News - 28 March 2012

28 March 2012

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

News in Brief

No news this week.

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News at HealthWest

New Staff Member

HealthWest welcomes Karen Knights to the team. Karen commenced today as an Administration Officer and will share this role with Meg Rees. Karen and Meg can be contacted by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Active Service Model Forum:  Working together to provide better assessment and care planning

This is the third forum of the HealthWest Active Service Model (ASM) project focusing on identifying, exploring and prioritising the issues raised when working collaboratively to provide assessment and care planning in HACC services.

It aims to strengthen a shared ASM approach to assessment and care planning, by developing shared principles, language and skills.

Those involved in HACC assessment and care planning and coordinators and managers of these staff are invited to attend.

When:  Thursday 19th April, 9.00-1.00 followed by a shared lunch
Where:  Sunshine Golf Club, 475 Mt Derrimut Rd, Derrimut 

More info: Contact Jane Rossiter, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Save the Date! HealthWest Shared Priority Forum: Making Change Happen- What change and who for?

HealthWest Shared Priority Forums bring together our integrated health promotion, integrated chronic disease and service coordination networks around a shared theme. The next Forum will be focused on developing an advocacy plan for HealthWest Partnership by considering: what areas should we advocate in and what change are we advocating for?

When: May 15th - 9:30am – 1pm (with shared lunch provided)
Where: Sunshine Golf Club, Mt Derrimut Rd, Derrimut 

More info: Flyer to be circulated shortly. Contact Libby Jewson, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Jenny Reimers, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Western Intake Network Group (WING) upcoming meetings for 2012

When: May 7th – 9:30-11:30am.  Register via the HealthWest website
Where: Altona Meadows Library (please note change of venue)

When : July 26th (venue TBC) September 20th (venue TBC)

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Integrated Health Promotion/Population Health Planning

Advocacy in Health Promotion workshop – 8 places remaining

There are still 8 places remaining on the Advocacy in Health Promotion workshop, facilitated by Women’s Health Victoria for HealthWest members. We will be offering places to other PCP member organisations from April onwards.

When: 9:30am-1pm, Thursday 31 May 2012
Where: PivotWest, Central West Business Park, 9 Ashley St, West Footscray
Cost: $30 

More info: HealthWest website or contact Jenny Reimers, phone 9017 5843 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

New Gender Equity section on Municipal Assocation of Victoria (MAV) website

MAV have added a new section to their website dedicated to Gender Equity. The section covers MAV work on the prevention of violence against women – helping to build the capacity of local governments in Victoria to work on this issue and generate leadership in the sector.

More info: MAV website 

Seminar: Young women and alcohol

Women’s Health Victoria is hosting a free seminar on young women and alcohol with Canadian academic Nancy Poole. This event will be chaired by Sally Fawkes, Senior Lecturer of Health Promotion and Leadership, La Trobe University.  

When: 4-5:30pm, Wednesday 4 April
Where: Women’s Health Victoria, Level 8, 255 Bourke Street, Melbourne 

More info: WHV website 

VAADA releases position paper on links between family violence and AOD misuse

The Victoria Alcohol & Drug Association (VAADA) has released a position paper that explores the links between family violence and alcohol and other drug misuse.  The paper highlights extensive research which shows an associative relationship between the two issues.

More info: VAADA website

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Integrated Chronic Disease Management

Life!  Taking action on diabetes

Diabetes Australia coordinates Life! programs throughout Victoria, including courses for the general community in the west.  These courses are aimed at people who are at risk of developing diabetes.  There are group sessions (6 weeks) or a telephone health coaching service (up to 5 phone calls) available.

More info: Diabetes Australia – Vic website or the Life! Taking Action on Diabetes website. Alternatively email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the Diabetes Helpline, phone 137475.

New article - The influence of power dynamics and trust on multidisciplinary collaboration: a qualitative case study of type 2 diabetes mellitus

The Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS) have summarised the following interesting article, McDonald J, Jayasuriya R, Harris MF (2012). The influence of power dynamics and trust on multidisciplinary collaboration: a qualitative case study of type 2 diabetes mellitus. BMC Health Services Research, 12: 63.

Key points:

  • Ongoing care for chronic conditions is best provided by a range of health professionals working together.
  • Collaboration is challenging when it crosses organisational and sector boundaries.
  • Three themes emerged in this study in relation to power dynamics between health professionals: their use of power to protect their autonomy, power dynamics between private and public sector providers, and reducing their dependency on other health professionals to maintain power. The major trust themes related to role perceptions, demonstrated competence, and the importance of good communication for the development of trust over time. Power dynamics and trust affect the strategic choices made by each health professional about whether to collaborate, with whom, and to what level.

More info: PHCRIS website

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Service Coordination

A Communication Flowchart for GPs and Refugee Settlement Service Staff

This tool has been developed by Victorian Refugee Health Network and in particular the GP Working Group (some members of which now participate in the Primary Health Care Working Group).  The flowchart has been devised to assist communication between settlement services and General Practitioners.  The flowchart outlines government funded services available to newly arriving refugees in their first five years in Australia, along with important information that GPs and Settlement Providers should communicate to each other.

More Info:  Flow chart available here

Practical guidelines to achieve a seamless mental health service

The North and West Regional Alliance has developed “Practical guidelines to achieve a seamless mental health service “ to clarify the roles and responsibilities of Area Mental Health Services (AMHS) and Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services (PDRSS) staff when working with shared consumers, to promote a seamless continuum of care. This document has been developed as an ‘at a glance’ practical guidelines document for AMHS and PDRSS staff to ensure efficient and effective service coordination across the services.

