| Project Objectives / Summary:
This was an inter-Divisional initiative undertaken in collaboration with allied health, infectious disease and mental health experts and general practice organisations. The program was overseen by a steering committee comprising representatives of each of the collaborating organisations and was centrally coordinated by a Program Manager based at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST).
The project had the following aims:
- Supporting Victorian GPs to provide comprehensive and coordinated care to Humanitarian program entrants and other patients from refugee like situations; and
- Enhancing the capacity of Victorian GPs to contribute to the early identification and management of physical and psychological health problems in recent arrivals and other patients from refugee backgrounds.
Project Collaboration:
The acknowledgements section of the report lists an extensive range of individuals and organisations involved, including other Divisions. There was a significant level of GP involvement.
Project Outcomes:
There was significant GP involvement in the project. Overall, 169 GPs had contact with the Program with 55 GPs participating actively across the pilots and in professional development activities.
The project had three specific resource outcomes:
- A resource manual documenting the professional development program for replication in Victoria and nationally.
- A report of the general practice pilots undertaken, including an analysis of the key policy implications.
- "Caring for Refugee Patients in General Practice: A Desktop Guide", including the findings of the general practice pilots and other program activities.
Disseminating Project Information:
Dissemination was ongoing throughout the project and included:
- copies of the Desk Top Guide were given to all participating GPs and, through Divisions, to other GPs; they were also edited with information to make them suitable for distribution interstate
- agreement was reached with the RACGP to publish the "Caring for Refugee Patients in General Practice" document on its website
- presentation of pilot findings to senior policy staff from GPDV, the State Health Department and the State Office of the Commonwealth Department
- Poster display at the National Divisions Forum in November 2001; this will be used for further publicity on the project findings.
Lessons / Assessment:
The Division states that this project was the first of its kind i.e. to actively engage GPs, allied health professionals and relevant experts to support GPs to provide high quality and sensitive care to people from refugee backgrounds.
The general consensus was that the program would have been enhanced if more intensive effort had been placed into promotion and creating linkages between it and GPs and Divisions. Project duration and demand on resources prevented this from occurring to the most desirable extent.
Its success is highlighted by the decision of the Division to seek additional funding to continue this work This would enable the work to encompass other areas in Victoria where there is a significant refugee population (eg Geelong and the Goulburn Valley).
ADGP believes that this project met a significant need and has been well embraced by those involved. |
