The course is accredited with the RACGP as a CPD Accredited Activity (40 CPD points) and with ACRMM as a PDP Activity (6 PDP hours). It is also accredited by the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) as stand-alone Clinical Enhancement Module. As with all of Emerging Mind’s training and resources, this course is available to practitioners free of charge.

The package includes:

• a summary of the course and its learning outcomes
• a prescribed GP learning pathway that includes other relevant online courses
• a Pathways of Care template for you to download and use to create a central database for services you can reach out to
• a promotional video about this course.

Last year, Emerging Minds released their e-learning titled A GP framework for child mental health assessment (5-12 years), which is accredited at the same level as the course for 0 to 5 year-olds. These are the only courses available in Australia that are designed exclusively for GPs working in mental health treatment planning and management for children aged under 12. 

The role of Emerging Mind’s Team is to assist professionals and organisations across primary care to implement workforce development strategies that strengthen support for infant and child mental health and to have the skills to identify, assess, and support children aged 0 to 12 at risk of mental health conditions.

To learn more, visit https://emergingminds.com.au/online-course/mhst-0-5-years/

All Australian states and territories are working towards implementing real-time prescription monitoring solutions, with the aim of establishing a national system. Once established, information about monitored medicines dispensing events occurring in other states and territories may be recorded and viewable in QScript.

The data in QScript is collected automatically from Prescription Exchange Services (PESs) which currently support the transfer of electronic prescriptions and prescription information from medical clinics to pharmacies. When a prescription is issued at a medical clinic or dispensed at a pharmacy connected to a PES, the PES sends a record of the prescription to QScript in real-time.

Relevant health practitioners are required to check QScript for patient records before:

• prescribing a monitored medicine
• dispensing a monitored medicine
• giving a treatment dose of a monitored medicine.

The following health practitioners have access to QScript:

• medical practitioners
• pharmacists
• nurse practitioners
• endorsed midwives
• dentists
• podiatric surgeons and endorsed podiatrists.

QScript captures medicines that have a recognised therapeutic use but may also present high-risk harm. The Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 refers to these medicines as ‘monitored medicines’:

• all schedule 8 medicines (e.g. opioids, alprazolam, nabiximols, dexamphetamine)
• the following schedule 4 medicines:
  • all benzodiazepines
  • codeine
  • gabapentin
  • pregabalin
  • quetiapine
  • tramadol
  • zolpidem
  • zopiclone.

The Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 specifies penalties that can be imposed if health practitioners do not take reasonable steps to check QScript when required. There will be exceptions in some circumstances, including when treating patients in an emergency. A maximum of 20 penalty units ($2,757 as of 1 July 2021) will apply if a relevant practitioner fails to check QScript when required— unless they have a reasonable excuse.

Learn more about about QScript here—scroll down the page and click to open the full article under 'QScript - Queensland's real time prescription monitoring system' tab in the accordion.

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Northern Queensland Primary Health Network’s (NQPHN) Vaccine Works campaign spotlights the region’s vaccinating general practices and pharmacies and focuses on the primary care sector’s highly successful role in increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates in North Queensland.

In Innisfail, general practices and pharmacies are currently vaccinating the local community, including:

• Rankin Street Medical Centre
• Innisfail Family Health
• Innisfail Medical Centre
• Chemist Warehouse.

As of today (2 November 2021), Rankin Street Medical Centre, Innisfail Family Health, and Chemist Warehouse have together delivered more than 12,000 COVID vaccines to the wider Innisfail community, which has a population of approximately 10,000 people.

Rankin Street Medical Centre has been vaccinating the local Innisfail community since the vaccination rollout program began earlier this year, establishing a stand-alone vaccination site.

“We decided very early that vaccinating all the adults in the area was never going to happen in a reasonable timeframe without a high-throughput designated facility,” said Dr Simon Birchley, GP at Rankin Street Medical Centre.

“Fortunately, a suitable site for such a stand-alone clinic was available next to our practice, with computer and telephone connectivity, and the model has worked pretty well.

“The real heroes have been our staff – managing the bookings, stock control, and vaccination process while dealing with a constant and at times overwhelming number of calls and walk-in questions about timing and eligibility in the early months.”

Innisfail Family Health has been vaccinating local residents with both Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

“As a Registered Nurse (RN), I have a responsibility to ensure I educate and encourage members of the public to be vaccinated,” said practice RN Michelle McCarthy.

Joel Ng, Managing Partner and pharmacist at Chemist Warehouse Innisfail, said it has been great to see pharmacies able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to the community.

“Chemist Warehouse Innisfail was one of the first few pharmacies approved for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout,” said Mr Ng.

“The uptake of the vaccine has been very positive from the Innisfail community.

“We were fully booked on our vaccination days and had to increase the booking slot in order to accommodate for the demand.”

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte praised Innisfail’s vaccinating GPs and pharmacies and said the primary care sector is playing a key role in the ever-increasing rate of COVID-19 vaccinations across North Queensland.

“Our Vaccine Works campaign is about showcasing our local primary care providers for all the amazing work they’ve done over the past few months to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates in North Queensland and protect our community,” Ms Whyte said.

In North Queensland, there are currently 135 general practices, 115 pharmacies, 10 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and four GP-led Respiratory Clinics administering COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna).

To book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, including at Queensland Health clinics, people are encouraged to use the Australian Government’s official COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Finder at https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au

As of 1 February 2022, these patients will not have the applicable co-payment reduction applied when their prescriptions are being dispensed. PBS General Schedule medicines prescribed under the Program have been issued for patients who are not formally registered for the Program with Services Australia. The Department is seeking your assistance to address this issue.

