Clinical Communique                                    Issue - 21 April 2016
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GP Views - Dr David M Harwood, Parkes 
 
Dr Harwood is a country boy who graduated from UQ and has worked around Australia prior to settling in Parkes in 1991 with his wife, Dr Christina Carroll and three children. As a GP doing obstetrics and anaesthetics, he has enjoyed caring for patients and communities including country and coastal Queensland, on Norfolk Island and with the RFDS service in the Kimberley. 

Dr Harwood’s main concern for primary health care is the imminent loss of local GP obstetric, anaesthetic and surgical services from midsized towns and their associated smaller communities. He feels that the State Government needs to do more beyond building new facilities, to support ongoing primary care in these towns. More support is needed to encourage those few interested doctors, midwives, theatre nurses etc. to come, experience and stay in these communities. He has found living and working in NSW’s central west to be a challenging and rewarding experience, both intellectually and financially, with the pleasures of a country town with ready access to larger centres.
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New resources available for My Health Record and ePIP changes 

New resources are now available to support GPs with the use of My Health Record and provide guidance on changes to the eHealth Practice Incentives Program (ePIP). The Department of Health have created online eLearning modules for My Health Record. There are separate modules for practice managers and clinical staff.  RACGP has also developed a useful guide to the Practice Incentive Program and templates for General Practice.  
Find out more >>
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Seeking GPs for research into Mobile Apps for Obesity 

Researchers are conducting a pilot study on using mobile phone ‘apps’ to treat inactivity/obesity in patients. Identifying the the issues, problems and possibilities. Seeking GPs to participate by interview (30 min) or group discussion (50 min) at your practice. University of Sydney Protocol Number 2016/221. Contact: Natalya Godbold, email: ngod5129@uni.sydney.edu.au
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Could this be motor neurone disease? 

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) is crucial to ensure the needs of people living with MND are met from the earliest possible stage.  A new diagnostic tool highlighting MND ‘red flags’ has been developed for GPs by MND Australia. Painless, progressive weakness – Could this be motor neurone disease?  aims to assist GPs in their referral to a neurologist thereby speeding up the time to an accurate diagnosis.
Find out more >>
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Seeking GP participants for CareTrack Kids study

Are you a GP or Paediatrician interested in innovative research? You may be interested in participating in the CareTrack Kids study conducted by AIHI via Macquarie University and the University of South Australia. This is a retrospective medical record review, looking into appropriateness of care for children 0 – 16 years within NSW, QLD and SA. Participation takes approximately 45 minutes. Receive free enrolment for a CPD course worth 40 category one points and data collected can be returned for benchmarking your practice.
Find out more >>
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Are legal problems impacting patient health? LawAccess NSW can help 

General Practitioners may see the health impacts of legal problems in many people presenting in their clinics every day. Legal problems and health issues are interconnected. For example you may have a patient complaining of headaches and that they can’t sleep at night and tells you that their debts are getting on top of them. Despite tests and scans, no physical reason for the headaches is identified.  You can refer patients to LawAccess NSW to ensure they talk to the right people to get legal help.
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Practitioner Changes 

Dr Pulley of Bathurst is retiring and his general and allergy practice will close on 30 June 2016. He is still able to see new patients, however they will need to be transferred to another allergist after 30 June. Dr Pulley would like to thank those who have asked him to share the care of their allergic patients with him. Contact Dr Graham with any queries, 02 6331 8033. 

Dr Amy Wagstaff (Visiting Endocrinologist) has stopped visiting Dubbo. Patients will be notified of this change and asked to seek referral to an alternate Endocrinologist.  Dr Ted Wu and Dr Jencia Wong will continue to visit the Dubbo Diabetes Unit. Contact Marisa Bolton, 6809 6250.

Dr Jack Loa (Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon) will begin consulting in Orange at Kite Street Specialist Centre to increase availability of appointments for vascular surgery in the region. Please direct enquires to Vascular Associates Camperdown, 02 9550 4733
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Training and Events

WNSW PHN organises regular CPD events for doctors and health professionals. These are listed on our website. Upcoming events organised or supported by WNSW PHN include: 

Contact Western NSW PHN

Dubbo Head Office - Phone: 02 6884 0197 Email: admin@wnswphn.org.au 
Address: 106 Talbragar Street, Dubbo NSW 2830

Our Dubbo office is moving!
From 2 May our contact details will be:

Phone: 1300 699 167
Address: First Floor 187 Brisbane Street, Dubbo NSW 2830 

www.wnswphn.org.au

While the Australian Government helped fund this document, it has not reviewed the content and is not responsible for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provide herein.
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