SCHHS: Important changes to skin cancer referrals

In News, Sunshine Coast by PHN Communications

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service has a well-developed plastic surgery service, which includes the management of complex skin cancer excisions. Skin cancer excisions are also managed by the department of general surgery. To improve patient access to the appropriate specialty, the following referral criteria have been introduced: All …

The Way Back Support Service

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Sunshine Cost PHN is funding Beyond Blue’s postvention initiative The Way Back Support Service across the region, to provide non-clinical care coordination for up to three months for people who have recently attempted suicide.    To be eligible for The Way Back, individuals must be 15 years and older and have presented to a hospital …

Introducing the new national data platform 

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

CCQ will soon migrate the de-identified practice data we’ve collected under your practice agreement into a new, gold-standard IT platform called Primary Health Insights.   Primary Health Insights is a secure storage and management platform purpose-built for primary care data and will be used by PHNs across the nation.   The platform has undergone vigorous testing and governance and has been endorsed by the Australian Government and the Australian Medical …

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#NursesWhereYouNeedThem: Rae Fialla

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

The Australian College of Nursing’s 2020 ‘Nursing in the Community Week’ shines a light on the importance of #NursesWhereYouNeedThem, and CCQ is also celebrating these vital healthcare professionals by profiling some of the nurses within our own organisation. Our PHN recently welcomed Rae Fialla to the team, in the role …

Use of My Health Record climbs

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Uptake and use of My Health Record has continued to climb in recent months. There are now more than 22.81 million records, with over 86% of those containing data. The Australian Digital Health Agency’s Statistics and Insights document from July 2020 shows the number of records with data increased by …

Dementia Australia expands services

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Dementia Australia’s services are available for individuals, couples, families, groups, and anyone impacted by any form of dementia. Services are available to all Australians, regardless of where they live, and can be accessed in a variety of ways including face-to-face, telephone or online. For the most appropriate service for specific …

Help reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hospitalisation

In News, Sunshine Coast by PHN Communications

The aim of the Preventable Hospitalisation Program (PHP) is to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with existing chronic health conditions who may be at risk of admission, or have been admitted, to hospital. The PHP provides person-centred care in the community, and empowers clients to self-manage their …

Information for GPs administering flu vaccines to RACF residents and staff 

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee recommended that visitors and staff (including visiting workers) who have not been vaccinated against influenza should not be permitted to enter residential aged care facilities (RACFs) after 1 May 2020. To assist in completing RACF influenza immunisations as soon as possible, Queensland Health has …

Nurse Navigator – assistance for GPs

In News, Sunshine Coast by PHN Communications

The nurse navigator and the co-ordination of care – how it works The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service model of care depicts the general practitioner as the central case manager.   The nurse navigator’s role is to assist with the provision of services for patients who have complex health …

Temporary changes to locum tenens

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

In order to provide greater flexibility to health professionals responding to the COVID-19 situation, the Department of Health will extend the locum tenens period from two weeks to twelve weeks. This extension is a temporary change to support the COVID-19 response, reducing the number of Medicare provider number applications and …

Public health alert – COVID-19

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Summary Iran, Italy and South Korea have been added to the list of countries for which clinicians should consider testing of people with a clinically compatible illness and history of travel. On 26 February 2020 the Commonwealth updated advice on testing of persons under investigation for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It …

Novel coronavirus – latest PHN updates

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Last updated: 4 February 2020 Novel coronavirus There has been an outbreak of a novel (new) coronavirus (2019-nCoV) originating in Wuhan, China. Queensland Health asks you consider novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection in patients with fever and respiratory symptoms who recently travelled to anywhere in China, and investigate patients using standard …

Information for general practitioners – textured breast implants

In Central Queensland, News, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay by PHN Communications

Queensland Health has started notifying all women identified as having received textured breast implants or tissue expanders associated with increased risk of Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL.) Please note GPs will be contacted if they have patients who are affected. Read the Queensland Health notice here.   …