Our practice support team has extensive and diverse, professional health experience and offer this knowledge to practice teams across our vast geographical area. The team is committed to working with and for general practice to enhance patient care, professional satisfaction and business success. Pivotal to this, is concise and timely communication around relevant issues to ensure effective and genuine engagement with our members and key stakeholders.
A minimum of four structured visits a year is provided to each practice. Additional practice visits are encouraged and can be arranged on request. How can practice support officers help?
Accreditation – assistance with preparation ahead of accreditation surveyor visit and liaising with accreditation credentialing body if required.
Chronic Disease Management – practical assistance and advice on recall/reminder systems, GP Management Plans, Team Care Arrangements, Cycle of Care and other common issues faced in practices.
Clinical assistance – providing practice nurse relief and/or clinical assistance on an ad hoc basis (subject to limited availability).
Education – is provided onsite to work within the busy demands on the practice team, covering practical areas such as enhancing primary care (EPC), infection control, sterilisation, diabetes SIP, asthma SIP, cold chain management, introduction to medical administration, hand washing and health assessments. Our PSOs also assist in facilitating guest speakers to provide education sessions – if you have a suggested topic and/or speaker, please contact us.
Health assessments – assisting practices with implementing and/or managing early intervention patient strategies such as adult and child health assessments, indigenous health checks, women’s health checks and pre diabetes screening.
Immunisation – helping practices meet the regulatory demands and incentive requirements associated with the provision of adult and childhood immunisations – e.g streamlining online reporting, cold chain management (data logging), resources, patient recalls/reminder systems, data cleansing, strategies to increase childhood immunisation and many other forms of practical advice and assistance.
Information – use of our extensive networks and contacts to source relevant information and answer specific enquiries from general practice.
Medicare – providing current and accurate information to ensure practices are gaining maximum benefit from the management and claiming of Service Incentive Payments (SIP) and Practice Incentive Payments (PIP).
Patient data analysis – providing access to and advice on software programs that will increase practice efficiency and effectiveness. Who is my practice support officer?
Each of the practice support officers covers a separate chapter within the FNQ Division’s geographical area. To assist us in delivering the most efficient and effective support, please direct enquiries and requests for practice visits to your practice support officer.
- Cairns – Carole Forrester
- Cassowary Coast – Barbara Somerville
- Mossman-Port Douglas – Barbara Somerville
- Tablelands – TBA