ABC Radio interview – COVID-19 vaccine equity in South-Western Sydney

Dr Ken McCroary, SSWGP Link Chair, was interviewed on ABC Radio, PM with Linda Mottram. He pointed out that hundreds of GP clinics in South Western Sydney at present have be told that they will not have access to mRNA vaccines to deliver to their communities in 2021.

We’ve got about 300 practices that have been told in South Western Sydney, that they will be getting zero allocation at all, of mRNA vaccines for the entirety of 2021… Anyone who can be able to give vaccines, we need to get supply spread throughout every region we can, both in cities where we’re having outbreaks, and to the regions…

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm/1,029-new-delta-cases-in-nsw/13515806

GP LINK Lunches – Continuing 2 Be Me Program

Kelly Lee is a clinical psychologist and Operations Manager of Enhanced Services, and Shona Dutton is the General Manager of Clinical Services for Parramatta Mission.

SSWGPLink Chair, Dr Ken McCroary, spoke to Kelly Lee and Shona Dutton about the Continuing 2 Be Me Program, a psychological treatment service for people living in residential aged care facilities, and available in South Western Sydney. More information about this program is available here: https://www.swsphn.com.au/c2bme

gp-link-lunches-c2bme-draftDownload

Northside Macarthur psychiatry crisis advice service for GPs

Our local psychiatry group has set up a fantastic phone support service for SWS GPs!

Northside Macarthur has psychiatrists available to provide advice on diagnosis, medication, other treatment and pathways to care. GPs are invited to text 0407 466 687 with their contact details and state ‘please call Dr X regarding advice’ and Northside Macarthur psychiatrists will respond as soon as practicable. Please be aware the advice provided is limited, Northside Macarthur does not take responsibility for the clinical decisions made and this service is not a short-cut to getting appointments with this clinic.

Mental health impacts as COVID-19 cases rise

SSWGPLink Chair, Dr Ken McCroary speaks with the Wollondilly Advertiser about the mental health impacts of rising cases, and the critical role of vaccinations.

The Macarthur General Practice GP urged all locals to speak to their GP about what option would be best for them.

https://www.wollondillyadvertiser.com.au/story/7384736/macarthur-gp-concerned-about-mental-health-impact-as-covid-19-cases-rise/

GPs need access to fit-testing

SSWGPLink Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Tam, discusses the importance of N95 mask fit-testing in newsGP.

Without the fit-testing, N95s are still better than nothing, but it’s chancy. For it to be demonstratively effective – and it would be the standard in other industries – if you’re going to be using a respirator … it does really need to be fit-tested.

https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/poll-suggests-93-of-gps-have-not-been-offered-resp

Specialist GP perspective on coronary artery calcium scoring

SSWGPLink Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Tam, comments on the new Heart Foundation guidance on CAC scoring in The Medical Republic.

I think it is fair to say that it is plausible that CAC may have important clinical benefits in some settings, but this has yet to be well demonstrated and it is also plausible that it may actually have little overall impact on hard patient outcomes. https://medicalrepublic.com.au/calcium-score-gets-cautious-backing-from-heart-foundation/45706

More funding and vaccines to GPs

SSWGPLink Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Tam, discusses what is needed for Australia to have vaccinated its population by end-of-2021 in newsGP.

Completing the vaccination program in 2021 is plausible, but GPs say additional funding and delivering mRNA vaccines will be crucial.

https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/what-is-needed-to-get-australians-vaccinated-by-de

Is it time to stop using statistical significance?

SSWGPLink Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Tam, published with other Specialist GP academics in Australian Prescriber, the problems of using “statistical significance” in interpreting clinical papers.

Over-reliance on statistical significance and p values may lead to incorrect conclusions. Trial reports about drugs should therefore avoid the term statistical significance and quote p values with caution.

https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/is-it-time-to-stop-using-statistical-significance

The red eye – a practical management approach

SSWGPLink Chair, Dr Michael Tam, published this practical GP-centred approach to managing the red eye in Medicine Today.

Many of the common causes of red eye can be recognised and treated in primary care using a diagnostic framework that includes a few key questions and assessments. However, decisive referral for specialist ophthalmology assessment and treatment may be required.

https://medicinetoday.com.au/2020/december/regular-series/red-eye-%E2%80%93-practical-management-approach