To ensure eligible patients are formally registered for the Program and continue to receive their PBS medicines at the reduced PBS co‑payment, we are asking that you review the registration status for any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients. Patient registration status can be checked using the Health Professional Online Services (HPOS). If the patient is not formally registered with Services Australia, HPOS will indicate that the person is “inactive”. In this case you will need to contact that patient to arrange to have them assessed by either a PBS Prescriber or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner.

This issue must be rectified before 31 January 2022 to ensure all eligible Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients who have previously received their PBS General Schedule medicines under the Program can continue to do so.

Information on registering patients for the Program can be found on the Department of Health website: https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/publication/factsheets/closing-the-gap-pbs-co-payment-measure

For PBS Prescribers, if you require information on using HPOS this can be found on the Services Australia website: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/health-professionals/services/medicare/closing-gap-pbs-co-payment-health-professionals/prescribers

The Department of Health appreciates the important work that Practice Managers/ PBS Prescribers do and trust that you will assist the Department in ensuring that all eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are correctly registered for the program.

Helpful videos

• How to register for an individual account.
• How to register a patient for Closing the Gap (CTG) PBS Co-payment.

A data breach occurs when there is unauthorised access to personal information (including where information has been lost), risk of serious harm to individuals to whom the information relates, or an organisation has been unable to prevent the risk of serious harm. There has been a “significant shift” in the source of data breaches. In the past human error was most frequently listed as the main cause, yet in 2021 criminal or malicious attacks were the main source. One of the most significant cyber incidents in the Australian healthcare landscape was the attack of Queensland’s Uniting Care, which forced them to turn to paper operations for over a month.

“We expect entities to have appropriate internal practices, procedures and systems in place to assess and respond to data breached involving ransomware, including a clear understanding of how and where personal information is stored across their network.” – Angelene Falk, Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner.

If you are new to the world of data governance, or would benefit from a refresher, there are great resources available to assist you.

• Privacy in Practice is a one-hour eLearning course containing three 20-minute modules including an introduction to the Privacy Act 1988 and key concepts, the safe handling personal information, and managing privacy issues. A certificate of completion is provided upon finishing the course.
• The OAIC provide this sample Notifiable Data Breach form to assist with training staff. In its live form, it is used to inform the Australian Information Commissioner of an eligible data breach where required by the Privacy Act 1988.
• RACGP’s Standards for general practices (5th edition) (Criterion C6.4 [information security]) contains indicators relating to practice’s legal obligation to manage health information. The RACGP’s information security in general practice guide can help you to set up your information security governance, assess the risks and keep your practice running, secure your network and equipment, and be safer online.

Managing and mitigating risk with good security governance allows your practice to operate successfully and sustainably, allowing you to focus on providing quality patient care.

Some people may be experiencing grief and bereavement because they have lost a loved one or someone they care for due to COVID-19. Others in aged care may be experiencing grief or loss due to the COVID-19 hotspot lockdowns and restrictions experienced in aged care:

• missing their visitors and routines
• absent regular staff
• unable to celebrate important events.

The lockdowns, social isolation, and ongoing uncertainty may have caused emotional trauma. COVID-19 and the associated restrictions may have raised past trauma, for example from their home country, childhood, or past pandemic occurrences. While some people can work through these feelings and recover, others may need help.

It’s ok to seek help. The Australian Government has funded mental health, grief, trauma, and education experts to produce online resources and training modules and support you either in-person or on the phone.

Support for grief, loss, and bereavement

Many older people using aged care, their loved ones, and the staff that care for them may be experiencing grief, loss, or bereavement because of COVID-19. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement provides support, advice, and counselling in a one-to-one or group setting through phone calls, video calls, and in person.

You can free call 1800 22 22 00 for phone counselling, advice on how to help your organisation or people you care for. Visit www.aged.grief.org.au for resources. Download the ‘My Grief’ app for tips on how to help yourself, and how to support a loved one.

Resources about the impacts of trauma

COVID-19 may have exposed old or new emotional trauma. While some people recover, others may develop mental health problems and need help.

Phoenix Australia are trauma and education experts, and have developed information, tools, guidance, videos, and self-care strategies. The resources are free and available to people living and working in aged care, their friends, family and loved ones.

Go to www.phoenixaustralia.org/aged-care to download fact sheets, view webinars and use training.

Help for people living with dementia where behaviours are impacting their care

Aged care residents living with dementia may have changed behaviours because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Dementia Support Australia has a free national service providing 24-hour help, 7 days a week.  Specialised engagement consultants, clinical support, plans and strategies, advice, and information services are available to people who care for someone living with dementia.

Need help managing changed behaviours? Call 1800 699 799 or visit www.dementia.com.au.

Advocacy and support

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) is independent of Government and aged care providers. OPAN supports people receiving or applying for Government-subsidised aged care. The network offers free and confidential advocacy, COVID-19 advisory support and referral services for senior Australians accessing aged care, and their families and friends.

Call OPAN on 1800 700 600, 6am-10pm, 7 days a week, or visit www.opan.com.au.

Free, confidential, and accessible

All services and resources are free, confidential and respect your culture, religion, identity, and lifestyles. Translated brochures in 64 languages and an Indigenous design, and posters are available for download and to order in print on the program resources page. Trauma fact sheets are available on the Phoenix website, and Grief fact sheets are available on the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement website.

Interpreting is also available, call 131 450 for Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS), ask for your language to connect. Or call 1300 010 877 for Auslan Connections, email interpreter.bookings@deafservices.org.au, fax 07 3892 8511 or SMS 0407 647 591.

Complementing existing mental health supports

The Grief and Trauma Support Program complements existing Australian Government-supported mental health services. Crisis support is available from Lifeline and Beyond Blue, see Health to Health for more services or see your GP.

For more information

Visit the Australian Government Department of Health website or contact: ageing.and.diversity@health.gov.au