Research Archives

21 November 2023

Practices are invited to participate in the Wearables Integrated Technology to support healthy behaviours in people with type 2 diabetes (WEAR-IT) study.

The study will begin in early 2024 and seeks to test integrating feedback from wearable devices to improve dietary and exercise behaviours within a diabetes self-management plan. Wearable devices will measure blood glucose, blood pressure, and physical activity.

Participating practices will receive:

$1,000 for recruiting eligible patients for the trial
$200 gift voucher for the practice champion, nominated by the practice team, who will be the main contact point of the study

General practices allocated to the INTERVENTION arm of the trial will receive:

Payment of up to $2,500 to cover practice nurse time for administering the intervention (target of 13 patients)
$200 shopping voucher for each staff member participating in online training
$100 shopping voucher for each staff member who participates in interviews

GPs and practice nurses can also claim CPD hours for their involvement in the study.

All patients will receive $20 reimbursement to attend pathology tests and $10 for completing study questionnaires.

Patients from intervention practices will receive free wearables: transdermal blood glucose monitor (Freestyle Libre 2 starter pack plus 2 additional sensors), blood pressure monitor (iHealth wireless BP monitor) and a physical activity monitor (eg Xiaomi Smartband).

17 November 2023

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care is inviting comments on the draft Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Clinical Care Standard.

Comments are sought from healthcare professionals, peak healthcare and consumer organisations, consumers and any other interested parties.

The clinical care standard includes a set of indicators to support healthcare providers and local health services to monitor how well they implement the care described in the clinical care standard.

Submit comments

Consultation closes 18 December.

26 October 2023

The University of Sydney’s HEalth literacy in Low back Pain (HELP) study is evaluating the effectiveness of a media-led intervention in the management of low back pain (LBP).

The study aims to explore a creative approach to enhance public awareness of LBP management while assessing beliefs and attitudes about LBP.

Researchers are recruiting 45 GP clinics to participate in the study.

Your practice’s involvement would include:

Displaying the study advertising materials in practice waiting rooms
Ensuring waiting room TVs are switched on and are displaying Tonic Media Network material

At the end of the study, the research team will provide key study findings which can be used by GPs for their CPD accreditation points.

Find out more Download the flyer

21 September 2023

Primary carers in South Western Sydney are invited to participate in the Patient Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS), an international project led by the OECD to improve patient-centred healthcare.

The survey assesses how patients with chronic conditions experience healthcare in different countries, especially in primary care settings.

PaRIS uses two types of measurements:

Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMS) to evaluate practical aspects of care
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) to assess how patients perceive the results of their care

Australia is one of more than 20 countries participating, with the survey led by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, and supported by ORIMA Research.

The initiative is crucial because it fills an important information gap in primary healthcare.

It helps us understand factors like healthcare access, waiting times, quality of life, pain, physical health and mental wellbeing.

The results will aid local, national and international efforts to improve healthcare delivery.

Ultimately, Australia aims to integrate patient-reported measures into routine clinical care to guide policy makers, empower healthcare providers, and, most importantly, give patients a say in shaping their future healthcare experiences.

The PaRIS Health Survey is open to all general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations which:

are accredited against the RACGP Standards and
have an electronic health records system

Find more information:

Patient-Reported Indicator Survey (PaRIS) | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

PaRIS – Practice Portal

21 September 2023

The University of Sydney and University of Wollongong are seeking 30 general practice nurses to participate in the validation of a new data collection method involving a cloud-based electronic interface called OCEAN (Occasions of Care Explained and Analysed).

Find out more / register

07 July 2023

The Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs, NSW Ministry of Health, is seeking GPs to participate in paid online focus groups about GP engagement with the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).

The OPT provides life-saving treatment to people living with opioid dependence. The aim of these focus groups is to gather a diverse range of perspectives from GPs who have had experience or are interested in engaging with the OTP.

Eligibility

If you are…

A GP primarily working in general practice, AND
Have an interest in the OTP, OR
You are already prescribing OTP medication for up to five patients

the centre wants to hear from you!

