8 May 2013

8 May 2013

For articles from a previous HealthWest E-Bulletin, view our News Archive.

News in Brief

Victorian State Government 2013-14 Budget released

The 2013-14 Victorian State Budget was released on Tuesday 7 May 2013.

The positives for the west are:

  • Additional money for a dental clinic at WRHC
  • $200m for school infrastructure in the outer west
  • New mental health and AOD beds at Werribee Mercy
The primary and community health sector have seen a 6.3% increase in funding from the previous budget, with the majority of this increase wrapped up in the following key areas:
  • $12.5 million over four years for additional hours of care for nursing and allied health provided through community health services, with a specific focus on service in growth areas
  • $61.8 million over four years for the expansion of culturally appropriate service options for Aboriginal Victorians aiming to increase use of Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations and mainstream services.
  • $22.2 million over four years for additional health and mental health service for refugees and asylum seekers in high settlement areas of Victoria. This includes the refugee health nurse program, refugee mental health services, language services support and a further expansion of the Refugee Health Network.

Despite last year's funding reduction in the Community and Women’s Health Integrated Health Promotion Program, the second funding reduction will not go ahead.

More info: Download full budget papers

New Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports

Youth justice in Australia 2011-12 an overview

The overview provides information on young people aged 10 and older under youth justice supervision in Australia due to their involvement or alleged involvement in crime.

More info: Download the report

Indigenous identification in hospital separations data

This report presents the results of a study on the quality of Indigenous identification in administrative records of hospitalisations in public hospitals in Australia. An estimated 88% of Indigenous patients were correctly identified in public hospital admission records in 2011-12. The report also recommends that data for all jurisdictions be included in any analysis of hospitalisations by Indigenous status and that correction factors be used to adjust total hospital data from 2010-11 onwards.

More info: Download the report

Development of nationally consistent subacute and non-acute admitted patient care data definitions and guidelines

In August 2012, the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority engaged the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to develop nationally consistent definitions and business rules for subacute and non-acute admitted patient care and care types for implementation in national hospital datasets.

The data element for 'care type' was revised to include a definition of subacute care. It also clarified that subacute care: is delivered under the management of or informed by a clinician with specialised expertise in the care type; be evidenced by an individualised multidisciplinary management plan that is documented in the patient's medical record; and reflect both the characteristics of the patient and the expertise of the treating clinician.

More info: Download the full report

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News at HealthWest

Office Relocation

As of next Monday 13 May 2013, HealthWest Partnership will be located on the Ground Floor, Central West Business Park, 9 Ashley Street, West Footscray.  Entry is via the Macedon Ranges & North Western Melbourne Medicare Local (MR&NWMML) entrance. 

The 90175843 telephone number is still being diverted to MR&NWMML, but staff will now have direct lines which can be used.  Voicemail will be available on all lines and new numbers will be advertised early next week.  There has been no changes to work telephone numbers.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new premises when you next visit HealthWest. 

Position Vacant: Aboriginal Health Project Officer, 3-4 days per week

HealthWest is seeking an Aboriginal Health Project Officer to help shape the health and support system for Aboriginal people in the west of Melbourne.

The Aboriginal Health Project Officer is one of two project officers who will work on the Closing the Health Gap Project, that aims to support Aboriginal people of all ages to access mainstream health and support services.

Applications close 9am, Monday 13 May 2013.

More info: To download a position description and for application information, visit HealthWest website or contact Jenny Reimers, phone 8379 9950.

Health Promotion Advocacy Key Messages Workshop

Reductions in health promotion funding indicate the lack of understanding about the importance and value of investing in primary prevention and health promotion.

The purpose of this workshop is to support the development of a set of key messages to explain these concepts in plain language, and to consider how each message might be tailored to key target audiences.

Health promotion staff, communications staff and other interested workers from member organisations are encouraged to attend to input into the key messages.

When: 9.00am-3.00pm, Tuesday 28 May
Where: Laverton Community Hub, 95-105 Railway Ave, Laverton

RSVP: by 21 May via HealthWest website

More info: HealthWest website, download flyer or contact Jenny Reimers, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 8379 9950.

HealthWest report on service coordination for people with a dual diagnosis

The HealthWest report on service coordination for people with a dual diagnosis in the west is now available.  This report examines the strengths and challenges for coordinating services for people with a dual diagnosis in the west.  Based on surveys and interviews conducted with clinicians, team leaders and managers across a range of services, it explores how services support people with a dual diagnosis and makes recommendations for systemic change.

More info: Download the report from HealthWest website 

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Integrated Health Promotion/Population Health Planning

New Department of Health LGA population health profiles

The latest release of the Victorian Department of Health’s annual Local Government Area Profiles is now online for public use.

