ePulse Archives

Tuesday, 7 April 2009

News

College

  • College President elected to Medical Council
  • Easter break, for ePulse as well
  • DML sets Gold environmental standard
  • Isotretinoin
  • College  patient safety solution
  • New breaks could mean pharmacies ‘close for lunch’

Consultation

Sector

  • Revised Credentialling Framework for the New Zealand Health and Disability Sector
  • Competencies for Smear Taker Training
  • MCNZ draft statement on beliefs and medical practice.
  • MCNZ guide to Best Health Outcomes for Pacific Peoples
  • Medsafe agenda
  • PHARMAC (9 consultations)
  • Draft CTA specification for postgraduate nursing

Research

  • Wonca Working Group on Research

Vacancies & appointments


  • Maori Health Implementation Group (MaHI)

  • PHO Performance Management Advisory Group
  • Osteoporosis Board
  • Clinical advisory group child youth and family “red flag” project
  • Standards New Zealand
  • Statutory Committees
    • Family Violence Death Review Committee
    • Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
  • Ad Hoc Appointments Committee

Wonca Daily Alerts

CME

Conferences

 

News

College


College President elected to Medical Council

Meadowbank GP Dr Jonathan Fox has been elected to the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Dr Fox ends his second two-year term as President of RNZCGP in September, and was recently elected chair of the Council of Medical Colleges.

 

Easter break, for ePulse as well
Enjoy the chance to take a break at Easter. Energy levels need re-charging before we head into the depths of another winter.

ePulse is also to take a break at Easter. We will not publish next Tuesday, 14 April, but will return on 21 April.  Copy deadline for that issue is 5pm, 17 April to bob.fox@rnzcgp.org.nz

DML sets Gold environmental standard
Auckland’s community laboratory service, Diagnostic Medlab, has become the first medical testing laboratory in New Zealand to achieve Gold Level certification through the Landcare Research Enviro-Mark® scheme. The scheme helps businesses meet environmental standards and save money in the process.
Enviro-Mark was developed in England and now operates in several countries. The internet-based tool was adapted for New Zealand use by Landcare Research to help businesses establish procedures to meet health, safety and environmental standards. (Source:  DML media statement)

Isotretinoin

Development of the New Zealand acne education module for BMJ Learning is now complete and proceeding through the publishing process. We'll let you know when the mobule hits the web. There are still places available on the 16 April PHARMAC seminar series.
http://seminarseries.pharmac.govt.nz/seminars/2009/Acne_April.php

The bpac decision support tool has been submitted to the College, as required by Pharmac, and is currently undergoing an assessment for  accreditation.

And now we know why some have been having difficulty accessing the acne information on BMJ Best Practice . Please do not update the user details when you log in, this updates the joint login/password and prevents anyone else using it until the whole system is reset.

The College has negotiated a free trial for members on BMJ Best Practice, go to the website and use the temporary username (or where it says on the page "type your email address here") is: "rnzcgp". Password is "rnzcgp". Check it out. Please note this is a short term free trial, all college members are using the common username and common password. Remember, please don't "update" the login details.

College  patient safety solution

Dr Chris Fawcett, a member of the College's Board of Quality,  and Maureen Gillon, national director of Quality and Safety, presented a College perspective on patient safety and how to improve practice services through Cornerstone to the UK Health Select Committee during their visit to New Zealand last week. The select committee is in the country to investigate how the New Zealand health system operates and review patient safety, top up fees for medicines, alcohol policy and social care. The presentation is available here.

New breaks could mean pharmacies ‘close for lunch’

Changes to the Employment Relations Act due to come into force on Wednesday could mean that some pharmacies will have to close their doors for periods during the day, to allow the pharmacist to have a statutory break. Under the Medicines Act a pharmacy must be operated with the ‘immediate supervision and control of a pharmacist’. This means that where there is only one pharmacist working and that pharmacist is an employee, the pharmacy will need to close during the period when the pharmacist is taking a lunch break.  This situation is not uncommon in small pharmacies.

