Nola Poulter and Kelly Healy (Ballarat Group Practice)

Gail Buchanan (Carn Brae), Michelle MacGillivray (BDDGP) & Helen Payne (Carn Brae)

This night could not have been possible without the support of our 3 sponsors.

The Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce were represented by Margaret Cousins (Regional Manager Western Region) and Megan Henley from the Apprenticeship & Traineeship division.

Margaret provided information on the Diploma of Management, which will be offered in Ballarat in 2010 and attracts significant government assistance for eligible participants and support for the Fair Work Act and Award Modernisation.

Margaret can be contacted on 03 5327 7190 or mcousins@vecci.org.au. Check out the range of services from VECCI on the web.

Nicole McGrath, Lee Swayn and Anne White (all Mair St General Practice)

Jennifer Petrie (Ballarat Medical Center), Mary Madden (University of Ballarat Health Centre) and Angela Aldred (BDDGP)

Anne White (Mair St General Practice) and Tanya Gradolf (BDDGP)

Robyn Milroy (Creswick Medical Centre)

Liz Orlowski (BDDGP)

Having a rest after laughter therapy

Laughter therapy

Laughter therapy

Angela Aldred and Jo Millard (both BDDGP)

Getting ready

Kristen Kelly (Ballarat Primary Care) and Lyn Wilson (Eureka Medical Centre)

Merv Neal and Michelle MacGillivray (BDDGP)

Andrea Harrison and Terri Torpy (both Ballarat Group Practice)

Katrina Hishon (Baarlinjan Clinic) and Lisa Timmins (UFS Medical Centre Gillies St)

Lyn Wilson and Liz McPherson (both Eureka Medical Centre)

Lisa Timmins (UFS Medical Centre Gillies St) and Margaret Pym (Carn Brae Clinic)

Ballarat Community Health were represented by Louise Feery (clinical team leader), Kristen Kelly  (Ballarat Primary Care project manager) and
Kerri Gordon (Early Intervention in Chronic Disease coordinator).

Ballarat Community Health have launched their latest service – Ballarat Primary Care – an extended access clinic. The services provided at Ballarat Primary Care include exercise physiology, dietetics, podiatry, psychology and speech pathology.

Ballarat Primary Care aims to offer:

• Improved access –more capacity to meet client demand
• Improved effectiveness – appropriate service in a timely manner
• Improved efficiency – streamlining waiting lists
• A new service area – speech pathology

Fees:

• Patients referred via an EPC plan referral will be bulk billed ($8 gap on initial consultations)
• DVA patients will be bulk billed
• Private clients – fees negotiated between BCH & private provider to ensure affordability and in line with professional bodies’ recommendations

Ballarat Primary Care is able to integrate its services with those offered by Ballarat Community Health, offering clients a comprehensive extended access clinic.

Also, Ballarat Community Health will launch their 2010 program planning calendar early in the new year, complete with the dates, times and commencements of all clinical groups.

Ballarat Community Health are promoting new service areas, including generalist counseling service, better health self-management and paediatrics. Specialised paediatric dietetic services at Ballarat Community Health will be introduced by Bianca Earle, a dietitian with post graduate qualifications in paediatrics.

Referral indicators include failure to thrive, fussy eating, constipation, obesity, allergy/food intolerance and nutritional deficiencies.

Marianne Lenkic, Rebecca Eaton and Julie Shelley (all Ballarat Medical Centre)

Gail Buchanan, Helen Payne and Lisa Lulham (all Carn Brae Clinic)

Jo Baulch and Deanne Galea (both Creswick Medical Centre)

Steph Neblett (Ballarat Group Practice) and Mary Madden (University of Ballarat Health Centre)

Leona Whitehead, Sophie Booth, Wendy Knight, Nicole McGrath and Sarah Donald (all Mair St General Practice)

Robyn Milroy and Trish Turner (both Creswick Medical Centre)

Deanne Galea and Robyn Milroy (both Creswick Medical Centre)

Jo Labbett, Sonya Cay and Michelle O'Brien (all Ballarat Community Health Doctors Clinic)

Jenny Odgers (UFS Sturt St), Wendy Johnstone (UFS Sturt St) and Lee Swayne (Mair St General Practice)

Fernwood Women’s Health Club was represented by Lee Squire and Deb Ragatz.

