Workshops

Please find below descriptions for the workshops that are to be held at the conference.

Friday 3 October
Saturday 4 October
Sunday 5 October

Friday 3 October

10.30 - 12.30

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health: What Actually Works
This workshop will be a series of presentations from Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander health services and other health providers delivering evidence based presentations on success stories in Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders health.

Getting started in Research - Develop your Research Questions
A workshop run by academic GPs for novice researchers
Presenters: Marie Pirotta, Dimity Pond, Mark Nelson

This interactive workshop will begin with a brief introduction to quantitative and qualitative research. Participants will then be broken up into groups to develop their own research ideas with assistance from the facilitators. The workshop is aimed towards novice or early career researchers looking for help to refine their research question and assistance with their methodological approach.

General practitioner registrar workshop 1: the pursuit of excellence in general practice
Presenters: Dr Naomi Harris, A/Prof Steve Trumble , Dr Stuart Anderson, Dr David Tye

The exciting specialty of general practice continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of our communities in Australia . At every stage of our learning lifecycle, we are continually challenged to excel in our profession. This workshop will touch on

• How registrars can excel during their training program
• How we can master the vast amounts of knowledge expected of GPs today
• Valuable tips and tricks in practice management and innovations in practice management/IT.

Screening for Disease: the Role of Genetics
Presenter: Prof Jon Emery

This workshop will use interactive, case-based discussions to discuss the growing role of genetic medicine in screening for disease and disease risk. It will discuss the role of the family history as a simple screening test and the use of currently available genetic tests in general practice for screening at various life stages. Genetic tests including predictive tests for ischaemic heart disease and drug response which are likely to become available soon will also be presented.

Setting standards and the process of accreditation (Part 1 and 2)
Setting standards (Part 1)
Presenter: Lynton Hudson

This session will focus on some of the concepts which underpin the Standards for general practices developed within the RACGP. It will provide an opportunity for people involved in standards development to discuss those concepts, and will be of particular interest to international delegates who are active in the area. Issues such as the audience and purpose of standards and the ‘level' at which standards are set will be discussed.

Setting standards (Part 2)
Presenter: Lynton Hudson

This session will build on the Part 1 session. The focus of this session will be on some of the current questions and challenges which arise in the development of standards for general practices (clinics and settings). Issues such as advancing technology, clinical indicators and changes in models of care will be among those discussed. This session will also be of special interest to delegates who are working in the area of standards-setting, safety and quality.

Clinical issues in women's health in the region
This workshop aimed at general practitioners with an interest in women's health will feature several invited speakers who will present and discuss current clinical issues in women's health facing family doctors in their particular setting. Participants will be invited to join a discussion highlighting innovative models or solutions that have been applied in individual countries to address these issues.

Balint Workshop
Presenters: Dr Bill Betts, Dr John Barton

Balint work is a method of small group learning wherein GPs learn to better understand the doctor-patient relationship and use it skillfully as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Participants will present and discuss cases. The workshop will also address the aims, methods and potential outcomes of Balint work.

This workshop will be presented in the following sessions: Friday at 10.30 – 12.30, 15:30 – 17:00, Saturday 15:30 – 17:30 and Sunday 10:30 – 12:30

15.30 - 17.00

The Illness Narrative: Our Core Business in Family Medicine?
Presenter: Professor Trisha Greehalgh

The consultation is the natural unit of analysis when considering the work of the general practitioner, community nurse, pharmacist or therapist. It has been fashionable for some years to talk about ‘the illness narrative' and ‘the narrative turn', and these phrases chime with the traditional core values of both family doctors and nurses. But ‘narrative based medicine' sits uncomfortably with the contemporary discourses of performance management, audit, structured care, risk management and policy must-dos, all of which claim a clear evidence base. How can we square this circle – and to what extent should we? Bring stories about practice, a reflective attitude, and energy to this interactive workshop.

GP Registrar Workshop 2: A lifetime of cautionary tales and practice tips
Presenter: Professor John Murtagh

This workshop provides a unique opportunity to learn from a well known General Practitioner who has been instrumental in shaping general practice in Australia . Professor Murtagh will share:

• Anecdotes on the lessons he has learnt in his long, highly distinguished career,
• Aphorisms and sayings to guide us in our journey as a General Practitioner
• Tips on Diagnosis and Management for "bread and butter" conditions, that is not usually taught or read in textbooks

Aboriginal people: How to work better with us
This workshop will be a series of presentations and/or a special workshop delivering key messages on how best to work with Aboriginal people in the health sector and to "engage" better with Aboriginal patients.

General Practice: From the medical student's perspective
Presenters: Mr Michael Bonning, Dr Naomi Harris & Mr Joe Rotella

This session will present an opportunity for medical students and other interested delegates to learn more about the General Practice Students Network (GPSN) as well as discuss issues in General Practice relating to medical students and possible solutions to address them.

Saturday 4 October

10.30 - 12.30

Cardiovascular Disease – A Regional Challenge
Presenter: Mark Nelson

The ‘Westernisation' of the Asia Pacific region has brought with it an increasing burden of ‘Western' diseases including CVD. The Interheart study has demonstrated that CVD risk factors are variable in importance in different populations but are nevertheless universal. This workshop looks at the importance of primary care in managing risk factors for this disease and promotes a targeted response through the concept of absolute CVD event risk stratification for effective interventions rather than the traditional approach of managing risk factors in isolation.

