ePulse V12 number 11

Tuesday 2 March 2010

News from the President

•   Free Forrest wine for thirsty ePulse readers?
•   Pandemic Vaccine Distribution
•   ACC Sensitive Claims
•   Auckland Labtests
•   New registrars
•   Voluntary Bonding Scheme opens for 2010
•   Your Board – recent events

Consultation

Representation

Research

Vacancies and advertisements

CME

Conferences

 

News from the President

Free Forrest wine for thirsty ePulse readers?
Results from the College’s 2009 annual membership survey (with 2028 responses) show that more than half of you identified ePulse as the College communication you use most often. Seventy-five percent of you also said you were satisfied or very satisfied with ePulse. However, we’re committed to making ePulse better and more useful than ever, so we need to know what you think of the ePulse editions you’ve been receiving over the past year and what you’d like to see more or less of in future. Complete a brief ePulse survey online by Friday 12 March and you’ll go into the draw to win 6 bottles of wine courtesy of College Fellow Brigid Forrest and Forrest wines in Marlborough. 

Pandemic Vaccine Distribution
The College is currently in discussion with the Ministry of Health in response to concerns raised by a number of members about how the planned seasonal flu vaccine roll-out will impact on their local high-needs under 5-year-olds. The College feels strongly about this issue which is very important with regard to equity of access; and has been raising these concerns since our first involvement with the Ministry’s pandemic vaccination planning process. We are pleased that the Ministry have now understood, and are giving serious consideration to, the concerns that we (along with others in the sector) have raised. The Ministry have acknowledged that there is an issue with the current eligibility plans and will be raising the College’s suggestions regarding other options for distributing the vaccine to high-needs children with the Minister. We hope to be able to report back to members in the near future regarding the outcome of these discussions.

ACC Sensitive Claims
College Board member Dr Richard Tyler and College policy analyst Ms Helen Colebrook attended a meeting hosted by NZMA on the ACC Sensitive Claims process implementation. The College of Psychiatrists and DSAC were also represented. All participants agreed that while using evidence-based guidelines is optimal, there are several concerns about the way the guidelines are being introduced and implemented. The College is committed to representing your views to ACC and would again welcome you using the survey tool here so that we can form a College position. Thanks to those who responded to the earlier survey – your feedback has informed discussions with ACC to date and the development of this additional questionnaire.

Auckland Labtests
Pat Snedden updated the Board last week on the implementation of the new Community Labs contract. The College will survey Auckland members for a six month follow-up. If you missed it, Associate Professor Susan Dovey’s report on the College’s first three surveys is here. 

New Registrars
2010’s registrars started last week. The Board enjoyed lunching with the lower North Island registrars who were attending an orientation event in Wellington. There was exciting energy and enthusiasm in the room. The College warmly welcomes all new General Practice registrars and those returning to the training programme in 2010.

Voluntary Bonding Scheme opens for 2010
Voluntary bonding, an incentive payment scheme, is a practical initiative designed to move medical graduates into the communities that need them most. It can provide a significant boost for GPs in repaying their student loans. This website sets out details of the voluntary bonding scheme which was extended to include additional regions last week: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/bonding.

Your Board – recent events

•    The New Board had its third meeting (second in person) last week. Discussions included the process to select the College’s two external members. 

•    President Harry Pert, Deputy President Tony Townsend and CEO Karen Thomas also attended the GPLF meeting last week. 

Dr Harry Pert, RNZCGP President

Journal Watch
• Childhood obesity associated with increased risk for premature death
• Superficial thromobosis may not be as benign as once thought
• Hormone therapy within 10 years of menopause and CHD risk
• Nonspecific chest pain in primary care practice

Consultation

Thank you to those members who found time to provide comment on the issues in the previous edition of ePulse. The College Board met recently and has agreed that priority policy areas for the College will be more clearly identified at governance level in future. Special attention will be given to providing you with more readily accessible information and easier ways to provide feedback (e.g. brief online surveys) about key issues within consultations in these priority areas. We will also continue to provide some information on a wide range of other issues that may be of interest.  We hope the changes to this section of ePulse are helpful to you.

