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East Metropolitan Health Service Hospital Liaison GP Update

20 Nov 2024
Uncategorised

Co-HIVE Aged Care Service

The East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) Community Health in a Virtual Environment (Co-HIVE) Aged Care Service is a geriatrician-led, virtual health care initiative designed for individuals residing in residential aged care homes (RACHs) in Western Australia. Co-HIVE provides unique, comprehensive, high-quality, and coordinated clinical care to older adults, prioritising the most suitable setting for their needs.

GPs can refer older adults residing in a RACH within EMHS catchment and aged 65 or older (or 50 for consumers who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) if they have:

  • Complex care needs requiring one or more of geriatrician led evaluation, management, or care planning, especially to avoid deterioration and/or emergency department presentation, and/or;
  • Recently been discharged from an EMHS hospital, and the GP would like assistance with:
    • complex geriatric care needs
    • advance care planning
    • ongoing medication titration or analgesia management.

To make referral to this service, contact Co-HIVE Service on 08 9224 1807 between 8.30am and 5.00pm and provide the following information:

  • Demographic details
  • RACH details
  • Reason for referral including a concise description of the consumers medical condition or reason for seeking care
  • Advance Care Plan details.

Hospital staff will also arrange Co-HIVE for suitable RACH patients being discharged from EMHS hospitals.

More information is available on the Co-HIVE service website or Co-HIVE Service.

Bidi Wungen Kaat – St James Transitional Care Unit’s prevention and recovery program open to GP referrals

GPs are now able to refer adults living in the East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) catchment, who require a step up from the community to manage their mental health, without the need to present to an emergency department (ED) facility.

The Bidi Wungen Kaat – St James Transitional Care Unit prevention and recovery program provides an evidence-based, innovative approach to mental health care delivered by the EMHS in St James, within the Town of Victoria Park. The 20-person Prevention and Recovery Unit is a sub-acute residential service providing contemporary staged recovery support for people experiencing complex emotional issues. Referral to the service should not be for medication adjustment or diagnostic clarification.

Please note that people in crisis or presenting as a risk to themselves or others, need to be assessed in an ED for assessment.  Bidi Wungen Kaat is a sub-acute step-up/step-down service which is not set up to provide crisis admissions, or support for people requiring an acute level of mental health care. Also, patients with acute medical needs may not be admitted to the unit as the unit is not equipped with emergency medication trolley and is not supported by acute medical care teams.

For further information about the service, programs, referrer fact sheets including eligibility and brochures, please refer to East Metropolitan Health Service – Bidi Wungen Kaat Centre.

GP referral process:

Please phone 08 6315 3000 to discuss potential suitability of a referral(s). Although the residential service operates 24/7, the Clinical Nurse Manager/Service Lead is only available to assess or discuss referrals Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.00pm.Please send a referral letter or form from your practice software to PRU.TCUReferrals@health.wa.gov.au for Prevention and Recovery Unit. If you are unable to email, fax referral to 08 6315 3024 (unfortunately secure messaging is not currently available).  Once the information is faxed, please call and confirm the receipt of the referral. Include the following information:

  • Your patient’s contact details including mobile phone number (and if known, Unit Medical Record Number)
  • Psychiatric/ mental health problem
  • Alcohol and substance misuse
  • Medical history and allergies
  • Medication
  • Risks – suicide/ self-harm (if yes, last episode of self-harm/ suicide)
  • Violence
  • Any other risks identified
  • Past or current community team/ private psychiatrist/ psychologist involvement
  • Expectations/ goals for admission.

On receipt of a GP referral, the Bidi Wungen Kaat team will discuss the referral in the multidisciplinary team meeting:

  • Based on the outcome of the referral meeting, if the service is likely to be appropriate for your patient, they will be contacted directly for further assessment by phone and/or a time made to attend the unit for a suitability assessment. If they are accepted for admission, we’ll inform them of the outcome straight after the suitability assessment. We will notify the outcome to the referrer via email. Beds may not be immediately available on acceptance. Clinical responsibility remains with the GP until such time as the person is admitted to the service.
  • If Bidi Wungen Kart is not appropriate for your patient, EMHS will inform you of the outcome in a timely manner via email.

The Bidi Wungen Kaat team look forward to hearing from GPs with further questions around this service, referral process or if GPs would like to discuss whether one of your patients may benefit from this service.

