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Doctors in Secondary Schools

A Victorian Department of Education and Training partnership.

The Doctors in Secondary Schools program provides primary health care services to 100 Victorian government secondary schools. The program funds a general practitioner (GP) and Practice Nurse (PN) to provide onsite primary care for students up to one day per week. Fit-for-purpose clinic consultation facilities have been installed onsite at all participating schools as part of the program. The initiative complements existing student wellbeing programs aimed at improving health literacy, and preventive health.

The Program is funded by the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) and implemented by Victoria’s six Primary Health Networks (PHNs). PHNs are supporting the GPs to be integrated with community-based primary care services to enable best-practice, patient-centred care.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are:

  • make primary health care more accessible to students;
  • provide assistance to young people to identify and address any health problems early; and,
  • aim to reduce the pressure on working parents and community-based GPs.

All GPs, nurses and school staff are provided with training in adolescent health, at no cost. School-based GPs bulk-bill consultations through Medicare, and are remunerated for time spent that cannot be billed. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for students who attend consultations with participating GPs.

Schools involved

To ensure young people across Victoria can access quality health care services, selected participating schools covers areas with high unmet need across Victoria. The pilot program is being launched in tranches that match school term start dates. The timeline for the program is as follows:

List of tranche 1 schools (Term 1 2017)

PHN

School 

Campus 

LGA

Eastern Melbourne PHN Boronia K-12 College Rangeview Campus Knox (C)
Upper Yarra Secondary College Upper Yarra Secondary
College
Yarra Ranges (S)
Whittlesea Secondary College Whittlesea Secondary
College
Whittlesea (C)
Gippsland PHN Traralgon College East Campus Latrobe (C)
Murray PHN Crusoe 7-10 Secondary College Crusoe 7-10 Secondary
College
Greater Bendigo (C)
Kyneton Secondary College Kyneton Secondary
College
Macedon Ranges (S)
Wedderburn College Wedderburn College Loddon (S)
Yarrawonga College P-12 Pinniger Street
Campus
Moira (S)
North Western

Melbourne PHN

Craigieburn Secondary College Craigieburn Secondary
College
Hume (C)
Mount Alexander 7-12 College Mount Alexander 7-12
College
Moonee Valley (C)
Sunbury College Sunbury College Hume (C)
South Eastern Melbourne PHN Monterey Secondary College Monterey Secondary
College
Frankston (C)
Narre Warren South P-12 College Narre Warren South P-12
College
Casey (C)
Oakwood School Noble Park Campus Greater Dandenong (C)
Pakenham Secondary College Pakenham Secondary
College
Cardinia (S)
Rosebud Secondary College Rosebud Secondary
College
Mornington Peninsula (S)
Western Victoria PHN Ballarat Secondary College Mount Rowan
Campus
Ballarat (C)
Brauer Secondary College Brauer Secondary
College
Warrnambool (C)
Mount Clear College Mount Clear College Ballarat (C)
Portland Secondary College Portland Secondary
College
Glenelg (S)

List of tranche 2 schools (Term 3 2017)

PHN

School 

Campus 

LGA

Eastern Melbourne PHN Charles La Trobe P-12 College The Pavilion Campus
Preston East
Darebin (C)
Healesville High School Healesville High School Yarra Ranges (S)
Lalor North Secondary College Lalor North Secondary
College
Whittlesea (C)
Wallan Secondary College Wallan Secondary
College
Mitchell (S)
Gippsland

PHN

Bairnsdale Secondary College Bairnsdale Secondary
College
East Gippsland (S)
Drouin Secondary College Drouin Secondary
College
Baw Baw (S)
Kurnai College Morwell Campus Latrobe (C)
Sale College Macalister Campus Wellington (S)
Murray PHN Alexandra Secondary College Alexandra Secondary
College
Murrindindi (S)
Benalla P-12 College Barkly Street Campus Benalla (RC)
Eaglehawk Secondary College Eaglehawk Secondary
College
Greater Bendigo (C)
Red Cliffs Secondary College Red Cliffs Secondary College Mildura (RC)
Seymour College Seymour College Mitchell (S)
Shepparton High School Shepparton High School Greater Shepparton (C)
Wodonga Senior Secondary College Wodonga Senior Secondary
College
Wodonga (C)
North Western Melbourne PHN Bayside P-12 College Paisley Campus Hobsons Bay (C)
Braybrook College Braybrook College Maribyrnong (C)
Copperfield College Delahey Senior Campus Brimbank (C)
Glenroy Secondary College Glenroy Secondary College Moreland (C)
Laverton P-12 College Laverton P-12 College Hobsons Bay (C)
Manor Lakes P-12 College Manor Lakes P-12
College
Wyndham (C)
Melton Secondary College Melton Secondary College Melton (C)
Roxburgh College Roxburgh College Hume (C)
St Albans Secondary College St Albans Secondary
College
Brimbank (C)
The Grange P-12 College The Grange P-12 College Wyndham (C)
South Eastern Melbourne PHN