Making your clinic run smarter: a show and tell session
Presenters: Neville Steer, Huy An

This session will focus on tools and tips developed by the RACGP to assist general practices to run efficiently and effectively. The reliable and efficient running of a general practice underlies consistent high quality care, and this session will be structured to allow participants to see practical materials developed by Australian GPs for their peers. We encourage participants to bring their own tips and tools, and use this session as a ‘marketplace' for good ideas.

Women and Family Medicine 1: Challenges and Opportunities in the Region

The Complete GP

Rural Workshop: MedicallLeadership in interprofessional practice
Presenters: Mr Richard Lawrance and Dr Tim Malloy

What are the success factors in multidisciplinary health teams? This workshop explores the GP's role as the medical leader in a multidisciplinary team. Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership model is used to introduce participants to a simple suite of interpersonal strategies to manage a leadership role in the ever-changing practice setting.

Preventive activities in general practice: the latest recommendations and how to implement them in practice
Presenter: Mark Harris

This workshop will provide highlights of the latest recommendations from the RACGP Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice 2008 7th edition (the ‘red book'). Issues involved in the implementation of these in current general practice will then be explored in small group discussion. This will include the conduct of preventive health checks as well as more opportunistic care.

Patient safety: a show and tell session
Presenters: Beres Wenck, Genevieve Hopkins

This session will focus on tools and tips developed by the RACGP to assist general practices to optimise the safety of their patients. The ongoing interest in patient safety is resulting in more formal tools and materials for general practices. This session will be structured to allow participants to see practical materials developed by Australian GPs for their peers. We will also discuss our materials for improving the safety of doctors and their teams. We encourage participants to bring their own tips and tools, and use this session as a ‘marketplace' for good ideas.

Women and Family Medicine 2: Young female trainees and doctors in family medicine

Diversity in the post-fellowship education

15.30 - 17.30

From inspiration to publication- getting your research into print
Domhnall MacAuley, Clinical Editor (Primary Care) BMJ, London

In selecting papers for publication, researchers and journals have different priorities. Both aim to increase knowledge to improve health. But, journals seek to communicate the best quality research to their readers and, researchers seek publication increasingly, for personal and institutional esteem. This workshop will explain how journals work, the editorial process, criteria that journals use to select and reject manuscripts, and how to optimise your chances of publication. It will draw from experience at the BMJ, the highest impact international journal publishing original primary care research every week (Authors are welcome to bring along their own work).

Education the Future - Triumphs and challenges
This interactive workshop looks at the emerging challenges in GP education and provides an update on the way the RACGP is addressing them through its National Standing Committee – Education. Important issues throughout the Asia Pacific region include curriculum and training across the lifecycle of general practice, assessment of skills at all stages of development, and the increasing demands on GPs as teachers.

Best practice primary care in the Asia Pacific region
Presenters: Zorayda Leopando, Donald Li, Sugito Wonodirekso

The diversity of best practice primary care in the region will be explored in the workshop. There are significant differences in patient culture and expectations among the different countries in the region. Catering to increasing patient expectations, many practices are becoming very well equipped with a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic instruments and adopting a coordinated primary healthcare team approach. We will look at best practices in Indonesia, Philippines Hong Kong and other countries around the region that demonstrates excellence in patient care, with the help of well trained ancillary health care workers and nursing staff, provision of a wide range of services and how these practices are well managed with the help of computers and advanced information technology.

Discussions will be focused on differences in practice management, provision of innovative care, as well as quality assurance, audit and continuous improvement and professional development of primary medical care providers.

Computers in general practice
Presenter: Peter Schattner

This workshop will look at the role of computers in general practice, with a special emphasis on new developments. Specific topics will include electronic health records, IT and diabetes management, clinical decision support and an international comparison of computer usage in general practice. The workshop will have several presenters and will be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about how computers can assist the GP.

Teaching medicine in the community: keeping up with innovation - some practical tips
General practitioners are critical in the new face of medical education. We cater for increased number of learners and manage the various stages of learning simultaneously. How do we teach effectively in our context? This workshop explores some practical issues and solutions for teaching in our practices and communities.

Psychological problems of service
Australian Defence Force

Sunday 5 October

10.30 - 12.30

Responding to medical workplace violence
Presenter: Leanne Rowe

The murder of Dr Khulod Maarouf-Hassan in her general practice in June 2006 has challenged the medical profession to respond to the problem of violence in general practice. There is no single solution to preventing medical workplace violence. As such, this seminar takes a multidimensional approach, exploring the issues around workplace violence from the perspective of the patient/perpetrator, the GP and practice team, and the influence of the environment on maintaining a safe workplace.

Knowledge translation in primary care
This workshop targets those engaged and interested in quality improvement in general practice. It aims to highlight the knowledge translation process by showcasing examples of how evidence practice gaps are being closed in the primary care setting. Speakers will address components of the “knowledge to action” process which involves adaptation of knowledge tools such as guidelines to local contexts, assessment of barriers to practice change, development of interventions and evaluation of implementation of these interventions. Examples of current research and policy will be discussed.

Advanced generalism and specific interest GPs

Focus on dementia
Presenter: Dimity Pond

This interactive workshop will focus on issues relating to early identification and management of dementia in general practice. Topics discussed will include methods of early identification and breaking the news about dementia, relating to carers, driving, and potential use of practice nurses in this difficult area.

Journal clubs in general practice
This workshop will demonstrate a journal club in action according to QA&CPD guidelines. In this triennium such clubs can gain valuable points for practising GPs.

The club will focus on an article of clinical interest to practising GPs. Participants will bring a variety of clinical, educational and research skills to the discussion. There will be an opportunity for audience participation and reflection on ways in which such a club might be established and operate.