Self-Directed Learning

The RACGP Rural FPS ST training package provides GPs with essential training to enable them to become a GP provider of Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) and provide CBT-derived FPS counselling to patients in their practice.

This flexible, innovative training package uses a combination of technology, peer learning groups and locally available resources to provide GPs with access to FPS skills training whist remaining in their practice and community.

The 2022 intakes are now open and GPs who wish to participate can register.

• Intake 1: 17 January – 22 April 2022
• Intake 2: 14 March – 17 June 2022
• Intake 3: 19 April – 22 July 2022
• Intake 4: 23 May – 26 August 2022
• Intake 5: 11 July – 14 October 2022
• Intake 6: 15 August – 18 November 2022
• Intake 7: 19 September – 23 December 2022

Please note, Level 1 – Mental Health Skills Training (MHST) is a prerequisite for enrolment in the FPS ST training package.

Training outline

The course is comprised of four modules:

Module 1: Clinical audit – Antidepressant prescribing in general practice

This structured clinical audit activity enables GPs to review their use of antidepressant medications against best practice guidelines, consider non-pharmacological treatment options, and use this information to develop and implement quality improvement strategies in their clinical practice.

Module 2: Cognitive behavioural therapy skills for general practice

This online module, completed via the gplearning platform, equips participants to understand the theory and practice of CBT and how it can be applied to the treatment of common issues like depression and anxiety.

Module 3: Case consultation

Participants will begin applying what they have learned by providing CBT – derived FPS counselling to patients in their usual practice while being supported via online/teleconference peer group case consultation sessions lead by an experienced GP provider of FPS. GP participants will be allocated to a case-based discussion group and will be required to participate in a minimum of three of the four allocated case-based discussion teleconference sessions (these are typically held fortnightly from 7:30-9:30 pm AEDT on a weeknight).

Module 4: Mental health consumer and carer perspectives

In this module, GPs will participate in a facilitated webinar in which both a mental health consumer and carer are interviewed about their lived experiences, providing valuable insight to GPs treating mental health conditions.

An initiative by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network

Since January 2020, the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) has looked after over 16,000 children and families with COVID-19. This module of resources has been curated for General Practitioners and primary health care workers, to assist with the provision of care to children with COVID-19 in the community.

This lecture series is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experts and provides a comprehensive overview of COVID-19 epidemiology and describes the important clinical features of COVID-19 as the disease progresses. This learning module is designed to provide healthcare workers with strategies to safely practice and manage children with COVID-19 in the community, and to recognise when to escalate care.

The module consists of complimentary webcasts and a variety of resources to support a holistic approach and provide strategies on how to:

• engage children and families,
• assess the impacts on education, and
• manage the direct and indirect stresses of COVID-19.

Drawing upon the expert advice provided, healthcare workers in the community will be able to advocate for improved health outcomes for all children, including our First Nations People.

The learning module is free to all health professionals treating children and young people.

Presentation topics:

• Pathogenesis and disease spectrum
• Severe disease and complications
• Managing Kids with COVID-19 in the community
• Testing for COVID-19
• COVID-19 immunisation for kids
• COVID-19 and high-risk communities
• Supporting family well-being following COVID-19 diagnosis
• COVID-19 impacts on education
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Engaging children during COVID-19
• End-of-module webinar: Managing COVID-19 in kids in the community

Details: Clinical audit | RACGP: 40 points | ACRRM: 6 hours | GPs only

Overview: Timely intensification of glucose-lowering medications to achieve target HbA1c is a key aspect of type 2 diabetes management. Therapeutic inertia (delays in advancing therapy when appropriate) can increase patients’ risk of diabetic complications, as they may remain above target HbA1c for many years. Delays in the initiation, titration and intensification of insulin are particularly prevalent globally.

This program aims to support initiation or intensification of insulin therapy for patients who are currently not at their target HbA1c.

Details: Clinical audit | RACGP: 40 points | ACRRM: 7 hours | GPs only

Overview: By 2022, it is estimated that 6.2 million Australians older than 50 years of age will have osteoporosis or osteopenia, placing them at high risk of minimal trauma fracture. Timely diagnosis and appropriate pharmacological management are essential to reduce osteoporotic fracture rates. However, fractures are often not linked to osteoporosis, or are seen as unimportant. The disease therefore remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in Australian General Practice.

This program aims to support identification, evaluation and treatment of patients at high risk of osteoporotic fracture.

GPs will receive 2 RACGP CPD points for attending this session.

This training session will show you how to sign in and see patients when they arrive in your Video Call waiting area.