 

April 2024
EMHS direct access endoscopy referrals – allocation to hospital with shortest wait time

To ensure care is received as soon as possible, East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) allocates direct access endoscopy referrals to the EMHS Hospital with the shortest wait time.

When referring patients living in the EMHS catchment for direct access endoscopy:

  • Please advise patients that they may not receive care at the hospital closest to home, but at the EMHS hospital with the shortest wait time. EMHS hospitals include Royal Perth Hospital, Bentley Health Service, Armadale Health Service, Kalamunda Hospital and SJOG Midland Public Hospital.
  • If your patient has specific needs that inhibit travel or make it difficult to attend a hospital that is not near the patient’s home, please specify this on the referral.

If there is a concern with referral allocation after the referral has been accepted by an EMHS hospital, patients can telephone the hospital the referral has been allocated to and request the Elective Surgery Waitlist Department to directly discuss their needs.

This will assist in supporting timely access and care for the EMHS community.

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith
Hospital Liaison GP, Royal Perth Bentley Group
Jacquie.Garton-Smith@health.wa.gov.au

August 2022
Bentley Health Service (BHS) Antenatal Clinics phased reopening

As part of a phased approach, some antenatal care is recommencing at Bentley Health Service (BHS) under the care of the Armadale team. Please continue to send antenatal referrals for patients residing in the Bentley area to Armadale or KEMH as per existing arrangements* until further notice.

After referral to Armadale Antenatal Clinic, clinic staff will arrange for Bentley-area patients to have their antenatal care at Bentley where this is suitable.

The BHS birthing ward remains closed and BHS antenatal clinic patients will birth at Armadale Hospital. Please direct concerns arising between clinic appointments about patients receiving antenatal care at Bentley to the Armadale Maternity Service.

*Please send antenatal referrals to EMHS Obstetrics directly to the relevant hospital rather than to CRS.

For Bentley-area antenatal patient referrals:

Gynaecology referrals continue to be referred via the CRS.

Dr Sarah Wade
Director General Practice, Armadale Health Service
Sarah.Wade@health.wa.gov.au

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith
Hospital Liaison GP, Royal Perth Bentley Group
Jacquie.Garton-Smith@health.wa.gov.au

June 2021
EMHS Voluntary Assisted Dying Program

East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) is implementing a Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Program to support VAD becoming a legally available option from 1 July 2021.

EMHS Clinical Lead for VAD, Dr Clare Fellingham, says upholding patient autonomy and dignity is fundamental to the care we provide across EMHS hospitals, and the EMHS recognises that VAD will soon be available to eligible patients in accordance with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 (WA).

“As a health service provider dedicated to delivering excellence in health care to the community we serve, we will be working within the legislative framework to ensure VAD is accessible from 1 July 2021 when the law comes into effect”.

Please direct all GP queries about VAD to the Statewide Care Navigator Service (SWCNS). From July 1, the SWCNS will also be accepting VAD referrals and patient queries. The SWCNS can be contacted by email and phone during standard work hours (8:30 am – 5:00 pm) on VADcarenavigator@health.wa.gov.au or (08) 9431 2755.

VAD assessments will be provided at EMHS by participating practitioners who have undergone rigorous training approved by the Department of Health WA , and referral pathways are being developed in conjunction with the SWCNS. In addition, EMHS are appointing a dedicated VAD program manager to support patients and their families should their VAD journey occur at EMHS.

Further information is available on the DoH Voluntary Assisted Dying and the EMHS Voluntary Assisted Dying webpages.

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith,
Hospital Liaison GP, Royal Perth Hospital
Email:Jacquie.Garton-Smith@health.wa.gov.au
Mondays and Thursdays

Important changes to Gastroenterology ASI at Bentley Hospital

Effective immediately, gastroscopies and colonoscopies will no longer be delivered at Bentley Hospital under the Ambulatory Surgery Initiative (ASI). These procedures will instead transition to direct access endoscopy only.

Patients already on the waiting list will not be affected by these changes.

For new referrals, Bentley Hospital will no longer accept gastroenterology endoscopy referrals for “out-of-catchment” patients and, as a result, it is anticipated East Metro Health Service catchment patients will have earlier access to direct endoscopy.

The referral process for GPs will still be via the Central Referral Service (CRS). Pending an updated endoscopy referral form, the existing referral form (mentioning ASI) can still be used and CRS will forward referrals of the Royal Perth Bentley Group-catchment patients to Royal Perth Bentley Group.