“This problem arose because when the law was passed by the Labour Government, no one considered the legal obligations imposed on pharmacists by the Medicines Act” says Pharmacy Guild Chief Executive Annabel Young.

“We raised this issue with the previous Ministers of Health and Labour under the last Government. Their response was that the pharmacist did not need to leave their place of work during the statutory break. This ignored the impossibility of the pharmacist being on a ‘break’ while meeting the statutory obligation to supervise and control the pharmacy. Unless there is a change in the law it is not clear how this problem can be resolved” says Ms Young.

Jonathan Fox, President, RNZCGP

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Consultation

Sector

Revised Credentialling Framework for the New Zealand Health and Disability Sector

This document proposes extending credentialling which currently only applies to DHB-employed Senior Medical Officers, to other health professionals including nurses and general practitioners. This has major implications and the College will be making a submission. A copy of the document is available at

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/improvingquality-credentialling-framework. College members wishing to suggest comments for inclusion in College feedback to the MOH should email these to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz  by 17 April 2009

Competencies for Smear Taker Training

These competencies will replace the NCSP Training Standards for Smear Takers,published in 2002.  Primarily the competencies are intended for use by trainees, supervisors and accredited providers of NZQA Unit Standard 1098 most commonly used by non-medical smear takers. The main changes from the old training standards are:

  • they have been redesigned as competencies, with the intention that they are more specific and measurable, and clearly distinct from the NCSP Operational Policy and Quality Standards
  • they have been designed to closely align with the elements in NZQA Unit Standard 1098 Perform cervical screening and cervical smear taking
  • the training content has been substantially updated to reflect changes to the NCSP including new technologies
  • there are changes to assessment requirements.

A copy of the draft of Competencies For Smear Taker Training is available at http://www.nsu.govt.nz/Health-Professionals/1009.asp   Please forward comments directly to anna_maxwell@moh.govt.nz by Friday 17 April.

MCNZ draft statement on beliefs and medical practice.

The Medical Council has prepared a draft Statement on beliefs and medical practice to explore the ways doctors should approach some of the issues arising from their own personal beliefs and those of their patients. This statement attempts to balance doctors’ and patients’ rights – including the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the entitlement to care and treatment to meet clinical needs – and advises doctors on what to do when those rights conflict. Further information is available at http://www.mcnz.org.nz/NewsandIssues/tabid/55/Default.aspx College members wishing to suggest comments for inclusion in College feedback to the MCNZ should email these to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz  by  29 April 2009

MCNZ guide to Best Health Outcomes for Pacific Peoples
To assist doctors in their interactions with Pacific peoples the Medical Council has asked Mauri Ora Associates to develop two resources, a guide to Best health outcomes for Pacific peoples and a summary document outlining the key points for doctors. The MCNZ is seeking comment on the draft guide and summary document, available at  MCNZ guide to Best Health Outcomes for Pacific Peoples.
To assist doctors in their interactions with Pacific peoples the  Medical Council has asked Mauri Ora Associates to develop two resources, a guide to Best health outcomes for Pacific peoples and a summary document outlining the key points for doctors.
The MCNZ is seeking comment on the draft guide and summary document, available at  http://www.mcnz.org.nz/News/tabid/55/Default.aspx  College members wishing  to suggest comments for inclusion in College feedback to the MCNZ should email these to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz  by  17 April 2009. 

Medsafe
Agenda for the 41st Meeting of the Medicines Classification Committee
The agenda for the 41st MCC meeting is now available for comment http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/class/agen41.htm, The medications to be discussed are Lansoprazole, Chloramphenicol for ophthalmic use, Codeine, Famciclovir, Guaiphenesin, Pantoprazole, Zolmitriptan, Analogues of Sildenafil, Vardenafil and Tadalafil.Comment from interested individuals may be sent direct to Carole_Firth@moh.govt.nz by 16 April 2009.