Fernwood have sponsored our Practice Team Christmas Event for two years in a row, and they generously offered all attendees a FREE two week pass at the newly renovated Fernwood Ballarat, which now boasts;

• Three levels
• Child minding
• Pilates & yoga
• Motivating group fitness classes
• Endermologie cellulite treatments
• Private personal training studio
• Slimplicity; the nationally accredited weight management program – a lifestyle change for lifetime results, not a quick fix diet
• Brand new cardio equipment with individual TV screens
• New bathrooms, complementary toiletries, complementary breakfast
• Massages chair for a de-stress and a bit of ‘you’ time

Lisa Troon (Medicaid) and Kristen Kelly (Ballarat Primary Care)

Anne White behind Lee Swayn (both Mair St General Practice)

Nicole McGrath and Lee Swayn (both Mair St General Practice)

Katrina Hishon (Baarlinjan), Jan Winter (Mair St & Baarlinjan) and Coral Bentley (Mair St)

A safe and happy festive season to everyone!

Please note that the division will be closed from 12:30 PM on December 24th and reopen on January 4th 2010.

The change

• Goal: systematic approach to the handling of urgent faxed results after hours
• How we know it’s an improvement: survey doctors and clerical staff
• Idea: meet with doctors to ask for input

PDSA cycle

Plan

• What: doctors’ meeting
• Who: manager and all GPs
• When: 21/5/09 at 12.30pm
• Where: boardroom
• Predictions: not all GPs can attend
• Data to be collected: list of ideas on how to improve system

Do

Meeting held, those GPs who did not work on a Thursday could not attend, and apologies received from two other doctors.

Study

All GPs who attended meeting actively participated with view on how best to handle late night urgent results.

Decision made to test a 7.00 pm urgent result appointment with a doctor working in the evening on a rotational basis so that all GPs were able to assist with the urgent result appointment. This would enable GPs to have time to review patient file.

GPs wanted clerical staff advised of this appointment and also of the need to only use this service if the GP who ordered test was not working.

Also GPs requested that confirmation be made that pathology and radiology company used had after hours contacts.

Act

Meet with clerical staff and advise of test changes, contact pathology and radiology companies to ensure they have afterhours contacts, survey to be sent to doctors and clerical staff.

NEW cycle

Plan

• What: advising staff of new faxed urgent result system test
• Who: TC
• When: via email and then on agenda for staff meeting
• Where: clinic
• Predictions: some people may need clarification of new protocol
• Data to be collected: input from clerical staff

Do

Email sent outlining new procedure for faxed urgent results of an evening to both clerical staff and all doctors. Clerical staff advised of the new rotated result appointment for one GP at 7.00 pm. Also remind that first option should always be GP who ordered test if they were working.

Study

Clerical staff were very keen to participate in a more systematic approach to urgent faxed results.

Act

Surveys to be sent out to all staff in 2 weeks’ time asking how the new protocol was going.

Well?

Could your practice implement this methodology? Want to learn more on implementing PDSAs? Contact me or Tanya Gradolf at the division.

Nicole McGrath and Dr Michael Pickavance (Mair St)

Dr Jim Thomson and Marg Wilson (Sturt Medical)

Helen Payne, Gail Buchanan, Belinda Hunt, Karen Park, Dr Ruth Hand and Lisa Lulham (Carn Brae)

Change can take time. Be patient.

We acknowledged the resignation of Dr Paul Hemming as Treasurer and Board Member and thanked him for his commitment and service to the Division over the years. Two new members were welcomed to the Board, Drs Liz Ellis and Nick Kimpton. In line with the new rules adopted on the evening there was no election of office bearers. Office bearers will now be elected by the Board at their next meeting.

Thank you to all GPs, Divisional staff and spouses who attended the event.

Susan Crook, Elizabeth Ryan and Georgina Christofi

Anna McIntyre and Jo Millard

Dr Sally Cockburn, Dr Mark Churcher and Helen Ramsey

Georgina Christofi, Belinda Schaefer and Heather Campbell

Paula Desnoy and Angela Aldred

Faye Shepperson, Michelle MacGillivray and Mary Shone

Dr Nick Kimpton, Dr Liz Ellis, Dr Gaye Souter and Dr Wayne McDonald

Dr James Sutherland, Belinda Schaefer and Faye Shepperson

Facing camera: Kathryn Sutherland, Jo Curkpatrick and Dr Jill Ramsey

Mary Shone, Dr Nick Kartos, Anna McIntyre, Angela Aldred

Dr Mark Churcher, Helen Ramsey, Dr Linda Danvers, Anna Maguire

Dr Paul Ghaie, Dr Anthony Mariampillai

Susan Crook, Dr Terence Gibson, Dr Paul Martin, Dr Colin Crook and Margaret Martin

Elizabeth Ryan, Mary Shone and Dr Wayne McDonald

Shane Bicknell and David Walker

Dr Sally Cockburn, Andrew McPherson and Tanya Gradolf

Faye Shepperson and Bobbie-Jane Rosenhart

Lee-Anne Sargent and Lee-Anne Bellis

Belinda Schaefer and Mary Shone

Official Diamonds in the Dust web site.

