Health Networks Quarterly Report: July to September 2019

We are pleased to share with you our latest Quarterly Report outlining the activities that have been undertaken between July and September 2019 to connect people and organisations, share their expertise and improve the health system. Some of the highlights from this quarter include: 

• On Saturday 24th August the Minister for Health opened the Palliative Care Summit with 164 delegates attending. Health consumers, carers, various health professionals including palliative care specialists and general practitioners shared their experiences to influence the provision of high quality palliative care for all Western Australians. 

• Widespread face-to-face and online consultation has been undertaken to inform the cancer control and cancer research components of the WA Cancer Plan 2020-2025. To date, approximately 670 people have been consulted to inform the WA Cancer Plan 2020-2025 through: a Research and Innovation Forum, Cancer Research Online Consultation, Cancer Control Forum, Cancer Control Online Consultation, consumer survey, focus groups and interviews.

• Six priorities were identified in the Western Australian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) Health Strategy 2019-2024 to provide direction to the WA health system and health services on policy development and service delivery to achieve optimal health and wellbeing outcomes for LGBTI populations. 

Now Available - Patient Opinion Dashboard 

The HealthyWA Patient Opinion dashboard is now live. This dashboard provides a quick snapshot of the conversations between patients and health services occurring on the Patient Opinion website in the previous quarter.  It also guides those interested to more in-depth information.

Patient Opinion™ is an independent non-profit feedback platform where people can anonymously share their health care experience in Western Australia.

Revised and updated domiciliary oxygen form

The Respiratory Health Network has led a review of the Domiciliary Oxygen Referral Form, including an information sheet that outlines the recommended best practice for Western Australia. 

The revised and updated Western Australian Domiciliary Oxygen Referral Form is now available on the Respiratory Health Network site. The Form has been updated to ensure that prescriptions are of high quality and all of the appropriate respiratory indications have been considered. 

From our partners

'You Quit, You Win' Make Smoking History Campaign 

From Sunday 6 October to Saturday 30 November 2019, Make Smoking History will air the ‘You Quit, You Win’ campaign across WA. 
The campaign highlights all the negative social and physical effects of smoking. Smokers will be encouraged to visit makesmokinghistory.tips website or call the Quitline (13 78 48). 

Invitation to attend 

International Day of People with Disability

The Disability Health Network and the South Metropolitan Health Service invite you to join us in celebrating the International Day of People with Disability on Tuesday 3rd December.

This year’s event will provide an opportunity to explore some of the barriers and attitudes experienced by people with disability and ways that we can make health care accessible and inclusive to all members of the community. Register here

From our partners

National Counselling and Referral Services

The National Counselling and Referral Service offers free counselling support for people with disability, their families and carers, and anyone engaging with or affected by the Disability Royal Commission. 

Visit the Department of Social Services website to discover more information about these new services and their contact details.

Call for clinical leads

Palliative Care and End-of-Life

The WA Department of Health is seeking to recruit two suitably experienced and motivated leaders with influence and networks across the WA health system, to fill the positions of Clinical Lead Palliative Care and Clinical Lead End-of-Life. 

The Clinical Leads will work collaboratively to lead and influence the work of the WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network and End-of-Life and Palliative Care Advisory Committees as well as provide advice and direction to align and drive the priorities to achieve strategic palliative care and end-of-life objectives and outcomes. Find out more. 

From our partners

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week

The WA Cervical Cancer Prevention Program (WACCPP) is inviting stakeholders to register an activity in support of National Cervical Cancer Awareness week (11 – 17 November 2019). 

Activity ideas may include an information stall or display, a morning tea, a presentation about cervical screening or promotion of cervical screening on social media platforms. For more information visit the Department of Health website or contact the WACCPP on 13 15 56 or at cervicalscreening@health.wa.gov.au

From our partners

Western Australian Falls Report 2019

Falls-related injuries, hospitalisations, emergency department attendances and ambulance transportations are captured in the inaugural Western Australian Falls Report 2019. 

As the leading cause of injury, hospitalisations and fatalities in Western Australia, falls are a significant public health issue. In 2017, there were 26 338 recorded falls-related hospitalisations in WA, one every 20 minutes. 

The Western Australian Falls Report 2019 was commissioned by the Department of Health and produced by Injury Matters.

3rd GrassRoots Falls Festival - Speaker Presentations

The GrassRoots Falls Festival aims to support the broad falls prevention community to access current research, practice innovations and explore cutting edge work in falls prevention and management initiatives that are happening in Australia and overseas.

The program featured presentations from across the residential aged care, hospital and community settings. Speaker presentations are available online. 

• Australian Government - Department of Health - Roundtable on the Health of People with Intellectual Disability 
• Department of Social Services - Update on developing a new model for national disability policy in Australia 

• 31 October - Let's Talk Culture: LGBTIQ+ in CaLD Communities
• 1 November - Positive engagement with patients experiencing musculoskeletal pain - Narrogin WA 
• 4 November - Diversity Dialogues: Creating Connections 
• 13 November - Health Equity Symposium
• 13 November - Have a Go Day: Free Seniors Event 
• 27 November - Family and Domestic Violence during pregnancy - Why antenatal care matters
• 3 December - People with Disability WA: The lives we live gala ball 
• 12 - 14 December - WA Footcare Annual Meeting