PHARMAC (9 consultations)

Members wishing to comment on the proposals below can click on the links for further information and respond directly to PHARMAC by the closing dates indicated. Should you consider that any of these proposals warrant a RNZCGP submission please email policy@rnzcgp.org.nz

Draft CTA specification for postgraduate nursing.

This draft document outlines the eligability criteria for CTA funding for postgraduate nursing education.  College members wishing to suggest comments for inclusion in College feedback to the CTA should email these to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz  by  24 April 2009. The document is available at

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/consult-draft-revised-specification-postgrad-nursing-funding


Research

Wonca Working Group on Research

The College is seeking a Fellow to represent it on the Wonca Working Group on Research. As a world body, Wonca provides a network for researchers to present, discuss and exchange experience. This enables the transfer of expertise and the development of common 'state-of-the-art' research outcomes. Although much of these activities concentrate around the increasing number of international Wonca conferences, Wonca plans to be a permanent clearing-house for research tools, skills and expertise. The Wonca Working Group on Research meets annually. For more information:

http://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/research/research.asp?refurl=r

  

Vacancies & appointments



Maori Health Implementation Group (MaHI)

There is currently a vacancy on the College's Maori Health Implementation Group Committee (MaHI), for a medical student or a junior doctor (PGY I or PGY II).
If you know of any person who may be interested in being a member of MaHI, please advise Pam Berry (pam.berry@rnzcgp.org.nz) who will send a copy of the terms of reference

PHO Performance Management Advisory Group
An RNZCGP representative is required for The PHO Performance Management Advisory Group, which meets for a full day (9-3) every two months. The Terms of Reference and the list of other member are available from Annie Fleetwood. Please send your CV with the name of two Fellow referees to Annie. The website is: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/5817/$File/PHOperfmagmtsummaryinfo.pdf

Osteoporosis Board
Requires a GP representative.

If you are interested in any of these positions,  Please send your CV with the name of two Fellow referees to Annie Fleetwood or contact her for further information.

 

Clinical advisory group child youth and family “red flag” project

Child Youth and Family have asked the College to nominate up to three GPs to participate in a clinical advisory group to develop criteria for  “red flags” for use by frontline health, education and CYF workers to identify children and young people with complex needs. The advisory group is to start work in April and is expected to meet three times. If you are interested please contact annie.fleetwood@rnzcgp.org.nz

Standards New Zealand propose to develop standards for the provision of community and hospital based pharmacy services. They are inviting a fellow of the College to participate in this project. The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 April 2009. If you are interested please contact Annie urgently – details above.

Cancer Treatment Advisory Group: This group was formerly known as the New Zealand Cancer Treatment Working party. There will be half day quarterly meetings in Wellington . The Chair is Dr Garry Forgeson from Palmerston North. Details available from annie.fleetwood@rnzcgp.org.nz

 

Statutory Committees
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/sbc-appointments-to-health-statutory-bodies#FVDRC

1. Family Violence Death Review Committee

Ministry of Health is seeking nominations for this committee. http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/familyviolence-deathreviewcommittee
Closing date for the College nomination is 20 April 2009.

2. Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
The Ministry of Health is seeking applications to fill six GP vacancies on the panel of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. The closing data for applications is 14 April. Further information is available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/sbc-appointments-to-health-statutory-bodies#FVDRC

The Ad Hoc Appointments Committee of the College Executive have in the last six months nominated VR general practitioners. Those who have been have been appointed to various organisations include Read the list.

  
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Wonca Daily Alerts

CME

 

 

Smoking Cessation in Practice – E-learning tool
An e-learning tool for registered health workers is available online at:

www.smokingcessationabc.org.nz

The tool introduces ABC, the new approach for managing people who smoke (as outlined in the New Zealand Smoking Cessation Guidelines), and contains practical information about giving brief advice and Nicotine Replacement Therapy.  The tool takes between 20 and 40 minutes to complete. 

PHARMAC Seminar Series - Upcoming Seminars

 The PHARMAC Seminar Series provides high quality educational seminars for health professionals. PHARMAC covers the cost of travel to and from the seminars, including flights. The cost to attend is $112.50. The Seminars Series is a RNZCGP endorsed CME provider.