The session will demonstrate how to use the tools and settings within a call.

There will be an opportunity for questions and answers.

The learning outcomes for this module are:

1. Explain the process for signing into Video Call and navigating the Waiting Area Dashboard.
2. Understand how to join a call and consult with a patient using Video Call.
3. Recognise the various functionality aspects of the Video Call screen.
4. Integrate the use of Video Call for telehealth in your practice workflow.

This training session will build on the Essential Video Call training for GPs. It provides deeper knowledge about the Video Call platform and ways that it can be used to see patients. We will cover: Using Video Call tools in a call, inviting in third parties into a call (e.g. interpreter/family member), call quality settings, workflow design to suit your practice plus time for Q and A.

Learning outcomes:

1. Identify additional features and functions of the Video Call platform and explain their benefits.
2. Use more advanced features and functions in telehealth consultations in your practice.
3. Create workflow processes for video consultations.
4. Use more advanced or complex workflows with a patient.
5. Recognise when the advanced features can improve the experience in and effectiveness of a video consultation for the patient.

The Drug and Alcohol Addiction Education Program includes a suite of incentivised activities to strengthen the capacity of General Practitioners to address drug and alcohol addiction in their communities. These activities include face-to-face workshops, online learning courses and webinars with subject matter experts, supported by resources for General Practitioners to use in their practice.

• Glycemic Index and Diabetes Management
  This FREE 35 minute webinar will help you understand the GI of foods and evidence behind a low GI diet for managing diabetes.
• CSIRO low carbohydrate diet
  Watch this FREE 60 minute webinar to better understand the benefits of the CSIRO low carbohydrate diet.
• The importance of fibre in diabetes care and overall health
  A FREE two-part webinar series on the importance and role of fibre in diabetes care, from Diabetes Qualified and Kellogg Nutrition.
• Diabetes Webinar Series
  Understand diabetes, diabetes complications and insulin delivery in a 4 part webinar series for Health Professionals.

Join our expert panels as we discuss contemporary topics for Health Professionals

In this ever-changing world, it’s important to come together and share our findings on emerging health topics.

JCU is offering a range of informative webinars for health professionals featuring experts in various fields. Broaden your knowledge and stay across what’s happening on the health front.

Keep an eye on this page for upcoming episodes in the JCU Webinar Series.

The Office of Advance Care Planning (OACP), Queensland Health hope these modules will support and enhance your practice with increased knowledge, skills and confidence to provide quality end-of-life care for frail older people in your care.

As more Queenslanders are now living longer, they are also living with increasing levels of frailty, requiring increased knowledge and skills in end-of-life care for those caring for this vulnerable population

Event Details

The five online education modules (15 mins each) are aimed at educating health care professionals about ACP, relevant Queensland law and standardised documentation, and best practice principles for introducing ACP for the people in your care.

• Module 1: Introducing advance care planning for the people in your care
• Module 2: Understanding advance care planning documents commonly used in Queensland
• Module 3: Supporting conversations to complete the Statement of Choices document
• Module 4: Cultural Considerations for End-Of-Life Care
• Module 5: Using the PREPARED framework to support advance care planning conversations

*Access by tablet or PC (not supported for use on mobile phone).

https://www.eolcarefop.com.au/eolcarefop/tabid/5668/Default.aspx

Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is a national program funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, enabling Australians to make the best choices for their life and health care.

ACPA provides online courses and face-to-face workshops nationally, specifically designed to support aged care workers, health professionals and the general public learn more about advance care planning.

Complete any one of a series of 30 min modules:

• Module (1) One: Advance Care Planning Introduction
• Module (2) Two: Advance Care Planning Conversations
• Module (3) Three: Advance Care Planning Decision-Making – The Legal Implications
• Module (4) Four: Advance Care Planning Implementation

Or choose from a range of topics:

• Advance care planning aged care
• Advance Care Planning in the Primary Care Setting
• Advance Care Planning and Dementia
• Advance Care Planning Substitute Decision-Makers
• Advanced Communication
• Advance care planning and cultural diversity
• Advance Care Planning and Volunteers
• Advance Care Planning Substitute Decision-Makers

OVERVIEW

The Australian health sector is facing its biggest challenge since federation as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe. Clinicians are trusted members of the community. The health care workforce needs to be informed, confident and agile to rapidly respond to the changing demands of the pandemic. Clinicians may feel underprepared to explain diverse, complex questions from patients, colleagues and the general public surrounding COVID-19.