Antiviral distribution in the second wave of the pandemic
The Ministry is currently looking at ways of extending access to the national stockpile of Tamiflu in the second wave of the pandemic, and minimising the time between onset of symptoms and provision of antivirals to ill people – the shorter the interval the better.  The aim is to make antivirals readily available through a number of channels.  One proposal (see below for others) is for national reserve antivirals to be held at GP practices and distributed (free of charge) at the time of consultation to anybody presenting with symptoms of Influenza-like illness.  This may mean a departure from the advice to influenza sufferers last year to ‘stay at home’ and could create some significant issues for general practices.  Obviously you would want to avoid having patients with influenza sitting in the waiting room.  There may be the potential to set up separate clinics (these may be nurse led), or there is the possibility of telephone consultation.  The Ministry is urgently looking for our advice.  Please let us know your thoughts by completing our brief survey here. We will also arrange a teleconference this week with some College members who have taken a special interest in this area, as we are very mindful of the huge additional burden that the pandemic has placed on General Practice. Other proposals the Ministry is consulting on include:

•    National reserve antivirals to be held at pharmacies and made available through a pharmacist consultation
•    Antivirals to be available via nurse consultation
•    Antivirals to be supplied to third parties (similar to the ‘flu friends’ system used in the UK), to avoid the ill person having to travel to a GP or pharmacy
•    Antivirals to be supplied prospectively to people at very high risk, to be taken if symptoms develop
•    Antivirals to be supplied following  phone consultation

Proposed changes to the Medicines Regulations
Do you like to use electronic transmission of prescriptions, want the pharmacist to substitute an alternative brand of medicine than what you have prescribed, or do you use Standing Orders for your practice nurses?  These, and many other proposals, are discussed in the Ministry of Health’s Proposed changes to regulations under the Medicines Act 1981 – consultation paper. Should you wish to comment please go to the website and make a submission, which is due by 26 March 2010. If you consider this is an issue that requires a submission by the College please let us know at policy@rnzcgp.org.nz.

Draft Statement on what to do when you have concerns abut a colleague: MCNZ
Doctors have an ethical responsibility to protect patients from risk of harm posed by a colleague’s conduct, performance or health.  Patient safety should come first at all times. But it can be difficult to know where the threshold lies for acting on concerns about a colleague. To assist doctors to determine when to report; how to report; and to advise on what help and support is available, the Medical Council of New Zealand has developed a draft statement entitled What to do when you have concerns about a colleague. The College will be making a response to the draft and welcomes your views. Feedback emailed to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz by April 5th will contribute to the College submission. Your views can also be sent directly to the MCNZ and details are available at http://www.mcnz.org.nz/NewsandIssues/tabid/55/Default.aspx 

Possible expansion of PHARMAC’s role
The Ministry of Health will shortly begin consulting on the possibility of expanding the role of PHARMAC into hospital medicines and a range of medical devices. Some information is available at http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/clinicians+views+sought+new+pharmac. The consultation document will be available soon on the MOH website http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf. The proposed changes are significant for the secondary sector. We are attempting to find out whether there will be significant effects on primary care and hope to have more detail next week. The consultation closes on 31 March. The College would appreciate hearing whether you consider that we should make a submission and what aspects should be commented on. Feedback to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz

Day surgery definition
The Ministry of Health is proposing a definition of day surgery that can be used for regulatory purposes. This will affect general practices and GPs that provide day surgical procedures outside of hospital settings. They want the definition to include high risk procedures while avoiding inadvertent inclusion of low risk procedures. An expert working group suggests the following definitions. Our representative on the group is concerned that neither definition help: 1.Day surgery is the same day admission and discharge of a consumer to a facility or service for a planned surgical and/or diagnostic procedure by a registered health practitioner. 2.Day surgery is the admission and discharge, within 24 hours, of a consumer to a facility or service for a planned surgical and/or diagnostic procedure by a registered health practitioner. Please let cathy.webber@rnzcgp.org.nz know your thoughts by Tuesday 23 March 2010.

