Issue 10 - June 2012 - General Practice and Primary Health Care ...

GENERAL PRACTICE AND
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
ACADEMIC CENTRE
PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN GENERAL PRACTICE ISSUE 10 JUNE 2012
CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSES OF OUR AWARD WINNERS AT
THE 4TH ANNUAL GENERAL PRACTICE AND PRIMARY HEALTH
CARE ACADEMIC CENTRE AWARDS NIGHT
The 4th annual awards night held on 22 May celebrated the exceptional participation of the general
practice and primary care community in teaching and research. Almost 60 guests attended from GP
teachers, practice staff, our research practice network (VicReN) members, student representatives
and our 9 award winners.
This year’s guest speaker was Professor Emeritus
David Penington (AC) who served as Dean, Faculty
of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences for
eight years (1978 - 1985) and as Vice Chancellor
of The University of Melbourne (1988 - 1995).
Professor Penington was warmly welcomed
by the Dean of the Faculty, Professor James
Angus. Professor Penington’s inspirational talk
highlighted the importance of accepting general
practice as a clinical discipline in its own right. He
covered the esteemed Scottish GP researcher,
Professor James MacKenzie’s work to recognise
the importance of research informed care. This
theme was expanded to highlight the emergence
of general practice at The University of Melbourne.
Professor Penington was thanked by Professor
WELCOME TO THE SECOND
NEWSLETTER FOR 2012
It’s my pleasure, as always, to introduce our Academic
Centre newsletter to you. Since March we have
welcomed two visitors, new PhD students, celebrated
our annual awards night and seen the establishment
of Realising Education & Access in Collaborative
Health (REACH) clinic.
Doris Young who outlined the early years of the
Department and its evolution to the current General
Practice and Primary Health Care Academic
Centre.
The evening closed with the highly anticipated
presentation of awards to our winners. Head of
Department, Professor Jane Gunn and Director of
Teaching and Learning, Associate Professor Lena
Sanci provided a brief overview of each award and
winners, highlighting the qualities of the recipients
that lead to their nomination.
We extend our congratulations to all the award
winners and thank all our community partners
for their hard work in 2011. We look forward to
seeing you at 5 th Annual Awards Night in 2013.
STUDENT PRIZES
2011 Victorian Metropolitan Alliance Prize in General Practice Dr Gary Tan [1]
2011 Therapeutic Guidelines Award Dr Benjamin Birch [2]
2011 RACGP Victoria Faculty Prize Dr Alicia Jones
2011 TEACHING AWARDS
Outstanding GP Teacher Dr Rod Taylor [3]
Excellence in Clinical Teaching Dr Jane Sklovsky [4]
Excellence as a Teaching Practice Church Street Medical Centre [5]
Excellence as a Teaching Practice Peninsula Family General Practice [6]
I hope you enjoy reading a snapshot of our research
and education activities and consider getting involved
in the many VicReN related studies.
2011 RESEARCH AWARDS
Professor Jane Gunn
Head, Department of General Practice
Excellent Contribution to Research by a General Practitioner Dr Malcolm Clark [7]
Excellent Contribution to Research by a Primary Care Organisation Dianella
Community Health [8]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
General Practice and Primary Health Care Academic Centre, The University of Melbourne
200 Berkeley Street, Carlton VIC 3053
T: +61 3 8344 7276
E: gp-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au
Editors:
Dr Victoria Palmer
Ms Maria Potiriadis
Design and Layout:
Ms Vanessa Ho

PCRU
PRIMARY CARE RESEARCH UNIT
UPDATE
RESEARCHING ADVANCED NURSING IN GENERAL PRACTICE STUDY
Evidence has shown that nurses in
general practice can achieve good
patient outcomes, as well as help with
workforce shortages in practices. For
these reasons practice nurses may be
expected to take on more advanced
nursing roles in the future, supported by
the newly forming Medicare Locals.
Currently, the Academic Centre is
undertaking two collaborations to
develop a framework to support
advanced nursing roles in general
practice. The first project in
VISITING ACADEMICS
Dr Molly Byrne visited in May 2012. She presented on ‘The CHARMS
Study: Sexual function assessment and counselling among people with
coronary heart disease: comparing
views of patients, general practitioners
and hospital cardiac rehabilitators’. Dr
Byrne is a health psychologist in Ireland,
based at the School of Psychology
at the National University of Ireland,
LEFT TO RIGHT A/Prof Meredith Temple-Smith,
Dr Molly Byrne and Prof Jane Gunn
Galway, working primarily in the area of
psychology and cardiovascular disease.