This online course aims to:

• Provide expert-informed answers to questions Australian clinicians face surrounding COVID-19.
• Deliver digestible, focused core knowledge on COVID-19 drawing on epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and legal expertise.

DESIGNED FOR

Communicating COVID-19 is designed primarily for clinicians in primary care and hospital-based settings. Secondary audiences include pharmacists, nursing and allied health staff, aged care workers, and disability care workers. Elements of this course could be adapted for primary and secondary school teachers and for the general public.

AFFILIATION

This online course is a collaboration between the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, the Melbourne Law School and the Mobile Learning Unit. It draws on the broad range of expertise held by The University of Melbourne academics and affiliated clinicians, ranging from epidemiology, vaccinology and infectious diseases, to law ethics and mental health.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Appreciate the multifaceted nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and society, and law.
2. Obtain core scientific, medical, ethical and legal knowledge as relevant for healthcare professionals in the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Confidently address questions on COVID-19 from patients, colleagues and the general public, incorporating multidisciplinary thinking in a rapidly evolving situation.

COURSE OUTLINE

This course consists of 8 tutorials released progressively each Wednesday over the coming weeks.

The course is organised thematically around four pillars:

1. Epidemiology

• measures and modelling in a pandemic
• the rationale of social distancing and ‘flattening the curve’
• evaluating rapid clinical trials for proposed therapeutic agents

2. Clinical science

• virology, genomics, and laboratory testing of SARS-CoV-2 virus
• prevention of COVID-19
• risk factors for severe disease with COVID-19
• management and outcomes of COVID-19

3. Ethics and Society

• Clinical ethics in a pandemic
• Allocation of scarce resources
• Obligations and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in a pandemic
• Coping strategies in uncertain times

4. Law

• Government public health interventions
• Service disruption in a pandemic
• Medico-legal indemnity in a pandemic

Each tutorial incoporates four key elements:

1. Relevant, accurate, regularly refreshed core knowledge to empower clinicians for communication and decision-making.
2. Informed phrasings with expert input to help address challenging questions from patients, colleagues and the general public.
3. Participant engagement to discuss content and submit their own phrasings/wordings.
4. Assessment to reinforce key background concepts, address knowledge gaps, and bolster participant confidence.

List of particular knowledge or skills obtained through course

In the week following Tutorial 4, a set of COVID-19 case studies and opportunities for review will be posted for students. Tutorial 5 will be available the week after the case-studies, with the remaining tutorials following on a weekly basis.  The evidence base around COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly and the pause for reflection and review after tutorial four will enable us to ensure that tutorials in the second half of the course capture the latest and emerging evidence.

• Tutorial 1 – Clinical presentation of COVID-19: “I woke up with a runny nose. Do I have the coronavirus?” (Released)
• Tutorial 2 – Measurement and modelling in COVID-19: “What’s all this about flattening the curve?“ (Released)
• Tutorial 3 – Prevention of COVID-19: “Should I wear a mask to go outside?” (Released)
• Tutorial 4 – The science of COVID-19: “What’s a coronavirus, anyway?“ (Released)
• Case Studies (Expected release May 20, 2020)
• Tutorial 5 – Testing in COVID-19: “Someone on the train sneezed today. Can you please test me?” (Expected release June 3, 2020)
• Tutorial 6 – Residential, occupational and social context in COVID-19: “When I can’t keep distance, how do I keep safe?” (Expected release June 10, 2020)
• Tutorial 7 – Managing patients with COVID-19: “I’ve tested positive for the coronavirus. What now?” (Expected release June 17, 2020)
• Tutorial 8 – Vaccinology, end-games and the future of COVID-19: “When will this all end?” (Expected release June 24, 2020)

ASSESSMENT

The assessment is submission of the 8 tutorial unit self-assessments and cases studies.
A Certificate of Completion is provided upon satisfactory completion of Communicating COVID-19.

DELIVERY MODE

Course completion requires approximately 8-10 hours of e-learning. Given the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, tutorials will be released on a rolling basis. Content will be regularly and rigorously updated as new information and discoveries emerge.

Clinicians have the flexibility to study in their own time and location. Program materials can also be accessed using a web browser.

The three online education modules are aimed at educating registered nurses about the caring@home resources and how they can be used to teach carers to help manage breakthrough symptoms safely using subcutaneous medicines.

• Each module is 20 minutes
• Endorsed by ACN according to our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Endorsed Course Standards.
• Allocated 1 CPD hour according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia – Continuing Professional Development Standard.