Aiming for Excellence: Fourth Edition
In preparation for the fourth edition of Aiming for Excellence, Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners seeks your views on its third edition by the end of April 2010. Your advice will help us understand whether Aiming for Excellence still measures what it was intended to measure. Our full consultation document can be found here. Contact Maureen.Gillon@rnzcgp.org.nz with feedback.

Defining the role of the GP
Dr Jo Scott-Jones, College rep on the then Primary Healthcare Advisory council (PHCAC), has put considerable thought into the issues around the role of the GP in current and future primary care teamwork. The result is a paper, mentioned in a recent edition of NZ Doctor, ‘Defining the Role of the GP in a primary health care team: The GP genome and phenotype 2009-2020’. Jo and the College are keen to hear feedback which can be sent to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz. Jo’s paper is available here.

PHARMAC altering funding and access arrangements for special foods
The College will be making a submission on this consultation. It includes the proposal that vocationally registered general practitioners become eligible to authorise Special Food Special Authorities. Members comments on this and other recommendations can be sent to policy@rnzcgp.org.nz by Wed March 3rd, to inform the College response. The consultation document is available at: Consultation on altering subsidies for Special Foods. Closes Friday 19 March 2010 

PHARMAC (Six consultations)
Members wishing to comment on the proposals below can click on the link for further information and respond directly to PHARMAC by the closing date indicated. If you consider that this proposal requires a formal RNZCGP response please let us know by emailing policy@rnzcgp.org.nz.

•    Proposal to amend Growth Hormone access criteria. Closes Friday 12 March 2010

•   Proposal to fund bisacodyl suppositories (Dulcolax). Closes 5pm, Friday 26 February 2010

•   Proposal to reference price risperidone. Closes Friday 5 March 2010

•   Proposal relating to provisional agreement with Allergan Australia Pty Ltd for various products. Closes Friday 26 February 2010

•    Proposal to widen access to gemcitabine hydrochloride and vinorelbine. Closes 4pm, Friday 5 March 2010 

•    Proposal to fund lignocaine urethral syringes. Closes Wednesday 3 March 2010

Misuse of Drugs – Law Commission review
Do you think cannabis should be available for medicinal use?  Do you think there should be a greater focus on drug treatment, prevention and education? The Law Commission is looking at a number of issues, including these, in it's “Issues Paper on the Misuse of Drugs Act”.  Submissions are invited from the public by 30 April 2010.  Please go to the online consultation website: www.talklaw.co.nz

ACC: Revised Clinical Guideline Recommendations for MRI use in diagnosing soft tissue knee injuries, closes 3 March
ACC have provided the following information for e-Pulse: “ACC seeks your feedback on updated clinical guideline recommendations about the use of MRI for diagnosing internal derangements of the knee.  ACC is consulting with professional organisations/associations/colleges, and their members, who have an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of knee injuries. You are a valued provider of services to ACC and as such we would like to hear your views on the revised recommendations. We would like to hear from both groups and individuals. Please go to http://www.acc.co.nz/news/PRD_CTRB132893 to access the consultation document and feedback form.  On the same weblink you will also find the evidence-based report that informed the revised recommendations. Your feedback will be considered by the group of experts who developed the draft recommendations, and any necessary changes will be made before the recommendations are finalised. We will inform you of the final recommendations and seek formal endorsement from your professional group. ACC will do a final dissemination to the sector using several approaches, including a publication in ‘ACC Reviews’. If you have any queries related to this consultation please feel free to contact me by email at sarah.clark@acc.co.nz.”

Prioritisation Meeting
The Ministry of Health is holding a meeting of DHB GP liaisons on the 19th of March in Wellington, and there is the opportunity for a few additional GPs interested in issues such as prioritising access to secondary care advice and diagnostic services such as colonoscopy and echocardiograms, to also attend. Register your interest at policy@rnzcgp.org.nz.