Prof Carl May is Professor of Healthcare Innovation and Associate
Dean Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton,
UK. During his two weeks in May and June, Prof May delivered two
presentations. One to the workshop
on ‘Developing interventions to bring
about change in primary care’ on
using Normalisation Process Theory
in implementation research and the
second at the Research Matters series
on ‘Burdens of symptoms, burdens
of treatment: why we need minimally
disruptive health care’.
collaboration with Impetus examines
organisational governance. So far
this study has shown that nurses
experiences of organisational
governance are varied and appear to
be influenced by the team environment
and business structures.
The second project, in collaboration
with the Northern Division of General
Practice, focuses on enablers for
nurses to undertake postgraduate
training for advanced roles in
general practice. This study is using
Congratulations to A/Prof Kelsey Hegarty and the Women’s
Evaluation of Abuse and Violence Care in General Practice
(WEAVE) team for the award of Best Paper for the Primary
Health Care Research Conference being held at the
National Convention Centre in Canberra 18-20 July 2012.
LEFT TO RIGHT Prof Jane Gunn, Prof Carl May
and Dr John Furler
a self-administered survey of 247
postgraduate students from the Primary
Care Nursing course at The University
of Melbourne. It is hoped that the
results will give a better understanding
of enablers to course participation and
outcomes in post registration courses.
Additionally a DVD will be produced to
provide ‘a snap-shot’ of how nurses
overcome barriers to advance their roles
in general practice. The DVD will be
available to nurses considering further
training.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW
PhD STUDENTS
Kaleswari Somasundaram has a
background in pharmacology
and biochemistry and
will investigate the role
of vitamins and minerals
in the management and
complication of type 2
diabetes. She will be supervised by Dr Irene
Blackberry and A/Prof Marie Pirotta.
Elizabeth McLindon is undertaking a
study entitled ‘Responding
early: Researching the
effectiveness of identifying
and responding to pregnant
women and new mothers
vulnerable to sexual and
family violence in a hospital setting’. She
will be supervised by A/Prof Kelsey Hegarty
and Prof Cathy Humphreys.
Asmaa Alkhtib is investigating the caries
burden and other oral health
problems in preschool
children and maternal
and health practitioner
understanding, experiences,
beliefs, attitudes, knowledge
of risk and protective factors influencing
oral health of these children. She will be
supervised by A/Prof Meredith Temple-
Smith, A/Prof Marie Pirotta, Prof Louise
Brearley Messer and Prof Mike Morgan.

T&L
TEACHING AND LEARNING
INTRODUCING
REACH A partnership between The University of
Melbourne and Doutta Galla Community Health.
After three years of development
and planning, in collaboration with
Prof Steve Trumble and Doutta Galla
Community Health, REACH, Australia’s
first student-run clinic was launched on
21 April 2012. This clinic is based on
similar models in Canada and USA.
“REACH aims to provide the
Kensington community with
comprehensive healthcare services
to disadvantaged clients including
refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants
and homeless clients.”
REACH’s model of care involves the
collaboration of medical, physiotherapy,
nursing and social work students.
Each student group is supervised by
clinical supervisors from their respective
disciplines. REACH not only provides
an opportunity for inter-professional
learning between students but also
empowers clients to take ownership of
their health.
As a student-run clinic, we require
supervision from experienced clinicians.
The clinical supervisor contributes to an
innovative healthcare model, provides
oversight and supervision, and fosters
the professional development of
students from various disciplines.
REACH is seeking GP supervisors.
In order to undertake this role, you
would need to be a member of the
Royal Australian College of General
Medical student Ester Yap (LEFT) with nursing
student Narin Salan (RIGHT)
Practitioners without restrictions/
limitations on your registration.
If you would like to be part of REACH,
please contact clinical supervisor
recruitment at volunteer@ourreach.org
The clinic is open on Saturdays from
1-5pm.
60 seconds with Alumnus Dr Bimsara Gurusinghe
SEMESTER 12
UPDATE
In May, final year students
selected up to 10 preferred
practices for their semester
12 GP rotation using our
online allocation system.
