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The Youth Health Forum is hosting an online masterclass presented by Jennifer Doggett on Thursday 9 February, 1pm to 3.30pm, on the Australian health system. The forum is an opportunity for young people aged 18 to 30 who are interested in developing a foundational understanding of how our health system works.
Find out moreThe Cancer Institute NSW has launched a new campaign to encourage younger people, aged 18 to 24 years in NSW, to protect their skin from UV radiation.
This group is particularly at risk as they are less likely to protect their skin from the sun than the general population.
The campaign’s key messages are:
The campaign demonstrates the scale and danger of UV rays by depicting them as illuminated ‘Arrows’ hurtling down from above, transforming it into a tangible and ever-present threat.
Protect yourself from skin cancer:
Find out moreThe Go4Fun healthy lifestyle program for families and children aged seven to 13 is returning at seven locations across South Western Sydney in Term 1, from Monday, 30 January 2023.
You can register by phoning 1800 780 900 or visiting go4fun.com.au.
Enrolments are being accepted up until Friday, 10 February 2023.
What is Go4Fun?
Go4Fun is a free program for children aged seven to 13 who are above a healthy weight, and their families. Trained health and community professionals like dietitians and exercise physiologists run the program which is a fun way to build self-esteem and learn about eating well, staying active and living a healthy life.
Go4Fun takes place during school terms, usually after school. Sessions run once a week for two hours, during a 10-week period. A parent or carer must come to every session.
Find out more about what's involvedAboriginal Go4Fun
Aboriginal Go4Fun was developed in partnership with Aboriginal communities and is delivered by local Aboriginal organisations together with NSW Health. The program encourages the whole community to join in.
Aboriginal Go4Fun includes:
Go4Fun online
Go4Fun Online is perfect for families that can’t make it to our face-to-face program, but still want to make health changes to their lifestyle.
Go4Fun Online runs over 10 weeks and includes:
SWSPHN joined South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) for the recent official launch of the First 2000 Days initiative, a strategy aimed at giving all children 0 to five-years the best start in life.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, Director of Planning and Performance, Amy Prince, and other PHN staff attended the gathering at Western Sydney University’s Macarthur Clinical School in Campbelltown.
The First 2000 Days strategy aims to:
Dr Nicole Hall, a GP from Wattle Grove Family Medical Practice and co-chair of the SWSPHN/ SWSLHD Antenatal Shared Care (ANSC) Operations Group, spoke on behalf of SWSPHN.
There are currently 370 ANSC-recognised providers within the region, working across 445 medical practices delivering care in multiple languages.
Dr Hall emphasised the importance of GP-care from as early as pre-conception and conception, antenatal and postnatal care, continuing through to childhood and all other stages of life.
Dr Hall highlighted points including:
SWSPHN has been implementing the First 2000 Days strategies since 2019 but COVID-19 delayed the official launch of the initiative.
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 7 December 2022. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
Dr Nicole Hall from Wattle Grove Family Medical Practice is committed to helping women and their families during pregnancy and the first few years of the baby’s life through her work as a GP, a GP VMO at Liverpool Hospital in high-risk obstetric care, and as co-chair of the SWSPHN/SWSLHD Antenatal Shared Care Operations Group.
I received my GP Fellowship in 2015. I was an intern and resident at Bankstown and Campbelltown Hospitals, and did a significant part of my GP training here in Wattle Grove.
General practice was a natural career choice for me. Even during medical school I knew I would become a GP. I love the continuity of care, getting to know patients, and feeling as though you can make a big difference in their lives.
I also love the flexibility which comes with being a GP. There are so many possible career pathways, and I have been lucky enough to explore some of these as a GP Visiting Medical Officer in obstetrics at Liverpool Hospital.
I get the most job satisfaction looking after women during pregnancy, especially if they have had difficulty falling pregnant, and then looking after them during the first few years of their baby’s life. This can be a very challenging time and I love being able to help women and their families during this time. I have also been very lucky over the years to be involved with research for stillbirth which I have found very rewarding, namely being involved in the development and roll-out of the Safer Baby Bundle.