 

Carrum Downs Secondary College Carrum Downs Secondary
College
Frankston (C)
Cranbourne Secondary College Cranbourne Secondary
College
Casey (C)
Dandenong High School Dandenong Campus Greater Dandenong (C)
Gleneagles Secondary College Gleneagles Secondary
College
Casey (C)
Keysborough Secondary College Acacia Campus Greater Dandenong (C)
McClelland Secondary College McClelland Secondary
College
Frankston (C)
Noble Park Secondary College Noble Park Secondary
College
Greater Dandenong (C)
Patterson River Secondary College Patterson River Secondary
College
Frankston (C)
Western Victoria PHN Ararat Secondary College Ararat Secondary
College
Ararat (RC)
Beaufort Secondary College Beaufort Secondary
College
Pyrenees (S)
Geelong High School Geelong High School Greater Geelong (C)
Maryborough Education Centre Balaclava Road Campus Central Goldfields (S)
Newcomb Secondary College Newcomb Secondary
College
Greater Geelong (C)
North Geelong Secondary College North Geelong Secondary
College
Greater Geelong (C)
Phoenix P-12 Community College Sebastopol Campus Ballarat (C)

List of tranche 3 schools (Term 1 2018)

PHN

School

Campus

LGA

Eastern Melbourne PHN Bayswater Secondary College Bayswater Secondary
College
Knox (C)
Croydon Community School Croydon Community
School
Maroondah (C)
Melba Secondary College Senior Campus Maroondah (C)
Scoresby Secondary College Scoresby Secondary
College
Knox (C)
Yarra Hills Secondary College Mooroolbark Campus Yarra Ranges (S)
Gippsland PHN Maffra Secondary College Maffra Secondary
College
Wellington (S)
Neerim District Secondary College Neerim District Secondary
College
Baw Baw (S)
Swifts Creek P-12 School Tambo Campus East Gippsland (S)
Warragul Regional College Warragul Regional
College
Baw Baw (S)
Murray

PHN

Irymple Secondary College Irymple Secondary
College
Mildura (RC)
Kerang Technical High School Kerang Technical High School Gannawarra (S)
McGuire College McGuire College Greater Shepparton ©
Merbein P-10 College Secondary Campus Mildura (RC)
Numurkah Secondary College Numurkah Secondary
College
Moira (S)
Ouyen P-12 College Ouyen P-12 College Mildura (RC)
Robinvale College (interim name) Robinvale College (interim name) Swan Hill (RC)
Rutherglen High School Rutherglen High School Indigo (S)
Swan Hill College Swan Hill College Swan Hill (RC)
Weeroona College Bendigo Weeroona College Bendigo Greater Bendigo (C)
Wodonga Middle Years College Huon Campus Wodonga (C)
North Western Melbourne PHN Bacchus Marsh College Maddingley Campus Moorabool (S)
Footscray City College Footscray City Campus Maribyrnong (C)
Hume Central Secondary College Town Park Campus Hume (C)
Keilor Downs Secondary College Keilor Downs Secondary College Brimbank (C)
Kurunjang Secondary College Kurunjang Secondary College Melton (C)
Mount Ridley P-12 College Mount Ridley P-12 College Hume (C)
Reservoir High School Reservoir Campus Darebin (C)
Victoria University Secondary College Brimbank Campus Brimbank (C)
South Eastern Melbourne PHN Cranbourne East Secondary College Cranbourne East Secondary College Casey (C)
Fountain Gate Secondary College Fountain Gate Secondary College Casey (C)
Hallam Senior Secondary College Hallam Senior Secondary College Casey (C)
Lyndale Secondary College Lyndale Secondary College Greater Dandenong (C)
Mornington Secondary College Senior Campus Mornington Peninsula (S)
Western Victoria PHN Camperdown College Wilson Street Corangamite (S)
Casterton Secondary College Casterton Secondary College Glenelg (S)
Colac Secondary College Colac Secondary College Colac-Otway (S)
Heywood District Secondary College Heywood District Secondary College Glenelg (S)
Horsham College Horsham High Campus Horsham (RC)
Lavers Hill P-12 College Lavers Hill P-12 College Colac-Otway (S)
St Arnaud Secondary College St Arnaud Secondary College Northern Grampians (S)