Upcoming seminars:

To find out more about the PHARMAC Seminar Series, and to register for seminars, head to our website: www.seminarseries.pharmac.govt.nz

 

University of Queensland
Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Surgery
The format of the Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Surgery is designed to meet the needs of generalist GPs as well as those with more procedural experience. These courses are practical based workshops with theory content.  Successful completion of the Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Medicine (which includes basic surgical management and techniques) is encouraged for enrolment in the Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Surgery. However this course is open to any doctor who has experience in minor skin surgery.
This course is presented by a New Zealand surgeon, Dr Sharad P Paul joined by experienced GPs to assist in optimising the learning outcomes. The content covers sections on theory plus hands-on practical sessions. This course is designed to assist GPs to develop confidence in arious procedures and understand their limitations without further practical experience.
Info: http://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/assets/uploads/e_pulse_pdf/University-of-Queensland.pdf

Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care presents paediatric training course in the medical assessment of sexually abused children and adolescents
28 April – 1 May, 2009, Marion Davis Library, Auckland City Hospital; and Puawaitahi, Grafton, Auckland.  This is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary course for clinicians: GPs, paediatricians, paediatric registrars and nurses wanting to gain competence, or to have an update, in the medical assessment of children and young people referred for alleged sexual abuse.  For details contact Meagan Kerr at DSAC dsac@ihug.co.nz phone: +64 9 376 1422, fax: +64 9 376 0790.

Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society
Clinical Bone Densitometry Course, Wellington, 6-7 June 2009. The aim of the course is to train technologists and medical specialists in all aspects of densitometry - including safety, technical, scientific, statistical, QA, organisational -to international best practice standards. An online multiple-choice examination is held two weeks after completion of the lecture series. Upon completion of the course and achievement of a pass mark in the examination, participants will be awarded a Certificate of Completion in Clinical Bone Densitometry, which satisfies the requirements of radiation safety legislation in most Australian states. We have applied to The New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technologists for the maximum number (10) of continuing professional development points, in recognition of the content of the course.
Further information: Julia Gallagher, Osteoporosis New Zealand Ph: +64 4 499 4862  Email info@bones.org.nz. or http://www. bones.org.nz

 

Managing Sexual Problems for Medical Practitioners

An evidence-based up to date online training programme specifically designed for GP’s and approved by RNZCGP for 12 hours CME credits. It includes a download in writing to produce a surgery reference, an audio form, and email access to ask tutor Clinical Psychologist Robyn Salisbury, director of Sex Therapy NZ Ltd., about your patients’ dysfunctions.

 
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Conferences


Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners’ Annual Scientific Conference, Wellington
9-12 September 2009 further details: http://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/2009-annual-conference/

NZMA GP CME 2009
General Practice Conference & Medical Exhibition
11-14 June 2009, Energy Events Centre, Rotorua.
The programme provides a good general practice update, with short, sharp and to the point clinical content; including key take home messages to change practice behaviour immediately. Many practical workshops are on offer across a broad spectrum of GP content. Dedicated Practice Managers and Registered Nurses programmes will also run on Fri 12 and Sat 13 June. Surgical Skills (Basic and Advanced) and Resuscitation Courses to level 5 and 7 standard are also an option.
Details of the programme are available at www.gpcme.co.nz Visit the website or contact leon@conferencematters.co.nz for further details.

 

Skin Cancer Collegiate Association of New Zealand
Upcoming SCCANZ endorsed courses in NZ:
University of Auckland – Dermoscopy and Skin Cancer Surgery Workshop, 24-26July Rotorua. Newly designed 3-day Auckland University course designed for primary care practitioners in the field of skin cancer, presenters Dr Sharad P Paul (Surgery) and Dr Amanda Oakley (Dermoscopy)

Certificate Exam: The University of Auckland Workshop will be followed by the SCCANZ Certificate Exam.
Info: http://www.skincancercollege.org.nz

Wakefield Health 2009
Frontiers of Medicine and Surgery Conference, Friday 4 and Saturday 5 September, Te Papa Museum, Wellington. Registrations will open in June. To register your interest in the conference or if you have any queries please email Kate Cooney, Conference Manager, on kcooney@dazzleevents.co.nz or phone 04 494 5121.