This year’s edition, covering all 79 local government areas across Victoria, contains free and comprehensive location-based data and analysis about population, socio-economics, services and health data to the end of 2012. Since its first release of data in 2002, the number of indicators in the annual profiles has risen from 40 to over 140.

More info: Department of Health website

Heart Foundation releases interactive heart attack maps

The Heart Foundation have released new maps that chart the the rate of hospitalisation in Victoria for heart attacks (STEMI and N-STEMI), heart failure and unstable angina by local government area. The data looks at a five-year period, from 2007-08 to 2011-12.

More info: Heart Foundation website

Australian Drug Foundation research on new and emerging drugs

New recreational drugs are emerging at an unprecedented rate and represent one of the biggest challenges in the alcohol and other drug field for 2013. The Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) has released the latest issue Prevention Research, where Stephen Bright asks the question, ‘Are new and emerging drugs a public health crisis waiting to happen?’ and looks at how clinicians, allied health and youth workers, researchers and policy makers can respond.

More info: ADF website

VicHealth examines healthy environments

VicHealth examines health environments in its publication, VicHealth Letters. The articles examine healthy environments in supermarkets, across community and through urban planning.

More info: VicHealth website

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Integrated Chronic Disease Management

Clinical Supervision and Support Training

This free half day session on the fundamentals of being a clinical supervisor will cover:

  • Supervision
  • Learning styles
  • Supporting and facilitation of student learning
  • Management of the underperforming student
  • Feedback

When: 9am-1pm, Wednesday 8 May
When: Western Health – Furlong Rd Sunshine 

More Info: Download the flyer. Contact Farah Guha on 9265 1344 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Forum: Parent and Family Centred Care  

Patient and family centred care is an approach to health care aimed at drawing upon the strengths of patients, families and health care professionals. The aim is strong partnership that improve both the experience and outcomes of health care. Four of the key principles of patient and family centred care are: respect and dignity; information sharing; participation; collaboration.

In this one day forum we will focus on practical applications of these and other key principles. We will hear from both consumers and health care professionals about the innovative and exciting ways they are working together to improve the experience and outcomes in the Australian health care system.

When: 9.00am - 4.00pm, Tuesday 21 May
Where: Vic Uni Conference Centre, Level 12,300 Flinders St Melbourne

More info: Health Issues Centre website. Contact Dr. Maria Teresa (Tere) Dawson, Senior Project and Policy Coordinator Health Issues Centre, phone 9664 9340 (direct) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Service Coordination

Research Report: Building the Scaffolding

A new research report has been released by the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria’s (YACVic). Building the Scaffolding – Strengthening support for young people in Victoria examines how policy, planning and the delivery of youth support services could be strengthened to improve support for young people in Victoria.  

More info: Download the report from VCOSS website


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For Your Diary

Grants

No news this week. 

Call for Papers

No news this week. 

National

Dementia and Community Care Conference 2013

2013 will be the first year for the Dementia and Community Care Conference - a major forum for CEOs, Managers, Senior Clinicians, Health Care Professionals, Academics, Researchers & other interested professionals/staff working with people with dementia in Community Care settings.
  • The Conference will focus on both policy & practice issues and aims to deliver sessions which have genuine relevance to both organisations & staff.
  • The Conference will feature a boutique Trade Display & presents an excellent opportunity for professional networking & information sharing.

Conference attendance qualifies for 10 CPD hours under AHPRA requirements for relevant health professionals.

When: 30 & 31 October
Where: Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne

More Info: Total Aged Services website. Contact Wayne Woff, Manager, Total Aged Services, phone 9571 5606/0422 484 209 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


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Statewide

Heart Foundation Walking: Area Coordinator Training

This session will provide recruited Area Coordinators training on the Heart Foundation Walking program implementation, and also an opportunity to network with other local organisations who share similar aims in encouraging more people to walk.

When: Thursday 6 June, 2013, 10am – 2.30pm Light lunch provided
Where:: Heart Foundation Level 12/ 500 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

RSVP: Friday 31 May, 2013

What is Heart Foundation Walking?

If you are a professional interested in administering walking groups in your area, or you would like additional support to make your existing groups more sustainable and less time intensive, the Heart Foundation Walking program can help you to set up and maintain walking groups in your local community.

More info: Area Coordinator Training, An Introduction to Walking and Registration Form , visit the Heart Foundation website or contact Tara Henderson Project Officer, Heart Foundation Walking (Victoria), phone 9321 1515.

Regional/Local

No news this week. 

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E-Bulletin Archive

For articles, information or links from previous issues of HealthWest's Weekly E-Bulletin view our news archive.