How to Register

The centre will be conducting four, one-hour, online focus groups at the times listed below:

6pm, Monday, 17 July
7.30pm, Tuesday, 18 July
7.30am, Thursday, 20 July
12pm, Friday 21 July

Click here to register. You will then receive a calendar invitation confirming your attendance.

Payment

GPs who participate will be paid at the rate of $120 for the hour. Participation is limited to one focus group per person.

Confidentiality

Please note: participation in the focus groups is confidential, and all data collected will be anonymised and used solely for research purposes.

For more information about this project, contact Kristina.Gavrilovic@health.nsw.gov.au

04 July 2023

GPs are invited to an online roundtable on Monday, 10 July at 7.30pm exploring their awareness and support for using social prescribing to refer patients to arts activities. Participants will receive a certificate for CPD hours.

Social prescribing is the referral of patients to non-medical interventions, programs and services in the community.

While arts engagement is only one referral option for social prescribing, it has demonstrated especially striking outcomes and is the focus of this Flinders University and University of Adelaide project.

Participation will involve answering questions during a one-hour online (Zoom) roundtable with other GPs.

You will be asked questions about your awareness of social prescribing, any past experience with social prescribing and potential needs or barriers to implementing social prescribing.

Contact Dr Alex Cothren via email at alexander.cothren@flinders.edu.au for information.

21 March 2023

GPs are being sought to participate in a working group to kickstart conversations about how different models of brain health lifestyle care can be used to support multi-ethnic individuals living in South Western Sydney.

Our region has a large multicultural population, with 54.1 per cent of households speaking a non-English language (compared to NSW’s average of 26.5 per cent).

Dementia prevention is a major public health priority yet programs targeting lifestyle and dementia risk modification are yet to be broadly implemented into practice and have been developed mainly using a Western-centric model of care.

Primary care professionals are often the first point of contact for older adults. As such, general advice and support discussions on lifestyle factor management are best suited to be provided in primary care.

Although key Australian policy guidelines specify a role for GPs to promote brain health, it is not routinely delivered, with only 15 per cent of Australian patients hearing about dementia from their GP.

The working group will aim to bridge the gap between current practice and routine promotion of brain health for dementia risk reduction.

If you’re interested in joining the working group, please contact Dr Joyce Siette, Research Theme Fellow Health and Wellbeing from Wester Sydney University, via email at Joyce.Siette@westernsydney.edu.au

06 December 2022

Western Sydney University (WSU) Department of General Practice is seeking participants for a research study aiming to understand GP experiences in providing advanced care planning (ACP) in Greater Western Sydney, and how these experiences influence uptake of ACP in general practice.

A limited number of confidential interviews of about 30 minutes will be conducted with a gift voucher (at the Department of Health and Aged Care suggested pro-rata rate of $150/hour) provided in appreciation of your time.

For more information, please contact WSU GP Academic Registrar, Dr Anita Jenkins by email at A.Jenkins@westernsydney.edu.au or phone at 4620 3942.

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.

02 August 2022

Every two years SWSPHN asks GPs, Practice Nurses and Practice Managers to take 15-20 minutes out of their day to complete the General Practice and Primary Care Needs Survey, which is used to shape the future of primary care in South Western Sydney.

This is an opportunity for health professionals to share their views on health integration, capacity building, and needs gaps within primary care. Your feedback contributes towards planning for a sustainable primary healthcare workforce, helping healthcare workers and SWSPHN to become empowered to build a healthier South Western Sydney community.

Survey takes 15-20 minutes

If you complete only one survey this year, this should be the one.

This survey takes place once every two years and is important for SWSPHN to plan for improved integrated and co-ordinated healthcare services in South Western Sydney.

And the odds of you winning an exciting adventure are pretty good!

Win one of three $200 RedBalloon gift cards

One GP, Practice Nurse and Practice Manager practicing within South Western Sydney has the chance to win a $200 RedBalloon gift card. At the end of the survey, you have the option to complete your contact details, which are kept separate from your survey feedback.

Visit RedBalloon to plan your next adventure