Diamonds in the Dust was a Ballarat & District Division of General Practice event specifically targeting women in the surrounding rural and farming areas.

The event grew out of the Mental Health Support for Drought Affected Communities Initiative that builds capacity of drought affected communities to respond to the psychological impact of drought with assistance from healthcare providers.

Heather Campbell gets started early

John Fox (Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria President) addresses the crowd

Mary Shone and Elaine Dunn

Women came from far and wide. One even came from Queensland!

We extend a big thank you to owners John and Christine Dever, who hosted the event. Ercildoune is a fully restored private homestead, not normally available for functions, but Christine and John were keen to be very involved in this community event. ‘Diamonds in the Dust’ again next year? We hope so!

Special thanks to St John of God Hospital, Otway Division of General Practice and Beaufort & Skipton Health Service for supporting this event.

Official Diamonds in the Dust web site.

Doctors Baxter and Wilkie were recipients of the 35 Years of Service to Rural Communities Award.

Victorian rural doctors were nominated by their peers, patients and local community members in three categories, 35 Years Service to Rural Communities, for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Communities or as a New Rural Doctor.

Health Minister, Hon. Daniel Andrews presented the doctors and their families with the awards in front of 225 guests at a gala dinner.

Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) chief executive Claire Austin explains the Awards’ significance.

“The Awards provide an opportunity to pause and reflect on the contributions that our doctors and their families make to Victoria.

“Additionally, the Awards offer Victorians a way of saying ‘thanks’ to a corner stone of the population that sustain local communities in so many ways,” Ms Austin said.

The 2009 Award recipients were from all corners of the state including, Sale, St Leonards, Moe, Elmore, Lorne, Ouyen, Trafalgar, Mount Beauty, Beechworth, Wangaratta, Portland, Lakes Entrance, Benalla, Phillip Island, Traralgon and Camperdown.

RWAV chairman Dr Philip Webster also paid tribute to this year’s recipients.

“As is the nature of general practice and medicine these contributions have been diverse and broad ranging.

“Amongst all the recipients honoured, the common thread was doctors sustaining their local community,” Dr Webster said.

An awards panel comprising RWAV, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine, Rural Doctors Association of Victoria Australian Medical Association Vic and Rural Medical Family Network representatives assessed nominees against the criteria for each of the categories.

The Awards were proudly sponsored by Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), a statutory body established to provide risk management consultancy, insurance and site risk surveys to Victorian State Government departments and agencies.

Dr Royce Baxter

RWAV Chairman Dr Philip Webster, Dr Royce Baxter, Jenny Baxter, Hon. Daniel Andrews, VMIA GM Client Services Claudio Battilana

I can’t walk down the street in Ballarat without being stopped by one of my former patients – it’s terrific!

For 36 years, I worked in the Ballarat Group Practice, treating thousands of people. I retired last year.

I graduated from Medicine in 1971. I’d always been attracted to the country lifestyle – my hobbies were fishing and hunting – and my family had a farm outside of Melbourne. So, when I chose where to go for my Residency with my new wife, Jenny, the fact that the Ballarat Hospital had married quarters sealed the deal.

After two years at the hospital while also working as a GP locum in Beaufort on weekends, I joined the Ballarat Group Practice.

My area of special medical interest was diabetes. I pursued this via work in clinics for both elderly and adolescent diabetics, studied and worked at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, was an Honorary Clinical Associate in diabetes for 20 years at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, I’ve educated other GPs and the community extensively in the management of diabetes and conducted much research into the area.

A special thrill was in 1975 when I had a paper published in the Lancet showing the first link between Down Syndrome and Hypothroidism. Something I’d noticed observationally in a rural general practice was significant enough to be published in the Lancet – quite a unique thing.

In 2001, I was granted Life Fellowship to senior medical staff at the Royal Melbourne. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have committee roles with the RACGP.

One of the best aspects of my work has been the chance to see longitudinal progress. I see a mother who I delivered 30 years ago come in with her young daughter behaving exactly the way her mother did as a sick child. It’s been fascinating and very rewarding.

“I tell all young doctors to explore the rural general practice option. It offers a wide

range of clinical applications, is extremely stimulating and you’ll be the richer for it,” Dr Baxter said.

Dr Ross Wilkie

RWAV Chairman Dr Philip Webster, Dr Liz Russell, Dr Ross Wilkie, Hon. Daniel Andrews, VMIA GM Client Services Claudio Battilana.

I was born in Perth in 1942 and graduated MBBS from the University of WA in 1964.

My first rural posting was as a Flying Doctor with the RFDS in Derby in 1968 – from there, I returned to Royal Perth Hospital and subsequently Royal Melbourne Hospital to complete my training.