Representation

Ministry of Health
National Lung Cancer Working Group requests a General Practitioner with a strong interest in Lung Cancer. Closing date is undefined, but there is a meeting in March. If you are interested in this committee please contact Annie.Fleetwood@rnzcgp.org.nz for further information.

Research

Research Grants
The RNZCGP’s Research and Education Charitable Trust is inviting applications for research and travel grants. Please complete the application forms and either post them to the College or email it to pam.berry@rnzcgp.org.nz. The forms are available here: http://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/Research-Applications-2.

More Grants
Applications for the next round of Wellington Medical Research Foundation grant applications close on Tuesday 16 March 2010. Referee’s reports are due by Tuesday 30 March 2010. Further details of the grant application process at www.wmrf.co.nz.

Vacancies and Advertisements

Fellowship Assessors
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) is seeking GPs to undertake Fellowship Assessments on a contract for service basis. Applicants will be vocationally registered general practitioners who are Fellows of the RNZCGP and working at least 2/10ths in general practice. Previous experience at undertaking assessments in the general practice environment, examining for Primex, or involvement in the GP education programme would be an advantage. The positions have a degree of flexibility, with the assessor arranging the visits at a time that is suitable for the candidate and themselves. This enables the contractor to structure the hours of work around other commitments. Workload is negotiable up to 0.2 FTE. All assessors must be willing and able to travel, including some overnight trips. Applications for the Fellowship Assessor - Contractor positions will close on 10 March 2010. Click here to download Person specifications and the position description. To make an application or to request further information contact the College’s Manager Assessment, Rhett Emery (phone 04 915 4933) or email rhett.emery@rnzcgp.org.nz.

West Auckland Locum
Titirangi locum (female preferred) required 5-10/10, flexible sessions as suits. 14 June - 30 July or part of, supportive four doctor group, 'mypractice' software used. Email drgkw@ihug.co.nz or phone 09-817 8069/ 021 258 1930.

GP Liaison Roles
The Canterbury Initiative is an exciting initiative sponsored by Canterbury District Health Board Planning and Funding and the five Canterbury Primary Health Organisations and is actively supported by general practice and hospital clinicians.  This initiative, which is changing the way health care is delivered in Canterbury, is focussed on general practice and hospital clinicians working collaboratively to provide the best possible care for patients.  We have a range of GPL roles available across several services. We are looking for energetic, forward thinking, innovative people who want to be part of this exciting initiative. The GP Liaison Service has a liaison role between hospital services and primary care. The service provides significant benefits for patients, primary care and the hospital.  The GP Liaison role is being extended by the Canterbury Initiative operating within the hospital and primary care, working with clinicians, managers and funders to assist with resource allocation, improving communication, advocating for patient services and setting up education. This is an innovative initiative which is well supported by primary and secondary care managers and clinicians. We have a range of GPL roles to become involved with services ranging from .1 to .3 full time equivalents to be appointed in the next two months. You will need to be an experienced, vocationally registered Canterbury GP to join a team of enthusiastic GPs who want to make a difference. Good communication skills and an ability to develop strong working relationships are required. This may suit a currently practising GP who wants to work part time as part of this exciting health care initiative. Please direct any enquiries to Dr Rose Laing, telephone 027 662 4837.  Send your Curriculum Vitae to Lindy Owen, HR Manager, Pegasus Health, PO Box 741, Christchurch, or email julie_s@pegasus.org.nz.   Closing date for applications is 8/3/10.

Palmerston North GP
Friendly two doctor practice in Palmerston North looking to replace doctor going overseas. Hours negotiable 3-7/10. After hours with local after hours centre. Supportive practice staff who have been with the practice for many years. Currently completing Cornerstone Accreditation. Contact Murray or Katrina (06) 3574424.

Raglan GP (Locum)
Sun, Surf and Lifestyle – 6 month opportunity. GP Locum required for modern, friendly rural practice. Join this amazing practice for a 6 month maternity leave contract, starting in April 2010. You will be working 8/10ths with no on-call. Art, culture, surfing and lifestyle, is what we can offer you. What better way to work in paradise! For more information please e-mail wchc@wave.co.nz  Ph PM: Sarah 07 825 0114.

