooke Family Clinic in Townsville, said the former and transitioning ADF members were pleased a national rollout was being prepared and having clear pathways would improve ease of access for them and better management by GPs.

As the clinical editor for the lead region supporting national HealthPathways development, Dr Lee said the next steps included updating Veteran HealthPathways for health assessment, referral, and support.

“The use of HealthPathways needs to be tested in a real setting involving patients and GPs,” he said.

Assisting GPs with up-to-date pathways will better enable former and transitioning ADF members to access all the programs available to them. The VHPs are being developed in close collaboration with DVA.

Dr Kerry Summerscales, of Health on Central in Mackay, said generally civilian GPs were less aware of the challenges facing veterans in mainstream health care and were less aware of how DVA operated.

She said practical issues such as filling out forms correctly and receiving the proper renumeration were other concerns discussed.

Dr Summerscales, an Army veteran of 30 years, said having DVA representatives at the workshops was vital as they listened to the concerns of both former and transitioning ADF members and GPs.

Dr Summerscales specialises in and is a strong advocate of veteran healthcare with most of her patients either former or current ADF personnel, some travelling from as far away as Townsville to seek treatment.

“The latest Census figures show there are close to 600,000 former and current ADF members in Australia. It’s a significant number that can’t be ignored,” Dr Summerscales said.

DVA’s Chief Health Officer Professor Jenny Firman is leading DVA’s engagement with GPs including their involvement in the VHPs, while DVA’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Trish Batchelor and Senior Medical Officer Dr Dan Corkery have provided clinical review and input into the VHPs.

The three are practicing GPs; Professor Firman and Dr Corkery are veterans of the ADF.

Professor Firman said GPs played a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families. 

“DVA has had a particular focus on making it easier for GPs to support veterans and connect them to the right care; and we’re thrilled to be working with the PHNs to help achieve our shared goal, through national Veterans’ HealthPathways,” she said.

Moves are underway by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) to build Compassionate Communities involving everyday people playing a role in the care and support of people as they age, those at or near the end of their lives, and those who are grieving a lost one.

Compassionate Communities is a globally recognised approach to improving the end-of-life experience for people by establishing local networks, groups, and services to be more conscious, aware, and equipped to offer support.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte said the Compassionate Communities initiative mobilises the community to provide support for the frail and elderly.

“Building Compassionate Communities follows the principle that it is impossible to have hospices built in every suburb, hence the community will be mobilised to do our bit for the frail and elderly who live alone, people with life-limiting illnesses, and for people who are grieving,” said Ms Whyte.

“They are not on their own. They are part of us. We have the responsibility to play our part for them as a community.”

NQPHN is currently calling for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from a wide range of organisations to help create Compassionate Communities.

“We have received interest from councils, neighbourhood/community centres, community groups, service providers, local businesses, civic organisations, and interested individuals. But we still need more,” said Ms Whyte.

“At NQPHN, we are seeking expressions of interest from people to become Health Community Connectors who are community-minded individuals passionate about engaging with community members on identifying and signposting vulnerable people to groups, services, and other supports that either formally or informally address end of life care, grief, and bereavement.

“Some examples of these services and supports may include palliative care, support groups, social clubs, community services, and any other type of helpful supports. Health community connectors maybe retired professionals, health or community services professionals, and caregivers among others.

“Health Community Connectors are hairdressers, taxi drivers, café staff, aged care workers, teenagers, students, choir group members, community workers, business owners, librarians, social workers, neighbours, commuters … anyone really.”

Ms Whyte said that Palliative Care Queensland, in collaboration with NQPHN, was already currently rolling out the connecting end-of-life care project and compassionate community conversations in Townsville, with the city currently developing its charter as a Compassionate City.

​The plan is to create three Compassionate Communities each in Cairns and Hinterland, Cape and Torres, and Mackay.

Ms Whyte said in 2021, the Groundswell Project was commissioned to deliver the program in Central Queensland, Wide Bay, and Sunshine Coast as part of Primary Health Networks – Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care pilot funding.

There are now nine Compassionate Communities in Central Queensland, Wide Bay, and Sunshine Coast with more than 200 community connectors trained to offer support.

“We are hoping to replicate the same in northern Queensland,” said Ms Whyte.

NQPHN is holding a series of Health Community Connectors workshops throughout North Queensland during January to March 2023. These workshops are for anyone wanting to be part of the Compassionate Communities movement. More information on each workshop including registration details can be found at the links below:

• Atherton workshop - 30 January 2023
• Mareeba workshop - 31 January 2023
• Port Douglas workshop - 1 February 2023
• Cairns workshop - 2 February 2023
• Innisfail workshop - 3 February 2023
• Bowen workshop - 21 February 2023
• Mackay workshop - 22 February 2023
• Moranbah workshop - 23 February 2023
• Cooktown workshop - 2 March 2023
• Thursday Island workshop - 16 March 2023
• Weipa workshop - 30 March 2023
• Ingam / Hinchinbrook workshop - 7 August 2023
• Townsville workshop - 8 August 2023
• Ayr/ Burdekin workshop - 9 August 2023
• Charters Towers workshop - 10 August 2023
• Hughenden workshop - 11 August 2023