I commenced practice in Ballarat in April 1972 and finished full-time work, including on call, in July 2007 but remain working part-time although now not on call. I am a Consultant Radiologist with a special interest in spinal intervention and treatment and was President of the International Intradiscal Therapy Society in 2000.

We provided services to Ararat, Stawell and Maryborough. More recent developments in remote area telecommunication networks have helped to diminish the issue of centrality in medical practice. It helped me to combine work in a public hospital with private practice and to maintain consultant appointments in Melbourne.

Despite long hours I, gratefully, always could spend more time with my family, as I lived within five minutes of work and schools. That’s the real benefit of regional life.

In Ballarat, the great privilege of my professional life has been treating and helping people with severe painful spinal conditions. I am grateful to the Ballarat Orthopaedic Surgeons who encouraged and mentored me into assuming a clinical and treatment perspective which enabled patient referrals locally and interstate.

Rural practice has great challenges and rewards – we’ll see further improvements as connectivity and communications improve. The concept of rurality is perhaps better replaced by one of distance. I am sure that a younger generation will continue to see advantages in distanced locations practice.

“Practising radiology in Ballarat has enabled me to work more flexibly and efficiently in regional hospital imaging and treatment facilities than ever would have been possible in a metropolitan setting,” Dr Wilkie said.

Thirty GPs and their families attended and it yet again proved to be a great opportunity to get to know our colleagues better, whilst picking up those valuable Category 1 and CPR points.

The GPs took part in interactive presentations on psychiatric emergencies, paediatric assessments and general medical emergencies and also up skilled their CPR performance.

Whilst doing this, their partners enjoyed a pamper package and the kids had surfing lessons!

Saturday night drinks again proved a great opportunity to recount the day’s experience. Many families enjoyed the opportunity to do a Harley motorcycle tour of Torquay on the Sunday morning, before heading home to collapse on the couch!

Eric Lovett, Abby Schaefer and friend

Dr Keith Ho, Edwin Ho and Dr Colin Crook

Dr Anne Peterson, Peter Zanoni and Oliver Powell

Faye and Peter Shepperson

Anna Mariampillai and Flory Juarez

Angela Aldred and Bobbie-Jane Rosenhart

Dr Nic Kartos and Mary Shone

Kim, Charlotte, Pippa, Dr Jim and Harry Sutherland

Mani & Ashwin Rajagopalan

Hamish Tan, Hock Tan and Alison Ho

Dr Richard Patterson, Sally Punshon and Dr Gaye Souter

Dr Colin Crook, Angela Aldred, Annabel Le, Dr Dawn Le and Mariah Le

Dr David Anderson and Dr David Llewellyn

Crowne Plaza Torquay

From left: David Dahm (Health and Life), Soni Stecker (Ballarat Mind Body Medicine), Michelle MacGillivray (BDDGP), Talei Deacon (UFS Medical), Trish Turner (Creswick Medical), Wendy Grayland (Ballan and District Health Services), Meredith Johnson (Springs Medical), Anne White (Mair Street), Anne Appledore (Ballarat Group Practice)

The all day workshop was well received, as evidenced by the testimonials below:

“Personally the seminar was worthwhile, not previously having had as much knowledge of the various business models of general practice. I now understand how our business operates the way it does, why we do things in a particular way and not in another way, e.g. trust structures.”

Dr Richard Patterson, Creswick Medical Centre

“I thought the workshop was excellent, David Dahm was very easy to listen to and I picked up quite a few pointers that I will be following up on. The session has made me think about how we are utilizing our nursing staff. I wished one of our GP principals was there as I know they would have benefited from the session.”

Ms Anne White, Mair Street General Practice

“What he said is really relevant and thought provoking. This is the second time I have heard him speak. I have already been onto our practice solicitors this morning about relevant information received at the seminar.”

Ms Meredith Johnson, Springs Medical Centre, Daylesford

The seminar was sponsored by the three Divisions of General Practice and the Rural Workforce Agency of Victoria (RWAV). RWAV is providing practices with Business coaching to the value of $1500 as part of their Sustainable Practice project.

Don’t miss the next one!  Contact me at marys@bddgp.org.au to register your interest.

Dr Pushpa Ravindranayagam (Creswick Medical Centre) and Dr Cathy Gibney (Ballarat Group Practice)

Dr Emily Geraghty (BHS intern) and Dr Adele van der Merwe (BHS GP registrar)

Dr Karina Vila (Ballarat Group Practice), Dr Alice Bourke (geriatric registrar) and Dr Liz Ellis (Ballarat Group Practice)

Dr Erin Kelly (BHS GP registrar) and Dr Ruth Hand (Carn Brae Clinic)