With the obesity rates in South Western Sydney climbing, I also love helping patients with weight management, and looking at the joy on their faces when they realise how much weight they have lost and how much better their blood pressure and blood parameters are.
Wattle Grove Family Medical Practice has been around for a number of years, founded by my colleague Dr John Stanford. It is a very well-respected practice and has been helping the local community for a number of years. In particular, we spend a lot of time with defence families, who often have difficulties with medical care as they move around so much.
I have two young children, aged five and three, who keep me busy! I love gardening, cooking, and bush walking with my children and dog.
Wattle Grove is such a beautiful area to work in. We have a beautiful patient base. The patients are genuinely thankful for the care we provide to them. Working at Liverpool Hospital has also been very rewarding, being able to help a patient population of socio-economic disadvantage. Helping these women is extremely rewarding.
Good health has many facets to it. This includes physical health, which can be obtained by regular exercise, but also participating in activities which people enjoy. There is also the mental health aspect, and it is so important to focus on the things in your life you appreciate – spending time with friends, spending time in the outdoors. It is also important to check in with your GP if you ever feel as though your health is not as good as it could be. COVID-19 has been a very challenging time for people, and I still feel as though we are seeing the ramifications of this.
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 7 December 2022. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
Liverpool and Fairfield Child and Family Interagencies have developed directories of local services which clients of those working with children and families (including healthcare providers) can be referred to.
The information in the directories is changeable and users should contact the organisations before making a referral to ensure the service is still available and has the capacity to take more clients.
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 23 November 2022. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
Liverpool and Fairfield Child and Family Interagencies have developed directories of local services which clients of those working with children and families (including healthcare providers) can be referred to.
Please note, the information in the directories is changeable and users should contact the organisations before making a referral to ensure the service is still available and has the capacity to take more clients.
Download the:
Liverpool Child and Family Services Interagency Directory
Fairfield Child and Family Services Interagency Directory
Canterbury Bankstown Council also has a Children and Families Resource Kit available on its website.
One in five children in South Western Sydney are at risk of poor language outcomes.
The COVID-19 lockdowns have increased the risk of developing communication delays as social interactions and engagement in early learning environments have been limited.
Language skills are needed to understand and communicate across different environments. A child’s early language skills are predictive of long-term outcomes.
Watching and waiting as children return to pre-COVID community activities will not rectify a language delay. It is better for a child to wait on a waiting list for early intervention which will maximise their outcomes.
It’s more important than ever to refer early, as waiting times in both public and private services have significantly increased since the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Every consultation is an opportunity to screen a child’s communication.
In addition to the Blue Book, you can use this screening checklist (communication milestone checklist) to identify when a referral to a speech pathologist is needed (where and how to refer).
Face-to-face for the first time since 2019, SWSPHN’s ‘The first 2000 days in a child’s life’ paediatric conference was held on Sunday, 6 November. We welcomed 39 GPs and 27 Practice Nurses who joined us for a day of inspiring presentations from our speakers, chatting with stallholders, and networking.
Ensuring children have the best possible start in life, the conference highlighted the importance of the first 2000 days. Interested participants were also able to chat with SWSPHN staff about programs and services commissioned by us in South Western Sydney.
After a successful conference, we’d like to thank our guest speakers for inspiring participants, and our sponsors for making this event possible. We look forward to hosting this event in 2023.
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 9 November 2022. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
What do GPs need to know about the Early Childhood Approach (formerly ECEI) following COVID-19? Who needs this program and why?
Parents and carers, more than ever before, have concerns about their children’s development. As families often go to their GP for support, it is important for their concerns to be acknowledged and investigated. This support may include connecting families to the Early Childhood Approach through their local NDIS Early Childhood Partner.
The Early Childhood Approach helps children from birth to six years, through developmental supports which build a family’s capacity to assist their child participate in everyday activities and be included in mainstream environments which were restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For children who need longer term supports, the Early Childhood Partner will assist families access the NDIS. Children do not need a diagnosis to be supported through the Early Childhood Approach.
