5-Minute Catchup

The Check-Up | 27 October 2022

Episode Summary

The Check-Up is a weekly news segment of the 5-Minute Catchup, bringing notable news in a convenient medium. In this week’s podcast we’ll talk about updated COVID vaccination recommendations, MBS telehealth items, new resources for Indigenous communities, our new Digital Health QuIK Steps resource, thunderstorm asthma resource for pharmacies, the new Dementia Guide, CHN education events and more.

Episode Notes

Department of Health and Aged Care - ATAGI recommendations for a booster dose of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

Department of Health and Aged Care - Guidance on myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccines

MBS Online - Telehealth MBS eligibility for COVID-19 positive patients

Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) - Free Interpreting Service for allied health professionals.

Capital Health Network - QuIKSteps - Digital Health

Cancer Australia – Our Mob and Cancer

Cancer Australia - Yarn for Life

National Asthma Council -Thunderstorm Asthma : Prepare Your Patients For Spring

Dementia Australia - The Dementia Guide

Capital Health Network - Events

Questions? Contact our Primary Care Team via email and we'll be in touch.
primarycare@chnact.org.au

Episode Transcription

Welcome to the five-minute catch up, my name is Gill O’Donnell from the Quality Improvement Team, and this is your weekly Check-up.

In this week’s podcast we’ll talk about updated COVID vaccination recommendations, MBS telehealth items, new resources for Indigenous communities, our new Digital Health QuIK Steps resource, thunderstorm asthma resource for pharmacies, the new Dementia Guide, CHN education events and more.

To start things off, COVID news.

ATAGI has updated its recommendations for a booster dose of the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5 to 11 years. They recommend that a booster dose of Pfizer 5-11 (orange) may be given to the following children aged 5 to 11 years who have completed a primary course of vaccination 3 or more months ago: those who are severely immunocompromised, those who have a disability with significant or complex health needs, and those who have complex and/or multiple health conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19. Further details are available in the link below.

ATAGI have also updated guidance on myocarditis and pericarditis after a COVID-19 vaccination with the link below.

Onto MBS eligibility for COVID-19 patients: Changes to GP telehealth items came into effect on 13 October 2022, with the exemption for patients who are required to self-isolate retained. A new exemption for patients with a recent COVID-19 diagnosis has now been added which will help to protect providers and patients from avoidable exposure to COVID-19 when patients can be safely managed with telehealth services. GPs who are choosing to use this exemption should retain a justification in their records. These items will remain in place until 31 December 2022. An MBS factsheet is linked below.

From 24 October 2022, privately employed allied health professionals in the ACT will have access to the Australian Government’s Free Interpreting Services, or FIS, under a new pilot program. The FIS aims to provide equitable access to key services for people with limited or no English language proficiency. The service is delivered by the Department of Home Affairs’ Translating and Interpreting Service. More details are in the link below.

Our QuIK Library has a new addition – Digital Health QuIK Steps, designed by Capital Health Network’s Digital Health Team. This resource guides practice staff on how to enable their practice with various digital health tools such as electronic prescriptions and referrals, My Health Record, Canberra Script, Telehealth, and other areas of digital health. The link can be found below.

Now it’s time for the titbits

A new Cancer Australia website has been designed to give Indigenous communities culturally appropriate information about cancer. Our Mob and Cancer includes information about cancer types, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and more.

Cancer Australia have also launched an awareness campaign, Yarn for Life, which aims to reduce feelings of shame and fear that may be associated with cancer. It also highlights the importance of normalising the conversation about cancer and encouraging early detection of the disease. Both resources have been developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in collaboration with Cancer Australia. Links to both can be found below.
The National Asthma Council has released a flowchart on thunderstorm asthma for pharmacists and their staff. This resource provides evidence-based guidance on identifying and advising patients who are requesting medicines for asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Dementia Australia has developed The Dementia Guide, a resource for people living with dementia, their families and carers. The book is available online, in printed version, and as an audio book. The link to access these can be found below, or our Quality Improvement team can bring copies to your QuIK Visit. Contact us on the email below.

Finally, November is a busy month for CHN events. We have a face-to-face event on Headache Management, on 8th of November and webinars on Intensive Obesity Management on 23rd November and Digital Health E-prescription on 24th November. Look on our website for details and to register.

And that wraps up your weekly check-up. Did you know that Capital Health Network is always available to answer your queries? If you have any questions about any of the information in this podcast, get in contact with us via email at primarycare@chnact.org.au

Our Quality Improvement Team here at Capital Health Network can assist you and your practice in developing QuIK Cycle Activities – a Plan-Do-Study-Act Quality Improvement Activity which could award participating General Practitioners with RACGP CPD Points by undertaking Self-Directed Quality Improvement. Get in contact with our team to discuss your opportunities for Continuous Quality Improvement.

On behalf of everyone here at Capital Health Network through the ACT’s PHN Program we thank you for tuning in and we’ll see you next Thursday for your next Check-up.

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