West Auckland GP
We are looking for a long term locum (female preferred) to join our team.  We are a purpose built, integrated Cornerstone Accredited practice. No afterhours, no weekends and excellent remuneration. Email: westview@westview.co.nz.

Russell GP
Permanent GP partner wanted for the beautiful Bay of Islands. We both work five sessions a week but our income is close to that of a full-time GP! We have a fully equipped surgery and purpose built premises that are funded by a local community trust. The practice is fully computerised (Medtech32) and Cornerstone accredited. For more information see http://www.propertyvideosnz.com/Doctor/Business.html. Phone 09 403 7604 or email ianbirch@paradise.net.nz.

Christchurch GP
Long term position for GP – 5/10ths.  Large, established, purpose built, suburban practice in multidisciplinary centre.  Friendly, supportive staff in a superb working environment. Email claireh@barringtonmc.co.nz.

King Country GP Locum – Part/Full time
Do you want to enjoy lifestyle, leisure activities, rural practice in the heart of King Country, close to Mt Ruapehu, part or full time for long term? Then it’s for you – two Doctor GP practice, located in the local hospital. Medtech, very friendly staff to work in an attractive environment.  Ph: 0064 7 895 3333; email: manager.tmc@xtra.co.nz.

Clinical Leader RHM
The Clinical Leader RHM will contribute to the College’s Strategic Focus of a high performing, sustainable workforce for general practice and rural hospital medicine through providing clinical leadership for the DRHM’s training programme. It is a 3/10 position but this can be negotiated. If you have any questions regarding this role please contact Lana Henderson, Rural Hospital Medicine Administrator. Complete cover letter and CV should be emailed to lana.henderson@rnzcgp.org.nz.

Click here to go to the College website for more vacancies.

CME

Goodfellow Symposium 2010
Pillars of practice: Strengthening patient care through shared education
26-28 March, The Lagham, Auckland, www.goodfellowsymposium.org.
The Goodfellow Unit, in partnership with MercyAscot, and now in association with the Accident and Medical Practitioners Association, looks forward to welcoming you to the Goodfellow Symposium 2010. This year we offer a wide range of topics enabling you to underpin your practice with the latest evidence including: Palliative Care; Youth Health; Dental and Oral Health; Maori Health; Sports Medicine; Glaucoma; Array of Nurse Led Initiatives. International Keynote Speakers include:Geoff Mitchell, Associate Professor in General Practice and a PHCRED Senior Research Fellow (Australia);Annie Topping, Professor of Health & Social Care and Director, Centre for Health & Social Care Research (UK). Plus we have included a stream dedicated to practical workshops and specialists in the areas of sexual health, dermatology, cardiology, endocrinology and gynaecology.
Earn up to 16 MOPS points for this practice and evidence driven CME weekend. Register now at www.goodfellowsymposium.org/registration/.

Medical Professionals working with Deaf and Hearing Impaired Clients
Medical Professionals working with Deaf and Hearing Impaired Clients is a new DVD for health professionals working with Deaf or hearing-impaired. Deaf Aotearoa CEO Rachel Noble says the DVD idea arose after discussions about ways to ensure accurate two-way communication between health providers and Deaf or hearing impaired clients. “Recent research has identified that accessing health services and having medical staff aware of Deaf-related issues are high priorities for the Deaf community,” says Ms Noble. “We believe this DVD will go a long way towards achieving this, with its helpful tips and practical demonstrations showing positive interactions between health professionals and the Deaf patient.” The DVD also gives advice on what to do when communicating with Deaf or hearing-impaired clients – including speaking directly to the Deaf person and not using their family members as interpreters. The information in the DVD also reinforces the rights of the Deaf consumer within the Health and Disability Code. Funded by Waitemata District Health Board and the Health and Disability Commission, the DVD is available to all health providers. Copies can be obtained from Deaf Aotearoa – phone 09 828 3282 or email karen.hall@deaf.org.nz

