Our Programs

The Bayside GP Network receives funding from the Department of Health & Ageing and other National and State based General Practice Networks to deliver support services in key areas of Primary Health Care to GPs. 

Services include:

Accreditation

BGPN provides accreditation support to practices based around current the RACGP Standards and is undertaken by Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) and General Practice Accredition Plus (GPA Plus).

Aged Care

Aged care support is provided through the Aged Care Access Initiative (ACAI) had aims to improve access to GP and allied health services for residents of aged care facilities. These services have recently included a psychological support program for patients, family & staff going through the transition to RACF.

Collaborative Project

The Australian Primary Care Collaboratives Program aims to improve clinical health outcomes, reduce lifestyle risk factors, maintain health for chronic and complex conditions and improve access to Australian general practice via a team based approach to quality improvement.

Continuing Professional Development

Bayside General Practice Network are active participants in continuing professional development, engaging in high quality, evidence based educational activities based on adult learning principles which results in improved quality of care and better health outcomes for the community.

Diabetes

BGPN supports best practice for patients with diabetes by facilitating a multidisciplinary approach to managing diabetes in primary care. This support focus is on diabetes best practice, maximizing the role of the practice nurse and linking general practice with available local diabetes resources. We work towards supporting General Practice to be ready to embrace the new government incentives and helped promote diabetes Prevention through the life style modification programs

Immunisation

Immunisation support for practices includes population management and assistance with ACIR/GPII reports to follow up overdue vaccinations. The network provides cold chain management and fridge data logging at clinic and a wide variety of education events. BGPN is committed to maintain a strong communication flow with timely updates on Schedule changes, new vaccines and pandemic preparedness.

Mental Health

General practice has plays a pivotal role in the early intervention and management of all patients with mental health disorders. The Network’s Mental Health program delivers a range of services aimed at increasing the level of integration between mental health service providers and general practice through the promotion and administration of the National Action Plan on Mental Health with measures which include Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) ;Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care (BOiMHC) ;Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program; and Access to Psychiatric Support (GP Psych Support)

Nursing in General Practice (NiGP)

The NiGP program aims to build nursing workforce capacity by emphasising the increased value of the role nursing plays in general practice, supporting extended roles and promoting effective recruitment strategies. Although nurses have been in general practice for many years, a combination of General Practitioner (GP) workforce shortages and an increase in elderly and chronic disease population, has seen the role of these nurses expand and develop in exciting new ways. The role of peer support through special interest groups in maximizing recruitment and retention is highlighted

Population Health

To support our primary health care focus on prevention, intervention and risk factor management within general practice, BGPN seeks to better understand practice data. This project is aimed at encouraging practices to make full use of their own patient data through analysis to identify priority issues for the practice. BGPN supports a range of population health tools to profile practice population according to age, gender, disease states and other parameters. BGPN has adapted a Practice Health Atlas model to provide an epidemiological view to inform clinical and business modeling to improve health outcomes and create business opportunities on both an individual and network basis.

Practice Liaison Program

In order to ensure that the Network remains at the cutting edge of program and health service delivery and to facilitate a higher partnership profile with each practice the Network implemented a liaison role with each practice in July 2007. Designed to provide a major strategic advantage this facilitation task is primarily intended to ensure more effective communication pathways by developing a high level of mutual trust with our practices and by promoting the value of partnership between all the primary health care stakeholders.

Practice Manager Network

The PM Network has a focus on assisting Practice Managers to develop a culture of quality improvement through providing resources and networking opportunities. A pivotal part of ongoing support has been to assist practices to align their practice services with the characteristics of their practice populations and provide resources and professional development opportunities for practice managers in the network.

Preventive Health

This program is intended to provide guidance and support for primary care clinicians, to play a more effective role in preventative health care. The role assists in the development and implementation of preventative health programs and strategies. It has special focus on prevention of chronic disease and in particular providing local community driven lifestyle modification programs. The network also supports direct Community Health action like our Bunning’s Health check Day.

Prescribing Data in General Practice Demonstration Project

The Prescribing Data in General Practice Demonstration (PDGPD) Project was designed to implement and test a new quality improvement activity for GPs. The project was developed by the National Prescribing Service (NPS) and Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) to enhance quality use of medicines and patient care in Australian general practice.

Quality Use of Medicines

Bayside GPN’s QUM program promotes to health professionals and the community quality use of medicines -the judicious, appropriate, safe, effective use of medicines. Up-to-date, evidence based, unbiased medicines information is provided to local GPs and their practices through our educational visiting program and promotional activities.  It is supported by the National Prescribing Service (NPS) who provide resources and training to our local facilitator. In addition, education is available to local pharmacists, the community and where relevant other health professionals.