The preferences will be
used to match students
to practices for 2012
placements. Practices will
be contacted in mid-late
June to advise them of their
student allocation for this
year.
University of Melbourne Alumnus Dr Bimsara Gurusinghe has returned
to work at Peninsula Family General Practice in Frankston, the practice at
which he undertook his general practice rotation as a final year medical
student in 2008. Dr Gurusinghe was one of the first medical students to
undertake a placement at Peninsula Family General Practice (PFGP) and
practice principal Dr Jenny Downes-Brydon has been supervising final
year students ever since.
Currently, Dr Gurusinghe is working part-time as a business manager for PFGP and also as
a locum clinician at various locations, but plans to commence GP training next year and later
work as a GP at PFGP.
“My introduction to Peninsula Family General Practice in Frankston was as
a medical student during my Semester 12 GP rotation. Due to the practice’s
strong commitment to teaching, as well as the amiable staff members, I found
this to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my clinical education. I
was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work under the supervision
of Dr Jenny Downes-Brydon. Her holistic and caring approach to clinical
practice provided an excellent example of patient care and her mentorship
has proven invaluable throughout my medical education and future career.
”
The Peninsula Family General Practice was one of this year’s recipients of the Excellence as a
Teaching Practice Award as voted by the students. The practice is soon to undergo expansion,
in part aided by a small infrastructure grant awarded by the Academic Centre from Health
Workforce Australia funds. The practice plans to refurbish a building over the road from their
current location and turn it into a larger medical practice with a student dedicated consulting
room and multipurpose teaching room, converting their current building into an allied health
hub for their patients.

VicReN
MORE INFORMATION
Natalie Appleby
T: +61 3 8344 3392
E: vicren-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au
VICTORIAN PRIMARY CARE
PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH NETWORK
VicReN provides many interesting and varied opportunities for GPs to participate
in the development of important and high quality primary care research in
Victoria. VicReN works by bringing together primary care practitioners (GPs,
practice nurses, community and allied health practitioners) with academic GPs
and other researchers in collaborations to conduct research that matters to
practitioners and that makes a difference to the delivery of primary care.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GPs TO GET INVOLVED
ARE YOU A GP WORKING IN A PRACTICE IN BENDIGO OR THE WESTERN SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE AND TREAT
MEN WITH PROSTATE CANCER?
The ProCare trial is seeking eligible males who have completed radiotherapy with/out surgery or neoadjuvant
hormone therapy for localised prostate cancer. Both GPs and participants must consent to take part in this trial.
For enquiries or more information please contact Anna Ugalde, ProCare trial coordinator, Peter MacCallum Cancer
Centre on T: +61 3 9656 3644 or E: anna.ugalde@petermac.org.
ProCare is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC).
PROSTATE CANCER TESTING & MANAGEMENT
UNDERSTANDING GP KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES – A SURVEY MONKEY FOR GPs BY THE AUSTRALIAN
PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH CENTRE, EPWORTH HOSPITAL (APCRCE)
Dr Jane Crowe and Mr Nicholas Howard from APCRCE (T:+61 3 9936 8032) are endeavouring to find out the knowledge
and attitudes of Australian GPs with respect to the testing and management of prostate cancer.
They would very much appreciate it if you could take the time to complete the survey at
www.surveymonkey.com/s/prostatecancerGPsurvey
STAYING FIT
ONLINE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR OVERWEIGHT ADOLESCENTS AGED 12 TO 17 - MURDOCH
CHILDREN’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
GPs are the first port of call for adolescents who are struggling with being overweight. We are recruiting for the
Staying Fit trial and we are looking for overweight young people aged between 12 and 17 years of age. If you would
like to know more or would like to refer any patients please contact the Staying Fit project coordinator, Karly Cini on
T: +61 3 9345 6954 or E: stayingfit@mcri.edu.au.
UPCOMING WORKSHOP
The Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Diabetes Science and the General Practice and Primary Health Care
Academic Centre at The University of Melbourne are hosting a workshop on Cluster Randomised Trials in Testing
Complex Interventions in Diabetes Research.
DATE 27 June 2012
FOR MORE INFORMATION Dr Irene Blackberry T: +61 3 8344 3373 | E: i.blackberry@unimelb.edu.au