Healthy Outlook - Sydney Local Health District - NSW Government

GENERAL PRACTICE
Clinical Director: Professor Michael Mira
BSc (Med), MS, BS, PhD (to June 2000)
Acting Clinical Director: Associate Professor
Lindsay Thompson AM, MB, BS, FRACGP, FAMA
(from June 2000)
A free, after-hours phone line was established for
residents of CSAHS, Broken Hill and Silverton as part
of a 12-month trial. Health Connect advises callers
on the type of healthcare they need, the urgency,
and what to do until face-to-face medical attention
is received.
The Commonwealth-funded project includes an
after-hours GP casualty service at Canterbury
Hospital involving local doctors working in the
Emergency Department.
Key Indicators 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00
GPs 590 520 649
Active major projects 10 17 19
General Practice
Balmain Canterbury Community
Central Sydney
Division of GP • •
Canterbury
Division of GP • •
General Practice
Casualty • •
The clinical group is made up of GPs in the Central
Sydney Division of General Practice, Canterbury
Division of General Practice, General Practice
Casualty at Balmain Hospital and the Canterbury
Hospital General Practice After-Hours Service.
It works to establish partnerships between GPs,
hospitals and local facilities, with an emphasis on
community care in the entire health system.
Aiming for integrated patient care between general
practice and speciality services, General Practice
collaborated with other CSAHS departments in
preparing plans for treating people with respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
It supported local GPs with advice on immunisation,
quality use of medicines, accreditation and
amalgamating practices through training and
resource sharing.
General Practice played a pivotal role in the
Mongolian Health Sector Development Program,
funded by the Asian Development Bank. Prof Mira
visited Mongolia during the year to help establish
general practices in an effort to refocus the country’s
healthcare system on community-based care.
24-hour
access
to GP care
17