The Tasmanian Government has launched an advertising campaign encouraging Tasmanians to keep their appointment for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The TV, print and social media ads feature a range of Tasmanian personalities including ex-Test cricketer David Boon, 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, and Australian Test cricket captain Timothy Paine.

Almost 44 per cent of eligible Tasmanians have now received their first dose of the vaccine, with 19.5 per cent fully vaccinated with two doses.

The Tasmanian Government opened a new Pfizer vaccination clinic in the Hobart CBD on Wednesday 21 July.

Located on the corner of Liverpool and Elizabeth Streets, it is open Wednesday to Saturday and will deliver the vaccine to eligible Tasmanians aged between 16 and 59 years old. Bookings are required.

The Tasmanian Director of Public Health has declared South Australia a high-risk area, with effect from 4pm on 20 July. The whole of Victoria and New South Wales are also high-risk areas, as well as a number of premises and transport routes in Queensland.

The latest information about restrictions on travel to Tasmania from interstate is available on the coronavirus Tasmania website.

The Tasmanian Director of Public Health issued a COVID-19 Update to general practices on Friday 16 July and Tuesday 20 July. They focused on the declaration of interstate high risk areas.

The Australian Government Department of Health's Dr Lucas de Toca has answered the top three COVID-19 vaccination questions Australians have been asking via the Department's social media accounts.

From 1 July, the broad range of telehealth telephone items for GPs and other medical practitioners (OMPs) established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been removed.

MBS items have now been introduced for:

• a short telephone consultation item (less than six minutes) for straightforward care, such as repeat prescriptions and diagnostic referrals
• a longer telephone consultation item (six minutes and over) for more complex attendances.

There have been additional changes to some MBS telephone item numbers, outlined here.

The GP video items will continue to mirror the Medicare items for face-to-face services. 

GPs and other medical practitioners (OMPs) working in general practice can only perform a telehealth service where they have an established clinical relationship with the patient, with limited exemptions.

From 1 July, additional exemptions to this requirement were introduced for patients accessing specific MBS items for pregnancy counselling and blood borne viruses, sexual or reproductive health.

New items for blood borne viruses, sexual or reproductive health services have been created to support this activity. 

Telehealth services and other temporary COVID-19 arrangements for Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) clients have been extended until 31 December 2021. 

COVID-19 has had an impact on many people living and working in aged care - including aged care residents, home care recipients, their families, friends, loved ones, community visitors and aged care staff.

The Australian Government Department of Health has collated a range of grief and trauma support resources. 

The FindHelpTas directory now has a ‘carers’ tile linking to more than 100 Tasmanian carer support services, which can be filtered by region. 

FindHelpTas is a directory of Tasmanian community services, maintained by TasCOSS.

Monash University has launched an online network to support GPs, practice nurses, nurse practitioners and community-based pharmacists in the provision of long-acting reversible contraception and medical termination.

The Australian Contraception and Abortion Primary Care Practitioner Support (AusCAPPS) Network provides a safe space to connect, discuss, put questions to a team of experts, and access education and training opportunities.

The Launceston Mental Health Professionals' Network brings together psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counsellors, allied and primary health practitioners, and other professionals delivering mental health services to the local community.

Network members meet quarterly to connect, build relationships, provide peer support, access free professional development, and improve referral pathways. It's supported by the national Mental Health Professionals’ Network.

• Notification of medical certificate of cause of death - the general practice will receive a notification that a patient has died during an episode of care, and a copy of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death as generated by the Tasmanian Health Service. This document is not to be provided to members of the deceased person's family.
• Notification of a death that has been referred to the Coroner - general practice will receive a notification that a patient has died during an episode of care. The death report to coroner is not provided.

• 2 x 6 hour workshops (Saturday 6 and Saturday 20 November)
• 8 hours of self-directed learning 
• 1 x 2 hour coaching session (online).