Blue Gree Algae health surveillance | Primary Care Providers
High levels of blue-green algae (BGA) have been detected in the Murray River from Lake Hume to Murrabit and Racecourse Lake (part of the Kerang Lakes).
Health advice has been provided to the community and health providers through the Chief Health Officer’s Advisory and details of the geographical spread of the bloom can be found on the Vic Emergency website.
The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking to understand the potential health impacts of the current BGA bloom and are asking health providers to report patients suspected to have been exposed. Information about symptoms to look for can be found here
Contact the Department of Health and Human Services Water Program on 1300 761 874 in working hours, to report cases at which time further information and support can be provided.
Murray PHN position vacant
Health Systems Coord. Goulburn Valley
The Health Systems Coordinator supports system-wide perspectives and responses to improve health service coordination, efficiency and effectiveness within the Goulburn Valley region of Murray PHN. Applications close midnight this Sunday 15 May. Click here for more details
Better Health Channel Immunity for Community In this video Dr Danchin explains some of the science behind immunisation and addresses some common concerns that come up in her discussions with parents. Click here to watch
Indigenous breast cancer flyer
Women's Business Workshop: Looking after your breasts isa flyer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women on how to find breast cancer early. Click here for more details
Foods That Do Good
Dairy Australia has developed a new communication program using the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines as a foundation. Foods That Do Good equips health professionals with resources (e.g. nutrition calculator, fact sheets, menu planner, receipes, information on popular diets) to inform patients about how to help reduce their diet-related health risks through a balanced diet. Click here from more details
Bridges out of Poverty | Echuca
Campaspe Primary Care Partnership are hosting the Bridges out of Poverty course 28-29 June in Echuca to address everyday interactions, through to policy implications. Click here for more details
Alzheimer's event | Bendigo
The Alzheimer's Australia: Effective Communication event being held on Tuesday 24 May will discuss the changes and alternative communication strategies, dealing with over-reactions of a person with dementia and supporting distress. Click here for more details
Huntington's event | Bendigo
Huntington’s Disease 2016 Education Road Show is visiting Bendigo on 27 May. The event is for those who have, or know someone who has Huntington's Disease and would like to learn coping strategies. Click here for more details
Membership applications
For the first time community members have the opportunity to shape health planning and local health outcomes in the Murray PHN region through Community Advisory Councils. Click here for application details Click here for a printable poster that can be displayed in waiting rooms and on notice boards etc.
Post-market medicine reviews
The PBS has a public consultation open until Monday 16 May about Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) medicines; and biological Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (bDMARDs) to treat severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Click here from more details
RACGP MBS consultation
To assist the RACGP with their advocacy on the freeze of MBS, they want to hear stories and examples of how the freeze is impacting you, your patients and your community and how you and your practice will adapt. Submissions close Friday 27 May. Click here for more details
General practice training article
Jennifer Fry, Murray PHN Manager Health Systems has had an article A blended supervision model in Australian general practice training published in RACGP's Australian Family Physician. Click here from more details
Updating medicine names
In different countries, different names are used to describe the same medicinal ingredient. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is updating some medicine ingredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally. There will be a four year transition period for these changes; which has started and will end in April 2020. Click here for more details
Diabetes training | Alexandra and Seymour
The Lower Hume Diabetes Working Group would like to invite all local pharmacy staff to attend an information evening on diabetes and local services. The event will take place in Alexandra on Tuesday 24 May and Seymour on Thursday 26 May. Click here for more details
GV Health CEO
GV Health will soon be advertising for a new chief executive to fill the position, after Dale Fraser announced his resignation, finishing Friday 1 July.
Mr Fraser said that last month’s Victorian government announcement of $168.5 million for redevelopment of Shepparton Hospital provided an opportunity for someone to commit to a lengthy stay and get the redevelopmnet work done. Click here for more details
Will practices still need to meet their ePIP targets if they experience technical issues uploading shared health summaries?
An issue referred to as the ‘Dot Net’ issue is currently affecting some Clinical Information Systems (CIS) where healthcare providers have applied a recent security patch issued by Microsoft to their local systems.
For most CIS affected by this issue, healthcare providers will experience intermittent errors with uploading a Shared Health Summary to the My Health Record system. For most, an error message will be displayed.
All CIS vendors connected to the My Health Record system have been contacted by the Australian Government. Some CIS vendors have already released updated code as a new version or a patch. Those CIS vendors whose release date is in the future have an interim solution (a Registry Key Patch) available.
Some CIS vendors plan to notify their customers of the availability of the code change or Registry Key patch, while other CIS vendors will only provide the solution when contacted by their customers.
Practices experiencing this problem should contact their vendor and ask them to advise on the quickest resolution.
Practices in receipt of the ePIP incentive are still expected to either meet their requirements or to opt out of that quarter.
Family Ice education | Benalla
Turning Point, The Bouvrie Centre and SHARC - Self Help Addiction Resource Centre are offering BreakThrough ice education for families in Benalla on Tuesday 17 May. Click here for more details
Position vacant | Tallangatta
Tallangatta Health Service in North East Victoria are seeking an experienced GP to join their team in either a part time of full time capacity. Click here for more details
Using Technology to assist Practice event | Benalla
This training and forum session on Tuesday 17 May is being held for practitioners supporting young people 12-25 who use alcohol and/or have related issues, youth workers, AOD clinicians and counsellors who are interested in the online behaviour of young people and who want to hear and share ideas about how technology can assist their work. Click here for more details
Bridges out of Poverty | Mildura
Murray PHN is offering funding for 15 general practice staff in the North West region to attend Bridges out of Povertytraining in Red Cliffs. General practice staff interested in applying for funding are to submit a completed expression of interest. Click here for more details
Suicide bereavement workshops | Swan Hill
Bendigo Community Health Services are hosting the following StandBy workshops in Swan Hill:
Community workers, volunteers, health care providers, human resource managers, health, welfare and education professionals, youth service providers, clergy, people responding to family, friends and associates bereaved by suicide and concerned local individuals are invited to attend.