A quality and safety programme for maternity services
Sector workshops are being held by the Ministry of Health to discuss a safety and quality programme for maternity services. The dates for these are: Christchurch 19 March, Auckland 26 March, Rotorua 29 March and Wellington 20 April. It is intended that the workshops will cover: a draft model of how a quality and safety programme for maternity services might look; opportunity to critique the draft model of how a quality and safety programme might look; opportunity to provide suggestions/alternative models of how a quality and safety programme might look; the results of the informal survey into current mechanisms to improve quality and safety; and plenty of discussion and sharing of ideas. If you would like to be sent a registration form, please email Jane_Anderson@moh.govt.nz or policy@rnzcgp.org.nz. You will need to be allocated a place at the workshop by the MOH in order to attend.

Pregnancy Care Training Funds Available for GPs
As part of the additional funding allocated for maternity services in the 2009 budget, the Ministry of Health is making funds available to GPs wishing to undertake additional training in pregnancy care beginning from March this year. The courses covered include the Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Medical Gynaecology (PGDipOMG) and certain tertiary level papers available via distance learning. For further details of the funding available and how to apply, please contact Cindy Farquhar - c.farquhar@auckland.ac.nz.

Palliative Care Education Opportunity through Hospice New Zealand – free of charge
Hospice New Zealand offer free access to monthly Palliative Care Lectures.  These take place on the first Thursday of every month from 7.30-8.30am.  The lectures cover a range of topics and are delivered via teleconference, usually with a power point presentation that the speaker takes participants through.  The last 10-15 minutes of each session is dedicated to questions, giving the opportunity to raise anything specific with the speaker.  Please click here to find out more, see this year’s schedule of lectures and to register.

Palliative care forum for medical practitioners
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM) invite you to attend one of three forums being held in New Zealand in March 2010. The invited speaker, Professor Janet Hardy, (BSc, MBChB, MD, FRACP, FAChPM) is palliative medicine specialist from Brisbane, Australia, and will be discussing What's new in pain control in palliative care - the science behind the myths. This workshop has been endorsed by the RNZCGP, and has been approved for 9 hours CME for General Practice Educational Programme Stage 2 (formerly AVE) and Maintenance of Professional Standards (MOPS) purposes. The forums will be held in 3 locations from 6.15-9pm (a light meal will be served):  Christchurch on 29 March 2010, convenor Dr Kate Grundy; Palmerston North on 30 March 2010, convenor Dr Joy Percy; Auckland on 31 March 2010, convenor Dr Cathy Miller. For more information or to register: ANZSPM website www.anzspm.org.au or email Karen Cooper: karen@anzspm.org.au.

OBSTGYN 712 & 715
Want to update your knowledge in contraception, pre and early pregnancy or medical gynaecology? Click here for more information.

Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice
The Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice is designed to meet the needs of GPs and the Postgraduate Diploma in Rural & Provincial Hospital Practice is designed to meet the needs of doctors working in rural hospitals. Click here for more information or visit www.otago.ac.nz/dsm/gp.

Advanced Wilderness Life Support Course
Host; Southland Wilderness Medicine Group (WildMed).  Venue: Crown Plaza, Queenstown, New Zealand.  Dates 12-14 March 2010 or 16-18 July 2010. Approved by the RNZCGP for up to 17 hours endorsed CME.  More information; www.wildmed.co.nz or wildmed@xtra.co.nz.

Spine in Action: Low Back Pain - Can Chronicity be Prevented? Auckland March 27-30, 2010
The NZ Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine is holding a Scientific Conference examining the factors that contribute to, or predispose to the development of chronic low back pain and how these factors can be managed. The neurobiological & anatomical substrate, as well as the clinical basis to the identification and management of low back pain will be explored. Internationally renowned speakers include Prof Lars Arentdt-Nielsen, Prof Johan Vlaeyen, Prof Paul Watson, Prof Jacob Patijn as well as local and Australian speakers. Visit www.musculoskeletal.co.nz for program and speaker details and registration. Earlybird rates apply until end January. The NZ Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine is an RNZCGP endorsed CME provider.