This activity has been endorsed by APNA according to approved quality standards criteria.
Registered nurses completing these modules are eligible to claim 60 CPD minutes.

https://www.caringathomeproject.com.au/tabid/5319/Default.aspx

Advance care planning is an important part of Australia’s COVID-19 healthcare planning. The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza 2019 cites the importance of Advance Care Directives as part of a coordinated response. However, current research demonstrates that only 25% of older Australians aged 65+ years have documented their preferences in an Advance Care Directive, despite individuals often reporting benefits in doing advance care planning.

General Practitioners
This webinar discusses the key ACP priorities and actions for GPs during COVID-19. It covers ethical considerations, ACP in CALD communities, the challenges of signing documents and more.

Aged Care Providers
Hear from industry experts discuss key ACP priorities and actions for the Aged Care sector during COVID-19. This webinar covers the current challenges, ethical considerations and more.

Health Service Providers
This webinar covers key ACP information and considerations for health professionals during COVID-19. Hear from sector experts including intensive care leaders, A/Prof Charlie Corke and Dr Peter Saul and more.

https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/for-health-and-care-workers/covid-19-web#/

This free Digital Health Security Awareness course is designed for people who work in a variety of healthcare settings and roles. It includes examples that relate cyber security concepts to people’s work in healthcare organisations. The course has been developed by the Agency’s cyber security team, in consultation with representatives from a range of healthcare settings and disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, practice management and allied health.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to ensure people who work in healthcare are equipped to recognise and manage security risks. Social distancing requirements introduced in response to COVID-19 have resulted in an increased use of digital solutions to deliver healthcare. At the same time, malicious attackers have launched new attacks, many of which are related to COVID-19.

The Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course includes five modules:

1. Introduction to security awareness
2. Think before you click
3. Passwords
4. Network and device security
5. Respond. Report. Protect Privacy.

After completing the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe common cyber security risks and recognise that they are continually evolving
• Adopt positive security behaviours to protect sensitive information
• Identify ways to reduce the likelihood of being impacted by cyber security threats
• Outline what to do in the case of a cyber security incident
• Identify key legislation and data breach reporting requirements.

The Australian Psychological Society are hosting a free online training course for Members and non-Members on Applied Mental Health in Residential Aged Care: Practical Program for Clinicians.

This online training course aims to enhance and up-skill clinicians in the provision of clinical mental health services for older people living in residential aged care facilities. The course is free until 31 December 2020 and is designated for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, occupational therapists, mental health nurses, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

The training comprises 4, two-hour modules:
•    Module 1: Introduction to Ageing: Facts, Attitudes and Myths
•    Module 2: Aged care and the Australian residential aged care environment
•    Module 3: Mental health issues of older people living in residential aged care facilities
•    Module 4: Evidence-based treatments

The course covers educational information about the ageing process, navigating the aged care system and residential aged care setting, commonly occurring mental heath issues in older people, the assessment of older people’s mental health, and delivering evidence-based psychological interventions in the context of residential aged care.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre has released the recording of our recent webinar titled: Alcohol and the social determinants of health: an equity lens on interventions presented by Dr. Jane Fischer from the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), located at Flinders University in South Australia (SA).

Information provided in the webinar includes:

• patterns of alcohol use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• inequity and social determinants of health
• why alcohol use is associated with a disproportionate amount of harm and burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• impact of equity on alcohol-related interventions
• impact of inequity on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workers and how it can be addressed.

Dr. Jane Fischer is a Research Fellow at NCETA and has worked in the AOD field for over 20 years in both Adelaide and Brisbane. Prior to her current position, Dr. Fischer was the Program Manager for the Centre for Drug and Alcohol Studies located at Biala, Queensland (Qld) Health.

The research program Dr. Fischer managed was responsible for evaluating and implementing SmokeCheck and the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS). Her research focus explored how vulnerable populations assess their quality of life (QOL); and how different groups manage ‘taint’ and stigma, particularly by people who use AOD. Premised on equity, her work ranges from describing the many manifestations of a ‘good life’, through to QOL as a client-reported outcome measure; thereby potentially improving the effectiveness of individual and community interventions.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre has released the recording of our recent webinar titled: What do we know about the impacts of cannabis use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? presented by Dr. Julia Butt from the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) at Curtin University, Western Australia (WA).

Information provided in the webinar includes:

• health risks associated with cannabis
• prevalence of cannabis use
• what we know about patterns of cannabis use
• impacts on individuals’ health and wellbeing
• impacts on communities
• impacts on workforce and organisations
• what else we need to know.