2009 NATIONAL IMMUNISATION CONFERENCE
From Science to Service Delivery,19-20 November 2009
Owen Glen Building, University of Auckland
COMING SOON: Call for abstracts, International speakers
Epidemiology of
• Vaccine Preventable Diseases
• Vaccine Coverage
Science and Research
Adverse Events Following Immunisation
Addressing the Issues
• Community
• Primary Care
• Population Planning
Info: p.harrington@auckland.ac.nz

International

The Australasian College of Skin Cancer Medicine
Skin Cancer Diploma Workshops: Perth –Part 2 – 12 14 June  
Sydney – Part 2 – 1-3 May
2 day certificate weekend:  Melbourne – 16-17 May, Cairns – 30-31 May, Brisbane – 20-21 June, Auckland – 20-21 June.
Intense dermoscopy workshop for doctors:  Brisbane – 18-19 April
Annual conference 2009 – focus on melanoma:  Gold Coast – Bond University, 28, 29 & 30 August. These events are accredited by RACGP and ACRRM.  Further details are available at http://skincancercollege.com/Home.aspx

ICPM 1st international course on pain medicine
www.ICPM.net, Granada, Spain, 28-31 May, 2009.
The ICPM aims to provide an overview of the main chronic pain entities, from their pathophysiological mechanisms to the diagnosis and most advanced and efficient treatment options available.

2nd Geneva Conference on Person-Centred Medicine:  From Concepts to Practice
Geneva, Switzerland, 28-29 May 2009
Organised by the World Medical Association (WMA), the World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca), the World Psychiatric Association Institutional Program on Psychiatry for the Person, and the International Network for Person-centered Medicine, in collaboration with several international medical and health organisations, with the cooperation of the Paul Tournier Association, and with the auspices of the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
Conference Secretariat:  Prof. J.E. Mezzich, International Center for Mental Health, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Fifth Ave & 100th Street, Box 1093, New York, New York 10029-6574, USA. Tel 1-718-334-5094, Fax 1-718-334-5096, Email: juanmezzich@aol.com.

9th WONCA Rural Health World Conference
www.ruralwonca2009.org, Heraklion, Crete, Greece,12-14 June, 2009.
Hosted by the Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Crete, Greece, in conjunction with the practice-based research rural network of Crete and Greece.  Theme:  Health Inequalities, covering technology suitable for rural settings, island medicine and health services for immigrants. The deadline for abstracts is 17 February. Inquiries to: Ms Francy Foskolou, wonce2009-scientific@acnc.gr or http://www.ruralwonca2009.org , http://www.ruralwonca2009.com

10th International Mental Health Conference
Advancing with Knowledge, 12-14 August 2009, Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise.Call for abstracts has been extended to 8 April. This year the conference will review the accumulated knowledge and clinical wisdom over the past 10 years for the High Prevalence Disorders - anxiety conditions, mood disorders and substance abuse, and will focus on how this knowledge will inform practice in the next five years.
url: www.anzmh.asn.au/Conference9

Australia & New Zealand Mental Health Association Inc.
C/- PO Box 10928, Adelaide St Post Office, Brisbane 4000

WINFOCUS 2009 congress
5th World Congress on Ultrasound in Emergency and critical care medicine, Darling Harbour, Sydney, 4 - 6  September 2009.
The congress program will feature high quality presentations, extensive networking opportunities  and workshops in aspects of critical care and emergency point of care clinician ultrasound.
Website: http://www.winfocus2009.org.au
WINFOCUS 2009 Secretariat - Tel. no. +61 2 9437 9333 Fax. no. +62 2 9901 4586
email: winfocus2009@conferenceaction.com.au

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