25 November 2013

It has been another very exciting and busy fortnight for APNA with submissions to the review of the national ehealth record (PCEHR) and draft standard for medical refrigeration equipment for the storage of vaccines, both of which will be available on the APNA website very soon. APNA was also represented at the AML Alliance National Primary Health Care Conference 2013 and the Health Workforce Australia conference Skilled and Flexible – The health workforce for Australia’s future. Two recurring themes at both of these conferences were around the international growing burden of chronic disease and the urgent need for smarter workforce solutions to ensure we can adequately manage this growing health burden.

APNA is advocating strongly that primary health care nurses are an integral part of the workforce solution, able and committed to fighting the the tsunami of chronic disease confronting us.

As the peak national body supporting and representing nurses in primary health care, APNA’s top advocacy priority is the development of an education and career framework for nurses in general practice and other primary health care settings. Part of this framework needs to be around preparation and entry to practice.

APNA is concerned that there is no formal education and training pathway into general practice and primary health care nursing and no framework for skills development and career progression. Access to education and training specific to nursing in general practice and primary health care is patchy, variable and inconsistent. There is no supported program for undergraduate nurse clinical placements in general practice and primary health care, or for induction and support for graduate nurses and others new to the setting. In the absence of appropriate education, training, and induction programs, there are significant risks that the number of nurses needed with the appropriate skill sets will not be available to meet the needs of general practice and primary health care in the near future.

To begin addressing these issues, through its partnership with the AML Alliance on the Nursing in General Practice Program, APNA will shortly be commencing work to develop improved options for the future for undergraduate clinical nursing placements in general practice and primary health care settings, and for transition to practice programs for nurses entering general practice and primary health care. APNA will be consulting widely with its members and stakeholders in undertaking this work, and it is hoped the outcomes will provide a blueprint for government action.

Your thoughts are very welcome at president@apna.asn.au.

11 November 2013

Since October 2013, there have been 27 measles cases in Australians, including 11 secondary cases, associated with travel to Indonesia, and more specifically Bali. It is vitally important all primary health care clinicians are kept well informed of the current state of the measles concern. APNA is a member of the General Practice Round Table (GPRT). The GPRT was established during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic to inform the Commonwealth’s response to the pandemic and support information dissemination to general practice during the response. The GPRT continues to provide mechanisms for communicating with general practice during disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.

APNA is represented at many forums and peak consultations across Australia. Through these opportunities APNA and its members remain informed and able to provide valuable contributions to national programs, policy and health reform planning. This week’s eNews captures information from several of these.

On Friday 8 November I chaired the Coalition of National Nursing Organisations (CoNNO) member meeting in Sydney. CoNNO is an alliance of 52 national nursing organisations working collectively to advance the nursing profession to improve health care. The Coalition represents the national interests of nurses in all sectors of the health profession. This meeting always provides a strong forum for networking and synergy between nursing organisations, and an opportunity for Government and national health bodies to address nursing collectively.

18-24 November 2013 is Antibiotic Awareness Week, a global initiative encouraging health professionals and the wider community to learn more about antibiotic resistance and the importance of taking these life-saving medicines appropriately. This Antibiotic Awareness Week, NPS MedicineWise is asking all health professionals to pledge to join the fight against antibiotic resistance. APNA is a member of NPS MedicineWise, which is an  independent, evidence-based and not-for-profit organisation providing practical tools and information about medicines, health conditions and medical tests for health professionals and consumers.

APNA remains supportive of eHealth and the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR). APNA actively provides extensive expert input into the ongoing development and clinical usability of the national eHealth record, and we are keen and committed to staying engaged in the delivery of the PCEHR, a very important mechanism to support continued improvements to health outcomes. The federal government has announced a review of the PCEHR, and APNA will be providing substantial input to this review.

Your thoughts are very welcome at president@apna.asn.au.