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith,
Hospital Liaison GP, Royal Perth Hospital
Email:Jacquie.Garton-Smith@health.wa.gov.au
Mondays and Thursdays

October 2020
EMHS 2020 Communicating for Safety GP Survey update

Many thanks to the 109 respondents who gave their time to help the East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) understand how GPs are finding communication from Royal Perth, Bentley, Armadale, Kalamunda and St John of God Midland Public Hospitals and how this can be improved.

There was a good representation of GPs responding from practices across the EMHS metropolitan catchment, as well as rural and remote areas, and from mainstream GPs as well as Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services GPs.

The feedback provided was rich in detail and extremely valuable. Results are currently being analysed. Key findings will be published in future editions of GP Connect, along with actions planned.

August 2020
Royal Perth Bentley Group – Discharge of Outpatients not booked or planned for further review

A routine audit has identified patients previously been seen in Royal Perth or Bentley outpatients who do not have any further appointments booked or planned with that speciality but have not formally had their outpatient care discharged from our database.

Letters will be sent to the recorded GP of any patient who will be discharged under this audit.

Patients will receive a letter if their last outpatient appointment with that speciality was in the past two years.

 If your patient requires further outpatient care that was not envisaged at the time of last outpatient review, please re-assess the patient and send an updated referral to the Central Referral Service.

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith, Hospital
Liaison GP, Royal Perth Hospital
Email:Jacquie.Garton-Smith@health.wa.gov.au
Mondays and Thursdays

July 2019
The ‘Tackling aging and life limiting illnesses: Helping our patients to make the most of life’ GP update was held on Saturday 31 August by East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) including Armadale Kalamunda Group, Royal Perth Bentley Group and St John of God Midland Public Hospital clinicians in partnership with WA Primary Health Alliance; HealthPathways WA. 40 GPs attended with very positive feedback and evaluation, especially on the topics selected, and the discussion and networking opportunities.

Sessions on “Helping Our Older Patients Live Better with Chronic Conditions” included quizzes and presentations on osteoporosis, COPD and heart failure.

“Helping Our Frail Older Patients to Stay at Home” provided an overview of EMHS older adult services and the opportunity for GPs to meet and discuss referral pathways and cases with staff. HealthPathways WA gave a rundown on useful pathways in this space.

The “Clarifying Confusion” practical case studies relating to Delirium, Dementia and “Can I drive, Doc?” led to some lively table discussions, followed by some pointers and resources on these issues.

Our final session was on “Person-Centred Care when Life is Limited”. The Goals of Patient Care initiative was explained and we workshopped opportunities to provide better communication and collaboration around Goals of Patient care and Advance Care Planning discussions. The day wrapped up with a talk on assessing capacity.

Selected presentations from this and previous events are available on the RPH website. There is a valuable information on these topics and more on HealthPathways WA, especially under the Older Adult’s Health and End of Life sections. Please contact healthpathways@wapha.org.au if  need to arrange a login.

June 2019
Inspiring a recovery and improved physical health focus for people with mental health issues- EMHS Integrating Mental Health GP Workshop

Over 40 GPs joined East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) including Armadale Kalamunda Group, Royal Perth Bentley Group and St John of God Midland Public Hospital clinicians and WA Primary Health Alliance; HealthPathways WA staff on Saturday 18 May for a Mental Health GP Workshop. GPs shared valuable insights into their experiences of patients with mental health issues, the challenges they face and what support would be helpful. They also identified some key areas to improve integration of care across primary and specialist services, which will help inform future EMHS planning.

After an EMHS mental health services overview and a HealthPathways WA demonstration to help GPs navigate this complex space, we heard confronting statistics on the physical health gap for people with mental health issues and the importance of GPs helping to address these issues. See the Physical Health Check for Mental Health Patients health pathway for more information.

It was heartening to hear  there is great recovery potential for people affected by alcohol or meth addiction, personality disorders or at risk of suicide. Attendees were given useful strategies which can be helpful in a GP setting. Click here to download copies of the presentations or see links to the following useful resources :

 

 

Click here to find out more about the next EMHS/WAPHA GP event Tackling Aging and Life-limiting Illnesses: Helping our patients make the most of life  on Saturday August 31 at RPH.

 

Dr Jacquie Garton-Smith
Hospital Liaison GP, Royal Perth Hospital
jacquie.garton-smith@health.wa.gov.au
Generally available: Monday and Thursday

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