Nursing in General Practice

Overview:

The Divisions Network Nursing in General Practice (NiGP) Program is a key program under the Australian Government's Nursing in general Practice Training and Support Initiative. The 2005-2009 initiative has two components:

  • $15.6 million for training and professional support for practice nurses
  • $2.6 million to facilitate access to training and provide support for nurses in regional and rural areas to be points of referral for people experiencing domestic violence

The divisions network NiGP Program are to support the effective employment of practice nurses to:

  • relieve workforce pressure in general practice
  • improve the prevention and management of chronic disease
  • improve access to, and the quality and integration of patient care.

Program Objectives:

The aim of the NiGP program is for ADGP and SBO's to meet the aims of the Initiative through the following objectives:

Objective 1: Building the capacity of Divisions to deliver support services for Nursing in general practice, in particular to recruit and retain nurses in general practice.

Objective 2: Brokering, coordinating and funding education and professional development opportunities for nurses in general practice in collaboration with Divisions across each state and territory.

Resources & Links:

AGDoHA Nursing in General Practice Program Guidelines

AGDoHA Nursing in General Practice Publications

Medicare Australia PIP PN Initiative

GP Plus Nurses

NiGP Calendar

PHCRIS Bulletin

Nursing and Midwifery Office

New Practice Nurse/Aboriginal health worker and Allied health MBS items

Medicare and e-Learning Program

E-Learning Training Package for Medicare Item 10997

It is with great pleasure that AGPN in conjunction with our partner organisations Royal College of Nursing Australia and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, announce the release of the e-Learning Training Package for Medicare Item 10997.

Medicare Item 10997 applies to the provision of monitoring and support to people with a chronic disease care plan by a practice nurse or registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker on behalf of a general practitioner.

The package consists of a pre-requisite foundation module and a series of six chronic-disease modules including arthritis, asthma, cancer, coronary heart disease, dementia, and diabetes with an additional module on kidney health to be added to the package in the near future. The content for each module has been developed by expert organisations to provide current best practice and up-to-date information about chronic disease management and utilising Medicare Item 10997 in the general practice setting.

The modules can be assessed free of charge until 31st August 2009, after which time a charge will be levied.

The modules can be accessed on the RCNA 3LP website at the following web link: www.3lp.rcna.org.au/10997 and follow the instructions on the front page under Getting started. You do not need to be a member of RCNA to access the modules.

Could you please pass this information on to your divisions to promote to GPs, practice nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers and other interested parties.

AGPN acknowledge the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in the development of this package and trust that the package will assist in supporting quality care for people with a chronic disease.

Are you a practice nurse and looking for clarification about your role in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program?
 
A free online learning module can provide you with the answers. Simply go to the Australian Practice Nurse Association website for online learning and click on the activity National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
 
After completing the module, you will better understand:
 
• Bowel cancer symptoms and risk factors
• Features of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
• Your role as a Practice Nurse in the Program
• The duty of care linked to General Practice
• How to manage people eligible and ineligible for free screening
• How to complete the paperwork for the Program and Medicare
• Implementation of the Program in your practice.
 
For more information, please contact Jodie Bell, Bowel Cancer Screening Project Officer at Cancer Council SA on (08) 8291 4195 or jbell@cancersa.org.au.

 

Program Contact(s):

 Contact  Sue Billett

 

 
 Position  Education and Training Coordinator
 Email:  sue.billett@gpsa.org.au
 Phone:  (08) 8179 1708