Increasing workforce capacity

1,900+

 medical professionals

1,300+

nurses in primary and

community settings

2,300+

 allied health professionals

31

face-to-face events

19

webinars

1,034

health professionals attended our events and webinars

In 2021-2022, our Primary Care Liaison team focused on providing support in the following areas:

Allied health sector development       

Recent data has identified a significant chronic disease burden with 39% of the local population diagnosed with one or more chronic conditions. Whilst the challenge of chronic disease is intertwined with many of our focus areas (including workforce, access, and collaborative care), we recognise the critical role of allied health providers in improving the health outcomes of our region.

With advances in technology and digital health, innovative service delivery models, access to data and an established, invaluable local allied health sector, the PHN is continually improving how we support this sector to grow to its full potential. In early 2021, we established a fortnightly update for our Allied

Health workforce with tailored information and opportunities. Over 600 allied health professionals have subscribed to these updates, and they have been read almost 4,000 times.

Through evidence-based practice and extensive co-design consultation with partners and primary care providers in our region through primary research including focus groups and an online survey, the ongoing development of the Allied Health Engagement Strategy will address the identified needs and reduce the barriers that are currently contributing to a siloed and under-resourced health sector. The development of this strategy is guided by the PHN’s Strategic Plan 2021-2024, the Health Needs Analysis, the National Allied Health in Primary Care Engagement Framework, and has been co-designed with key stakeholders.

The strategy responds to the following priority areas: 

After Hours program grants     

Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN recognises the additional demands currently being experienced across the health system, particularly during the after-hours period. This can result in long wait times for patients to access general practice appointments and care from hospital emergency departments.

To support general practice and increased demand, the PHN offered incentive payments and practice performance support tools for general practices to extend their opening hours into the after-hours period to:

• Address the additional demands currently being experienced across the health system and our communities.
• Support the ‘Living with COVID-19’ health care environment moving forward.
• Help optimise current practice resources, with a view to providing ongoing after-hours services.

The program was promoted to all general practices within the region, with 35 general practices responding and participating in the program. These practices were evaluated throughout the program to gauge patient demographics, types of after-hours presentations, and GP satisfaction with the program. The program resulted in 829 After Hours sessions and over 40,000 patient appointments conducted by participating practices, resulting in timely access to health care and significant savings when compared to standard emergency department presentation costs.

We received strong positive feedback from practices across our region:

“After hours sessions have been invaluable to our patients, particularly those who work fulltime.”

“The current program of after-hours funding would certainly be beneficial in supporting the cost of a registered nurse. This would allow a diversity of appointments for patients, such as health assessments, chronic disease management…”

The program highlighted an opportunity to further prioritise preventative health care and our PHN intends to update and continue this program to address the ongoing demands in the health system whilst supporting practices to deliver preventative health care to the entire community. 

35

practices in the program

726

total sessions provided

40,968

total patients seen

COVID-19

Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN has continued to support primary health respond to the COVID-19 pandemic during FY21-22.

To provide an integrated response, our PHN, West Moreton Health and Darling Downs Health have worked collaboratively to ensure critical information was delivered to GPs and health professionals in a timely and effective manner. This has included supporting the national vaccine rollout and evolving state and federal changes around vaccination recommendations, mask wearing, isolation periods and the long-term impacts of COVID-19 infection.

Through all this work, we have continued to engage with stakeholders, local, state and federal government departments and the community to keep all groups informed and safe.