Dr. Julia Butt is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Research Fellow at NDRI and a member of the Aboriginal Research Team. Dr. Butt is currently a Healthway Senior Fellow looking at the co-use of tobacco and cannabis.

The webinar runs for approximately 41 minutes.

IRON-MATTERS Podcasts

IRON-MATTERS is a series of interviews by and for medical and health practitioners focusing on hereditary haemochromatosis. The series is intended to provide general practitioners with in-depth information about this genetic chronic condition. Topics include:

• diagnosis in general practice with GP Dr Robert Menz
• the genetics of haemochromatosis with clinical geneticist Prof Martin Delatycki
• haemochromatosis and the liver with gastroenterologist Prof John Olynyk
• haemochromatotic arthropathy with rheumatologist Prof Graeme Carroll
• iron and the heart with cardiologist Prof David Playford
• best practice in venesection with nurse specialist Cindy Bryant
• Australian Red Cross Lifeblood therapeutic venesection program with Dr Peter Bentley
• bodily iron regulation with haematologist Prof Sant-Rayn Pasricha.

The first episode was published 1 June 2020. Future episodes will be published every two weeks.

• Episode 1: Diagnosing haemochomatosis in general practice
• Episode 2: Genetic screening for haemochomoatosis
• Episode 3: Lifeblood’s therapeutic donor program with Dr Pater Bentley
• Episode 4: Haemochromatosis and arthritis with Prof Graeme Carroll
• Episode 5: Haemochromatosis and iron in the body with gastroenterologist Prof John Olynk
• Episode 6: Haemochromatosis and the effects of iron overload on the body’s organs
• Episode 7: Treating haemochromatosis by venesection
• Episode 8: Haemochromatosis and Other Iron Disorders with Haematologist Prof Sant-Reyn Pasricha
• Episode 9: Iron Overload in the Heart – Part 1
• Episode 10: Iron Overload in the Heart – Part 2

Information about free and accredited training modules for people involved in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

In preparation for Australia’s vaccine rollout, authorised COVID-19 vaccination providers must complete COVID-19 vaccination training. This will ensure our workforce is competent in the safe management and administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

The Australian Government has partnered with the Australian College of Nursing to develop and deliver free and accredited training modules.

The training is available for all authorised COVID-19 vaccination providers. This will include:

• health professionals in hospitals
• general practices,
• state and Commonwealth vaccination clinics
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
• pharmacies.

The training is also available for non-clinical and administration staff. They can access the non-clinical modules of the training such as handling, storage and administration.

Training modules

COVID-19 vaccination training modules are categorised into 2 groups, core and additional.

Core COVID-19 modules involve training for COVID-19 vaccination more broadly. Additional COVID-19 modules are specific to individual vaccine candidates.

Core COVID-19 training modules will cover:

• COVID-19 introduction
• handling and storage
• communication and purpose
• multi-dose vial (MDV) training
• documentation and reporting
• safety and surveillance monitoring and reporting for adverse events following immunisation

Additional COVID-19 training modules include specific training for:

• Pfizer/BioNTech (module available)
• Oxford University/AstraZeneca
• Novavax
• future vaccines (i.e as possible new vaccines emerge)

Enrolling in the training

The training is being provided free to all authorised COVID-19 vaccination providers. These first modules are targeting health professionals in hospitals who will be administering the Pfizer vaccine.

Health professionals are advised to seek confirmation from their employer that they will be a vaccination provider before accessing the training.

To enrol in the course COVID-19 vaccination providers are required to:

• have already undertaken routine immunisation training specific to their profession; and
• have the authority to administer vaccinations in their relevant state and territory.

Administrative or non-clinical staff can enrol to access non-clinical modules.

Online training 

All training content is delivered through an e-learning platform at no cost.

The Foundations of Ear Health Program aims to provide students with foundation knowledge to provide education, develop management plans, identify and manage hygiene issues regarding ear and hearing health.

In collaboration with Cancer Australia and clinical experts in lung cancer, Lung Foundation Australia has developed a free, accredited eLearning course for primary care health professionals based on Investigating symptoms of lung cancer: a guide for all health professionals, a tool developed to assist all health professionals investigate symptomatic people with suspected lung cancer and support their early and rapid referral into the diagnostic pathway.

By completing this training health professionals will be able to:

• Outline the role of primary care health professionals in treating lung cancer in Australia
• Explain how the resource Investigating symptoms of lung cancer: a guide for all health professionals (the Guide) supports primary care health professionals in practice
• Apply the Guide to case study patients with suspected lung cancer
• Outline a best practice approach to lung cancer care including referral to multi-disciplinary teams.