Provider Engagement

To improve the coordination of care and ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time, each PHN has Provider Support Officers to engage with providers and school staff ensuring services are delivered as required. PHNs from across Victoria are engaging General Practitioners and their associated practices with the selected participating schools.

HealthPathways

Selected GPs and Practices are supported with a range of initiatives including HealthPathways. HealthPathways includes referral mapping and adolescent health pathways that assist GPs in providing the continuity of care and helps in better diagnosis and treatment. In addition to the above, number of HealthPathways relevant to mental health are in development to assist GPs in this field of healthcare.

Localised HealthPathways for adolescent health are available across the six PHNs. Visit your local HealthPathways website for more information. 

Requirements for ‘Doctors in Secondary Schools’ general practices, General Practitioners and Registered Nurses

General Practices

Accredited practices or those registered for Accreditation are encouraged to apply. Practices are required to provide bulk billing services for students, have a medical software program and have, or are willing to have a data aggregation tool installed to record and report data.

General Practitioners

The Program requires Vocationally Registered GPs, with an AHPRA registration and license to practice in Australia. Experience in child and adolescent health, mental health and drug and alcohol services is desirable.

Practice Nurse

The program is also seeking Registered Nurses (Division 1), with an AHPRA registration and no restrictions on scope of practice in Australia.

The implementation of doctors in secondary schools is supported by the Victorian Government.

Project contacts

Statewide Project Manager
Nicole Green
Ph. 03 9347 1188

North Western Melbourne PHN
Nicole Green
Ph. 03 9347 1188

Eastern Melbourne PHN 
Raylea O’Loughlin
Ph. 8814 2420

Gippsland PHN 
Bernadette Heaton-Harris
Ph. 03 5126 2899

Murray PHN
Penny Bolton
Ph. 03 4408 5627

South Eastern Melbourne PHN
Shannon George
Ph. 03 8514 6626

Western Victoria PHN 
Laura Martin
Ph. 03 5222 0811

Copyright 2019 Victorian and Tasmanian PHN Alliance
  • About us
    • About the Alliance
    • Collaboration
    • Leadership
    • PHN Publications
    • Thought Leadership
  • Our Work
    • Best practice, prevention, management and support
      • Accelerated uptake of Hepatitis C medicines
      • Carer Awareness in General Practice
      • Community led cancer screening
      • Lymphoedema Primary Care Capacity Building
      • Optimal Care Pathways
        • Optimal Care Pathways – Oesophagogastric Cancer OCP
        • Optimal Care Pathways – Prostate Cancer
      • Place-based Suicide Prevention
      • Statewide Paediatric HealthPathways Project
      • Victorian HIV and Hepatitis Integrated Training and Learning
    • Connecting health with other sectors
      • Doctors in Secondary Schools
      • Enhancing Mental Health Support in Secondary Schools
    • Health system integration and reform translation
      • Alcohol and other Drug Integration
      • Care Pathways and Referral
        • COVID-19 care pathways
      • Enhancing Carers Supports Within Primary Health Care
      • Mental Health Integration
      • My Health Record Expansion
      • PIP QI Incentive partnership
      • Population Health Planning
      • SafeScript
      • State Emergency and Support Recovery
      • Statewide Specialist Clinic Referral Criteria
      • The National Disability Insurance Scheme in Victoria and Tasmania
      • Voluntary Assisted Dying
  • News and Education
    • Education and Calendars
    • News
    • Online Learning
  • SafeScript Training
  • Contact
    • Contact us
    • Our PHNs
VTPHNA