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Responses to first Health Voices survey
We now have over 300 Health Voices from Ouyen to Corryong and Birchip to Mansfield. If you haven't yet registered it's easy to do so and will enable you to tell us what's important to you, and your local community when it comes to health. The responses we received to our first (and ongoing survey) have been themed, and over half of our Health Voices shared their experiences with us, giving us local knowledge and insight. Click here to see the full results.
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Improving eye health in rural and regional areas
On World Sight Day (12 October), we launched a suite of eye health pathways. The pathways were developed as a shared project between The Rural Workforce Agency Victoria, Gippsland and Western Victoria PHNs
The pathways aim to support GPs with diagnosis and referral, and importantly improve access to eye health care, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-Operative and Njernda Aboriginal Corporation were involved in the clinical work groups, ensuring a culturally appropriate and local lens was applied to their development. The pathways are a component of working towards Closing the Gap and improving eye and ear health services for Indigenous people.
Pathway links (note you must be registered and logged in to view): Immediate Ophthalmology Referral, Urgent/Routine Ophthalmology Referral, Diabetic Retinopathy, Children's eye Problems, Open Angled Glaucoma, Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Retinal Photography for Diabetic Retinopathy and Integrated Team Care update from previously developed pathway for CCSS.
Pictured left to right: Roman Zwolak and Shae Wissell, RWAV, Marianne Shearer and Jeannette Douglas, Gippsland PHN, Megan Cahill, RWAV, Christine Fishley, Murray PHN, Michelle Hearn and Cara Miller Western Victoria PHN.
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Trial program to support people following suicide attempts Wangaratta mental health
Northeast Health Wangaratta will be part of a trial program by the Victorian government to provide people leaving hospital following a suicide attempt with dedicated support. The Hospital Outreach Post-suicidal Engagement (HOPE) program has been running at three Melbourne hospitals, and will expand to three additional locations, including Wangaratta this year.
The program provides holistic support to help individuals, carers and families identify factors and build strategies to reduce the risk of data. Sites were selected based on analysis of suicide data, population demographics and community profiles. Click here for more information.
New NDIS pathways released to improve participant and provider experience NDIS
The National Disability Insurance Agency has released details of a new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 'pathway' designed to significantly improve the experience people and organisations have with the NDIS. The pathway will refer to the experience participants and providers have from their first interaction to their ongoing engagement with the NDIS.
Central to the new participant pathway is the delivery of face-to-face engagement for all NDIS plan development, based on the individual's preference. The new pathway will be progressively piloted and tested over coming months before being rolled out nationally. For more information, visit the NDIS website.
STEP Program - Free online nurse education program diabetes
The STEP Program is a free diabetes education program designed specifically for Practice Nurses to support patients with structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (sSMBG) methods, and increase awareness in people with Type II diabetes of the benefits of sSMBG.
The program has been endorsed by APNA and completion entitles eligible participants to claim up to 5 CPD points. Click here for more information.
Free interpreting service for GPs and medical specialists resources
General practitioners and approved medical specialists can access the free interpreting service through TIS National when delivering Medicare rebateable services in private practice to anyone with a Medicare card. Nursing and practice support staff working with practitioners registered with TIS National can also access the service using the same client code. Working with professional interpreters is essential to ensuring medical practitioners are able to communicate effectively with their patients and are protected from professional risk.
The service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. To access this free service complete the client registration form. For more information contact TIS National Language Policy Liaison team on tis.lpl@border.gov.au or by calling 1300 575 847.
Hepatitis B and liver cancer resources for culturally diverse communities cancer
Cancer Council Victoria has developed an informative, simple factsheet that can be used to inform patients and health professionals about hepatitis B, who is at risk, testing, treatment and monitoring. Information is provided about the link between untreated hepatitis B and liver cancer, including tips to reduce cancer risk.
The factsheet is available in eight different languages: Arabic, English, Filipino, Italian, Khmer, Simplified Chinese, Somali and Vietnamese and can be accessed here. In addition, an A3 poster, "Ask your doctor for a hepatitis B test", is suitable for health and community settings.
It is available for download in Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese or Somali and Sudanese Arabic.Further information for health professionals on how to interpret serology and diagnosis for hepatitis B can be found on the Hep B Help website www.hepbhelp.org.au
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