Although the intended audience for this document is AMHS and PDRSS staff, the document may potentially be adapted to other dual or shared care arrangements with appropriate amendments or changes.

More info: download the “Practical guidelines to achieve a seamless mental health service “.

eHealth Update

Up to date information regarding eHealth initiatives from Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing is available.

More info: eHealth website  or www.nehta.gov.au
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For Your Diary

Grants

Closing the Gap Aboriginal Health Workforce 2011-12 Training Grants Program

Expressions of interests (EOI) are sought from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), public health services and community health services in Victoria for 2011-12 training grants.

Grants are available in the following areas:

  • Management and leadership training – up to $20,000 per organisation
  • Nursing – up to $15,000 per trainee
  • Allied health assistance – up to $15,000 per trainee
  • Dental Assistance – up to $15,000 per trainee
  • Alcohol, Other Drugs and Mental Health – up to $15,000 per trainee

Closing date: Friday 30 March 2012

More info: www.health.vic.gov.au/aboriginalhealth/publications/publications.htm (follow the link for workforce) or contact Sue Davey, phone 9096 7869 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Increased funding for peer support groups

The Health Condition Support Grants Program will have three separate bands of grants:

  • Band 1: up to $5,000 per annum (the pre-existing Health Self Help program)
  • Band 2: $5,000 - $50,000 per annum
  • Band 3: $50,000 - $100,000 per annum

Grants in all three bands will be allocated in two year cycles. For example, successful applicants for a $50,000 per annum grant in the 2011 - 12 financial year will also receive $50,000 in 2012 - 13 financial year.

Application process and closing dates:

  • Band 1 grants will be allocated via a pre-existing application process. Closing date is 5pm Friday 13 April 2012
  • Band 2 and 3 grants will be allocated through an Advertised Call for Submissions process. Closing date is 2pm Thursday 12 April 2012

More info: Health Vic website. Contact Margie Powell, phone 9096 7926 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Call for Papers

Conference: Promoting Healthy Childhood - Preventing Chronic Conditions

The conference, held 20-21 September in Darwin, will explore the range of factors during the early years that contribute to chronic diseases later in life.

Call for Abstracts closes Friday 4th May

More info: CDN Website

National

Homelessness Research Conference

The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and RMIT University will be co-hosting the inaugural Homelessness Research Conference. This event will provide the opportunity to hear from many of Australia’s leading researchers. The conference will showcase current homelessness research and facilitate discussion to apply this evidence to contemporary policy and practice. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss and debate the future directions of research on homelessness.

When: 19-20 April 2012
Where: Jasper Hotel, 489 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 

More info: Homelessness Research Conference website

Communities in Control  Conference

Communities in Control will bring together more than 1500 people from across the country who believe in the power of community. Hear from some of Australia's best thinkers and speakers (and doers); make contacts; get inspired; take time to really think about the future - and your community's part in it.

When: 28-29 May 2012
Where: Moonee Valley Racing Club, Moonee Ponds
Cost: $330 

More info: Our Community website

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Statewide

Australian Health Promotion Australia (AHPA) Victorian Branch Short Film Night and Annual General Meeting

The Victorian Branch will be holding its second health promotion short film night, including the branch Annual General Meeting. This event will bring health promotion people together to look at how films can represent topics relevant to work in health promotion.

When: 5pm, 29 March 2012
Where: VicHealth, 15-31 Pelham St, Melbourne
Cost: Free 

More info: VicHealth website

Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health (CEH) - training calendar

CEH's training services aim to enhance, develop and support the capacity of health care agencies to provide quality services to a culturally and linguistically diverse community. Their training strategy is practical and interactive and includes relevant case studies and examples as well as hands-on activities.

Upcoming training courses include:

  • Improving cross-cultural communication – Wednesday 18 April
  • Consumer participation in CALD communities – Wednesday 16 May
  • Culturally competent palliative care – Wednesday 20 June

More info: See CEH's training calendar and registration details on the CEH website

Reframing mental health: a new state of mind – Mental Health Conference

Psychiatric Disability Services Victoria (VICSERV) is hosting Mental Health conference. The conference theme - Reframing Mental Health: a new state of mind - reflects the fact that community managed mental health services are on the brink of major change. The way in which services are delivered and who provides them is evolving. Workers in the field of community mental health and those they support need to be ready to embrace these changes.

When: 24-25 May 2012
Where: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf 

More info: VICSERV website

Young Women & Alcohol

Women’s Health Victoria is hosting a free seminar on  young women and alcohol. The guest speaker is Nancy Poole from the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health in Canada. The content will cover: trends in prevalence and patterns of girls' drinking; the health impacts; the gendered influences on heavy alcohol use by girls and young women; and approaches to promote health and prevent heavy alcohol use by girls and young women.

When: 4-5pm, Wednesday 4 April 2012
Where: Women’s Health Victoria, Level 8, 255 Bourke St Melbourne
Cost: Free

More info: WHV website

Regional/Local

Arthritis Victoria: Much Ado About Pain: Consumer Conference

When: Sunday 1 April 2012
Where: Melbourne Convention Centre 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf Melbourne Vic 3006.  Room 105 and 106 (Melway 1CD4)
Registration at  10.00am / 10:30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $20 members / $30 non members / $10 carers

More info: Download flyer here.
Register by Friday 23 March.  Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / 8531 8000 or 1800 011 041 / fax: 9530 0228
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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.