New statewide referral criteria for select breast conditions potentially requiring general surgery, came into effect from 1 June 2024 in all Victorian public hospitals. When a referring GP successfully uses the new general surgery criteria to refer a patient to a public hospital, patients can be triaged more accurately and be placed directly onto theRead more
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New statewide referral criteria for plastic surgery and joint pain come into effect from 1 March 2024 in all Victorian public hospitals. When a referring GP successfully uses the new criteria for plastic surgery or joint pain to refer a patient to a public hospital, patients can be placed directly onto the specialist clinics waitRead more
New ‘companion’ statewide referral criteria for category one patients with specific indications that require colonoscopy or gastroscopy come into effect from 1 February 2024. The criteria are: positive faecal occult blood test (FOBT) – diagnostic colonoscopy dysphagia – diagnostic gastroscopy. It’s important to note that the use of the new criteria is not mandatory. They areRead more
Read the key messages below and download a PDF version with social media posts. When are GP respiratory clinics closing? All Victorian Government funded general practice respiratory clinics (GPRCs) have ceased operations as of Tuesday, 31 October 2023. Why are GPRCs closing? GPRCs were conceived and funded as a valuable temporary response in the earlyRead more
The Infection Prevention and Control Helpline, funded by the Victorian Department of Health, was made available in June 2021, to ensure patient and staff safety was maintained during the pandemic. Now that COVID infections no longer warrant an emergency response and primary care providers are proficient in infection prevention and control processes, the dedicated HelplineRead more
New statewide criteria for long COVID are now in effect across Victoria, making it easier for patients and GPs to navigate referrals to specialist hospital services for the small number of patients who may need specialist support. GPs are being urged to check their local HealthPathways or care pathways website when considering a referral forRead more
A new Victorian Department of Health policy to streamline access to non-admitted specialist services in public hospitals, to be phased in over the next two years, will make the process easier for patients and the GPs who refer them. Non-admitted hospital services are provided to public patients in a range of settings. These patients doRead more
Jessica Chung, the acting practice manager at IPC Health in Deer Park, still remembers what life was like in high school. “It was a stressful time,” she laughs, “especially in the senior years!” Jessica is part of the Victorian Government’s state-wide Doctors in Secondary Schools (DiSS) program – a multimillion dollar scheme that puts GP-nurseRead more
VHHITAL’s new videos provide an overview of diagnosis, treatment and management of the most common STIs for primary care providers, before undertaking a 90-minute accredited VHHITAL training course on a syndromic approach to STIs.
The Victorian HIV and Hepatitis Integrated Training And Learning (VHHITAL) program has released a three-part webinar recording: Tools for wellbeing. GPs, nurses and other primary health care practitioners are encouraged to watch the recording to learn about new tools for people living with blood-borne viruses. The LiverWELL app and PozQoL Scale are discussed by local GPs and S100 prescribers, andRead more