Improving Practice
Practice Support
4,622
Interactions with primary care in the 12-month period
Interactions on various types of practice support topics included:
589
on accreditation
3,284
on infection prevention and control
749
on other practice management topics including quality improvement, immunisation, digital health and workforce support
The practice support team continues to engage and support practices in their day-to-day business via telephone, email, virtual meetings and COVID-safe in person practice visits.
Due to COVID-19 and times where there was higher risk of infection, requests for practice visits were monitored and approved if appropriate. There were 76 in person visits to general practices by the practice support team. These visits mainly supported practices on accreditation, infection control and quality improvement.
Our virtual support over zoom has continued to be a great replacement for face-to-face visits when required – this way practices don’t miss out and can still have a personal connection. There were over 70 virtual support sessions with clinics.
Other types of support continued via phone (3,068 calls) and online via email communication.
There are currently 384 (64%) practices accredited against the RACGP 5th edition Standards within the CESPHN region.
We are seeing an increase in practices re-accrediting and wanting to become accredited for the first time.
There are 13 new practices currently registered to become accredited.
During the December/January COVID outbreak we distributed pulse oximeters to patients and general practices and rapid antigen tests to residential aged care facilities. We continue to support general practices and their patients with the distribution of pulse oximeters, ensuring they are well equipped to monitor their symptoms at home.
- Pulse Oximeters delivered: Total = 1,803 with 1,123 being delivered to general practices
- There were 3,887 RAT kits delivered to RACFs, meaning 116,610 actual tests reached RACFs
Another important focus for the team has been the ongoing and continued support for general practices on COVID related matters.
This has become business as usual now for our team as new variants and vaccines emerge. Valuable support and up to date information on infection control, pandemic planning, workforce support, triage, COVID related programs, HealthPathways and vaccine delivery has ensured practices are well-informed.
There are now 430 (71%) practices participating in the COVID-19 vaccination program supporting the community. We helped facilitate transfers of vaccine stock between practices and organised large deliveries of vaccine to help meet peaks in demand across the region.
Our team managed the ongoing ordering and distribution of PPE throughout COVID-19 with over one million pieces of PPE distributed.
The team has also delivered seven education sessions on various topics including Infection Control, Challenging Communication in Challenging Times, MBS items for Aged Care, Risk and Privacy and practice nurse support.
CESPHN continues to update stakeholders with a weekly COVID and Immunisation update. The COVID page on the CESPHN website has been viewed on average,12,000 times per month.
Infection prevention and control consultations
Over the past 12 months, general practices, allied health providers and pharmacies have been offered the opportunity to engage in one-on-one consultations on Infection Prevention and Control for their own clinic.
These consultations were presented by an Infection Control Educator and Microbiologist. Sessions were delivered via zoom and practices had the opportunity to show the presenter around their clinic, ask questions and gain infection control advice. There have been over 50 consultations delivered with feedback being very positive.
“Great work by CESPHN team. I am a GP that was embarking on residential aged care facility visits for COVID-19 vaccinations for the first time. My practice manager and I received timely and excellent advice from the immunisation team. Extremely satisfied with the support, thank you kindly.”
GP feedback via CESPHN Stakeholder Engagement Survey 2021