From January a 2021, the Australian Government will prohibit the importation of e-cigarettes containing vaporiser nicotine and nicotine-containing refills unless on prescription from a doctor1. ACRRM has been invited to provide input into communication of the proposed reforms, and educational activities to support understanding of the changes to prescribing and accessing e-cigarettes containing vaporised nicotine to GPs. If you are interested in participating on a voluntary basis, please read more for information.

Read more

For nearly 20 years James Cook University (JCU) has been calling on people like yourself to assist us in selecting the future medical workforce for regional, rural and remote Australia, and that time has come again. Regional, rural and remote communities suffer from poorer health outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts, and have less access to healthcare. The need in these communities for high quality, affordable healthcare as close to home as possible, requires a broadly-skilled medical workforce that is prepared to live in and serve those communities.

Read more

Electronic prescribing is being implemented in General Practices and Community Pharmacies across Australia through a managed approach of testing and continuous improvement across a growing number of electronic prescribing Communities of Interest (COI) according to the Australian Digital Health Agency. Communication between local pharmacies and local practices is critical - to ensure both are ready to rollout electronic prescriptions. The functionality is now available in Best Practice, Medical Director and Zedmed and Members interested in getting started should contact their software vendor.

Read more

This week 86 enthusiastic Independent Pathway registrars attended their week-long education workshop, which was held online for the first-time. Over the duration of the week, registrars were engaged in various sessions relevant to the Rural Generalist curriculum including acute rheumatic fever, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, Cultural safety, Communication and consultation skills, Diabetes, Mental health, Men's health, Dermatology, ENT emergencies and many more.

Read more

ACRRM has been invited to nominate a member to the Reference Committee for this review, which will be coordinated by the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance (ASHA) together with the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM). If you would like to nominate for this position, please contact Jenny Johnson as soon as possible, and before Wednesday, August 11, including a copy of a recent resume or a short outline of any relevant qualifications or experience.

Read more

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are being sought for members of the proposed Resources Medical Advisory Committee (RMAC). RMAC will provide independent, strategic medical advice to Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) that will support the regulatory framework in place to protect the occupational health of Queensland’s resource sector workers.

Read more

On behalf of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, we express our deepest sympathy to the family, colleagues and peers of RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon, who passed away yesterday, 26 July 2020.

Read more

The Australian Digital Health Agency’s free electronic prescription eLearning course is available online and provides an introduction to electronic prescriptions to increase your awareness of how to use them within your daily workflow.

Read more

The College submission to the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Australian Government’s Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has now been released by the Committee and is available on the College website. Based on the COVID experiences to date, ACRRM’s submission notes what has worked well, and makes a number of recommendations both for future disaster planning and management and within the broader medical policy context.

Read more

ACRRM is working closely with the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) and other stakeholders to keep rural communities connected with the improved integration of digital health. The Communities of Excellence Program connects healthcare providers to the national My Health Record system, along with secure messaging and telehealth for patients.

Read more

Senior Australians are at greater risk of more serious illness if they catch coronavirus. As we move towards a COVIDSafe Australia, it is important for people at greater risk to take extra steps to protect themselves.

Read more

The Clinical Excellence Queensland Maternity team is interested in understanding you, your colleagues and consumers experiences during the coronavirus period (i.e. after 1 March 2020) by participating in a survey. The results from these surveys will help inform discussions about the future direction for maternity services and maximising the value of lessons arising from changes to service models.

Read more

Cancer Council Victoria is seeking to interview a College representative to discuss identified gaps in skin cancer prevention and detection in the health workforce with a goal to plan and deliver strategies to help fill these gaps over the coming 3 years. Specifically, these discussions will help to inform resources, training and other types of support for health professionals engaging in skin cancer prevention and early detection.

Read more

This week marks the end of Professor Paul Worley's term as the inaugural National Rural Health Commissioner. The College takes this opportunity to acknowledge and commend the work of Professor Worley's leadership and commitment to rural and remote medicine, which has been crucial to bringing a National Rural Generalist Pathway (NRGP) to life.

Read more

As a member of the Close the Gap Steering Committee, the College is pleased to support the newly released Report on Engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Read more

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is implementing changes to allow Practice Nurses (enrolled and registered nurses) to complete the certifier section of relevant NDSS registration and access forms following written confirmation of the diabetes diagnosis from the General Practitioner/medical practitioner.

Read more

Many people experience an increase in asthma symptoms and find their asthma harder to control during winter. Among adults and children with asthma, emergency department presentations and hospitalisation rates peak during the winter months which is likely due to the increase in respiratory infections and the annual winter flu season.

Read more

The College has been invited to nominate a representative to join the Emerging Minds GP Special Interest Group to assist with reviewing content for an eLearning on Child Mental Health Skills Training (4hrs). The course is currently in development and comprises four modules covering identification, assessment, care planning and support required for children aged 5-11 at risk of or experiencing mental health difficulties.

Read more

To minimise the harm caused by opioid prescription medicines to Australians each year, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is continuing to implement a number of regulatory changes which aim to ensure the safe and effective prescribing and use of opioids while maintaining access for patients who need them.

Read more

Queensland Health has established a Reform Planning Group to prepare advice for the Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services on how best to harness opportunities from Queensland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more