Health Promotion as a resource for everyday life, is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. It aims to enable people to increase control over their health, resulting in reaching a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. To achieve this, people must be able to identify and to realise aspirations, satisfy needs and change or cope with the environment. Therefore, health promotion is not only a responsibility of the health sector, but reaches beyond healthy lifestyles and wellbeing.

The objective of the health promotion project is to deliver and support the implementation of healthy lifestyle strategies and programs through educational visits to General Practitioners; Practice Nurses and practice staff; and the community.

Specific programs provided by Northern Sydney General Practice Network include:

• Lifestyle Modification Program (LMP)
• Assistance with Health Assessment Item Numbers
• Cervical Screening
• Youth Health
  

Lifestyle Modification Program (LMP): 'Reset Your life' 

PLEASE NOTE: Referrals into the Lifestyle Modification Program have now ceased.

However, please continue to utilise the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK) in order to identify individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.The AUSDRISK tool can be accessed here: AUSDRISK.

Please see below for some healthy lifestyle options that may assist your patients to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases:

GET HEALTHY INFORMATION AND COACHING SERVICE

A FREE service providing patients with information and ongoing health coaching support about how to improve their lifestyle. Participants of the Get Healthy Service will receive up to 10 free telephone-based health coaching calls over six months from a University qualified health professional. Patients can refer themselves, although some may then require medical clearance. Alternately, you can refer patients directly. For referral forms, brochures and further information please visit www.gethealthynsw.com.au.

SWAP IT, DONT STOP IT

"Swap it, don't stop it" campaign resources including an iPhone app, an online 12 week planner as well as helpful hints for making health dietary and physical activity swaps. Patient posters and brochures are also available at www.swapit.gov.au.

LIFESCRIPTS RESOURCES

Lifescripts resources aim to make it easier for GPs and their practices to manage lifestyle-related risk factors by providing a framework for:

• raising and discussing lifestyle risk factors with patients
• advice in the form of a written script and associated patient education and
• referral to other providers to support healthy lifestyle.

Online templates are available at www.health.gov.au/lifescripts and NSGPN also have a limited supply of Lifescripts packs available.

Health Assessments

The Australian Government has introduced a range of Health Assessment item numbers in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) to increase early detection of health risk factors common in specific population groups.

• Healthy Kids Check
• 45-49 year old Health Assessment
  
• 40-49 year old Type 2 Diabetes Risk Evaluation 
• 75+ Health Assessment
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HealthAssessment
• Comprehensive Medical Assessment
• Health assessment for refugees and other humanitarian entrants to Australia
• Health checks for people with intellectual disabilities

 

Item numbers	Time-Based Health Assessment	Fee
701	Brief Health Assessment of less than 30 minutes duration	$56.00
703	Standard Health Assessment lasting more than 30 minutes but less than 45 minutes	$130.10
705	Long Health Assessment lasting more than 45 minutes but less than sixty minutes	$179.45
707	Prolonged Health Assessment lasting more than 60 minutes	$253.60
715	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health assessment	$202.20
10986	Healthy Kids Check provided by a practice nurse or registered Aboriginal health worker	$56.00

 

Cervical Screening

Aiming to reduce morbidity and deaths from cervical cancer, the National Cervical Screening program recommends all women aged between 18 and 70 who have ever been sexually active have a Pap test every 2 years.

The NSW Pap Test Register is a secure and confidential database of women’s Pap test results and related follow-up tests. The Register's follow-up and reminder service to women encourages them to have a Pap test every 2 years. Women automatically join the Register after their first Pap test unless they opt otherwise.

NSGPN provides education and support to General Practices including updates on the register, utilisation of recalls and reminders and provision of multilingual patient information. The Network also promotes cervical screening in the community.  

For further information on any of the above contact:

Simon Iskandar

Primary Care Support Officer

(02) 9411 3533

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YOUTH HEALTH

NSGPN recognised the importance of health promotion for youth in the northern Sydney area. Our activities include:

1. GPs in High Schools education sessions, educating teenagers on general health and well being, mental health, substance and alcohol use/abuse, sexual health, sleep hygiene, confidentiality and ‘how your GP can help you’.
2. Youth forums which aim to uncover teenagers’ gaps in knowledge about primary health care, identifying the health needs that may need to be met for the local youth population.
3. Parent forums delivering up to date knowledge for parents of teenagers, addressing their concerns and providing information on available services.

GP adolescent health resources are available through the link http://www.caah.chw.edu.au/resources/.

For further information on Youth Health contact:

Dale Winckel

Primary Care Support Officer

(02) 9411 3533

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