More than 250 Tasmanian health professionals joined an online immunisation update on Monday 29 June. The presentations from Communicable Diseases Prevention Unit covered recently enacted changes to the immunisation schedule, including:

• pneumococcal schedule changes 
• meningococcal B schedule changes.

Information on vaccine recommendations and funding for people with at-risk conditions, as well an influenza update, was also provided. Primary Health Tasmania thanks Nikki Lane and Kerry Cleaver of the Communicable Diseases Prevention Unit and Dr Gabriela Willis from Public Health Services for their contributions.

Public Health Services advises many people who are at higher risk of influenza and its complications are eligible for a free flu vaccine under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), and has provided an update about their approval of more than 180,000 NIP-funded of flu vaccine.

In our last edition, we highlighted the innovative approaches Tasmanian general practices have taken to managing increased demand for flu vaccinations in the face of COVID-19 restrictions.

In this fortnight's General Practice Matters we are pleased to share the methods used by Dover Medical Centre and Don Medical Clinic to conduct COVID-safe flu vaccinations. 

If you'd like to share your facility's approach, please let us know. A reminder also of the Tasmanian HealthPathway for influenza immunisation - click on the link below (login: connectingcare and password: health). 

Public Health Services advises AusVaxSafety estimates 94.7% of people receiving influenza vaccine reported no adverse event as at 29 May.

Roughly five per cent have reported any adverse event, with the most common reported being fever and injection site swelling/redness or pain.

Primary Health Tasmania welcomes Dr George Cerchez and Dr Sam Maloney to the Primary Health Workforce Support team.

George and Sam fill a new clinical engagement role within our organisation aimed at providing peer-to-peer engagement with GPs around the state. George and Sam are initially focused on supporting local general practice around COVID-19 outbreak preparedness and response. 

Primary Health Tasmania acknowledges the invaluable role of practice managers in the general practice team, and the immense organisational skill required to do the job in fast-paced, often stressful circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

To this end, we want to make sure we're offering them the best possible support—now, and into the future—through our primary health workforce support program. All Tasmanian practice managers are invited to share their insights via a short survey (typically takes less than five minutes to complete) currently open to all Tasmanian primary health professionals.

To access, use the login name: connectingcare and password: health. 

The Australian Department of Health advises the Voluntary Patient Enrolment initiative has not commenced on the planned date of 1 July, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and response activities.

Have you considered joining a Balint Group? These peer support groups are designed to improve the practitioner-patient relationship, and involve informal case presentations that focus not on the medical issues but the interaction between clinician and patient.

The cases shared usually demonstrate times where the clinician has been frustrated, uncertain, challenged or has struggled. Group discussion encourages the safe exploration of feelings, broader thinking about a patient and time for reflection and professional growth. You are invited to join:

Mentate is a confidential referral network linking doctors requiring clinical assessment and treatment with psychiatrists. It sits within a larger framework providing support and care for frontline staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is also inviting Tasmanian GPs to provide their opinion on how the mental health of medical practitioners can be improved via a national survey, accessible here.

A reminder also Primary Health Tasmania has expanded its employee assistance program to also cover GPs, nurses and staff working in Tasmanian general practices through to the end of September 2020. You can download a flyer here.

Researchers at Monash University are looking for nurses and midwives to evaluate an online learning module to help discuss preconception health with patients.

The study involves filling out two short online surveys, one before and one after completing the online learning module. Participants will earn 1.5 CPD points for completing the learning module and, as a thank you for doing the two surveys, you have the chance to win one of five $100 Coles-Myer gift cards.

Cancer survivors living in rural and regional areas of Australia (30% of the population) face additional challenges throughout the cancer journey and are likely to have poorer survival rates and lower quality of life after treatment than those in metropolitan cities.

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland are seeking GP input about caring for people who have had cancer with a view to informing future training and services in the future.

Public Health Services has provided an update about the potential geographic reach of Flinders Island Spotted fever, which may extend as far south as Kettering.

Summerdale Medical Practice's Dr Donald Rose has shared his personal experience on the recent changes to general practice, quickly enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the marked expansion of telehealth and the implications for his team.

SafeChoices (CatholicCare Tasmania) has developed a new online training package to assist frontline workers, who work with or support women with disabilities, to recognise domestic and family violence. The package includes access to a resource manual and audio app for clients. 

The training package can be accessed via the button below. For more information or to request a hard copy manual please contact Jacinta Atkins – Manager, SafeChoices Tasmania.

Applications are now open for the Practice Experience Program (PEP), the RACGP's flexible education and support program for non-vocationally registered (non-VR) doctors in regional, rural and remote Australia.

If you’re interested to find out more about how the PEP can benefit you and your community, register for an upcoming webinar on Tuesday 7 July. Applications close Thursday 16 July.

A reminder the Tasmanian Department of Health has educational resources and videos available on infection prevention and control, personal protective equipment, and tools and resources for infection protection and control monitoring in non-acute settings.

With Primary Health Tasmania's support, Diabetes Tasmania has developed a range of practical diabetes self-management resources to support local health professionals when engaging with patients with type 2 diabetes.

These pictorial and interactive information sheets aim to assist patients in developing their self-management skills and knowledge. 

The National Immunisation Catch-up Calculator is now available and is based on the Australian National Immunisation Program recommendations for Australian immunisation schedules.

This version of the calculator has been developed and designed for Australian children less than 10 years of age based on the National Immunisation Program scheduled vaccines. Schedule variations for all states and territories have been incorporated.

The PHN Immunisation Support Program has created a new resource that provides information and advice on the accurate recording of vaccination data in practice software and on the Australian Immunisation Register.  

Diabetes Tasmania will run the OzDAFNE program for adults with type 1 diabetes in Launceston from 7 to 11 September.

OzDAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating in Australia) is a five-day outpatient group education program that equips participants with strategies to self-manage their insulin doses based on the amount of carbohydrate they eat. 
 
If you have any patients with type 1 diabetes who you think would benefit from/or may be interested in attending the course, please call Diabetes Tasmania on 6215 9000.

Given the current demands on Tasmanian general practice staff in the COVID-19 response, we've decided to put The Check Up on hiatus for the foreseeable future. But, if you're inclined to nominate someone to be profiled down the line, please still get in touch!