Skin Cancer Courses
HealthCert and the University of Queensland, Australia, have released the dates for skin cancer certificate courses. Essential theory and practical aspects are covered in basic or advanced workshops. 2010 courses include Certificates in Primary Care Skin Cancer Medicine; Surgery; Advanced Dermoscopy and Dermal Imaging. The workshops are presented by highly qualified, experienced lecturers and include hands-on practical sessions. Local expert presenter, Dr Sharad Paul (NZ) will be conducting the Surgery course and an Advanced Surgery Workshop. Dr Paul covers highly relevant and concise information for GPs. 2010 courses start in Melbourne, 20-21 Feb with the Certificate in Primary Care Skin Cancer Medicine and Primary Care Skin Cancer Surgery. The Certificate courses are individual short courses or they can be part of the Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer Medicine) programme. Now in its third year, this dynamic programme has seen over 180 students enrol and 75 students graduate. The programme offers doctors the chance to formalise and develop vital skills in Skin Cancer Medicine through an internationally recognised institution. For course information please visit www.skincancercourses.com.au or email christine@healthcert.com.au or call +61 7 3137 1399.

Managing Sexual Problems for Medical Practitioners
An evidence-based up-to-date online training programme specifically designed for GPs and approved by RNZCGP for 12 hours CME credits: download in writing to produce a surgery reference;  download in audio form to listen to as you travel to work and back. Access all three forms for the same cost plus make the most of email access to ask tutor, Clinical Psychologist Robyn Salisbury, director of Sex Therapy NZ about your patients’ sexual dysfunctions. Enquiries: admin@sextherapy.co.nz or ph 0800 739843 (0800 sextherapy) or register on www.sextherapy.co.nz.

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.

Conferences

Doing the Right Thing – The New Zealand General Practice Conference
This year’s RNZCGP conference will be held at the Christchurch Convention Centre, 2-5 September 2010. Book the date in your diary now. Check out our website, updated with a call for abstracts. http://www.conference.co.nz/index.cfm/RNZCGP10

RGPN 2010 next week, March 11-14
NZ’s premiere rural general practice conference looms. Rural general practitioners and other interested medical professionals are urged to register now for this not-to-be-missed event on the calendar. This year’s programme is one the best put together by the conference committee and features workshops and sessions as diverse as Wilderness Medicine and Acupuncture in pain control to Fracture management and Dealing with legal issues in twenty-ten. With an emphasis on the inventiveness and resilience of rural general practice, this year’s theme is, aptly, “Rural Health – No. 8 Wired”. Come and listen to sessions on: fertility in rural versus urban; wilderness medicine; homecare nursing; rural practice management; emergency transport; asthma control and management; pain management; and much more. Conference 2010 has been endorsed by The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) and has been provisionally approved for up to 16 hours (= 16 credits) CME for General Practice Education Programme Stage 2 (formerly AVE) and Maintenance of Professional Standards (MOPS) purposes. The conference runs from March 11-14 at the Christchurch Convention Centre. If you have any questions or queries please call Network communications manager Rob Olsen on 04 495 5887, 021 82 2468 or email rob@rgpn.org.nz. Visit www.rgpn.org.nz to register.

Evolving Communities Beyond Services, Building Bridges National Conference for Community Mental Health and Addictions 2010
Conference summary: Transcending barriers, cultures and differences in our approach to community mental health and addictions services. 14 – 16 April 2010, Wellington Convention Centre, Wellington. For more information, go to www.buildingbridges.co.nz.

International

19th Wonca World Conference of Family Doctors, Cancun, May 2010
For the first time in the history of the World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca), a Latin American country will be the venue for the World Conference of Family Doctors: the Mexican College of Family Medicine is designated organizer of the 19th Wonca World Conference of Family Doctors, to be held in the city of Cancun, Mexico, from 19 to 23 May 2010. The Conference will spread the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs and will lead to the reflection on the technical and social role that Family Medicine must have to achieve the international goals that were proposed in the 2000 Millennium Summit: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For more information visit http://www.wonca2010cancun.com.