WA Primary Health Alliance acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners and Elders of this country and recognises the significant importance of their cultural heritage, values and beliefs and how these contribute to the positive health and wellbeing of the whole community. Service Provider Connect #98 - May 2024 In this edition:
Executive General Manager's foreword Procurement and contracting - Tender open - Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Pilot Supporting Primary Care, Local Link – PHN South
Strategic update - Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce - Scope of Practice Review Issues Paper #2 released
General information - Older Adult Mental Health Model of Service
- Head to Health
Sector information - Update your service in My Community Directory
News and media - The Big 5 for good mental health
- Holyoake to run Northam Head to Health
- Journey towards culturally safe care
Training and events - Mental health Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool training sessions
Resources - Commissioning policies and procedures
- Previous editions of Service Provider Connect
Executive General Manager's forewordThe Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care recently released the Primary Health Networks Strategy 2023-24, clarifying Primary Health Networks' (PHN) purpose, objective and key functions. It outlines the crucial role PHNs play in supporting health reform by driving local innovation to meet specific local health needs and supporting consistent local delivery of national and co-commissioned programs.
The PHN Strategy is well aligned to WA Primary Health Alliance’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan and our vision of health equity. A key focus for us is strengthening the link between general practice and commissioned service providers. GPs are often the gateway to other health care services, and bridging the gap between general practices and primary health care services will result in more people from priority populations accessing services in their local communities. We are working closely with GPs to raise awareness of the services we commission and encourage referrals to them.
Other priorities within the Primary Health Networks Strategy 2023-24 that will be of interest to our commissioned service providers include: - After hours program reform: Refocus on after hours commissioning on new program guidelines; commission multicultural access services for culturally and linguistically diverse communities; commission primary care access services for homeless people.
- Primary mental health services: Continue to coordinate and commission mental health services across the 8 mental health priority areas.
- Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) treatment and workforce: Continue to increase access to AOD treatment services and build capacity within AOD sector.
- Integrated team care: Improve health outcomes for Aboriginal people with chronic conditions through better access to care coordination and multidisciplinary care, support self-management and improve access to culturally appropriate mainstream care services; work with Department on transition to direct funding.
I look forward to continuing to work with and support our commissioned service providers across Western Australia on projects, services and other activities.
Regards Mark Cockayne Executive General Manager Commissioned Services Procurement and Contracting Tender open - Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Pilot Supporting Primary Care, Local Link – PHN South The open tender process has now commenced for the Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (FDSV) Primary Care Link service in Perth South PHN. This is part of the Supporting Primary Care FDSV PHN Pilot. WAPHA is now seeking proposals from organisations delivering support to victims of family violence, sexual violence and/or child sexual abuse that are interested in providing a primary care support and linkage service in Armadale, Gosnells and Canning LGAs. The FDSV Primary Care Link service aims to improve the effectiveness of the primary care response to FDSV and integrate this into the broader local support system. It will assist primary care providers to increase their skills and confidence, create safe environments for disclosure and work collaboratively with specialist FDSV providers to improve care pathways. Find out more and how to apply at www.wapha.org.au/tender/. Closing Date is 31 May 2024 at 2:00PM (AWST).
Subscribe to receive notification of WAPHA tenders. Strategic Update Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce - Scope of Practice Review Issues Paper #2 released
This review commenced in September 2023, due to a priority recommendation from the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report to review barriers and incentives for all health professionals to work to their full scope of practice. Issues Paper #1 was released in early February 2024, followed by consultations with primary health care professionals in each state and territory.
Issues Paper #2 provides an overview of the evidence collected to date from literature review, submissions and consultations, and outlines options for reform based on the synthesis of this evidence. It also raises questions for consideration in the next round of consultation and next steps for the Review.
The paper proposes options for reform to enable health professionals to work to their full scope of practice and improve primary care. It proposes 8 policy reform options across 3 key themes – workforce design, development and planning; legislation and regulation; funding and payment policy.
The eight proposed options for reform include: - Development of a national skills and capability framework and matrix to improve understanding of health professional skills and capabilities and establish a basis for workforce planning.
- Development of primary health care capability to equip health professionals to practice effectively to full scope of practice.
- Early career and ongoing professional development, including multiprofessional learning and practice to maintain primary care skills and support the team to work together effectively.
- Risk-based approach to regulating scope of practice to complement protection of title approach to enable health professionals to more consistently work to full scope of practice.
- Independent, evidence-based assessment of innovation and change in health workforce models to inform legislation and regulation and enable contemporary best practice.
- Harmonised drugs and poisons regulation to support a dynamic health system by providing consistency and clarity between states and territories.
- Funding and payment models that incentivise multidisciplinary care teams working to full scope of practice to support the primary health care team.
- Direct referral pathways supported by technology that enable health professionals to make referrals within their scope and to improve access to care for consumers.
WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has provided input throughout the consultation process and will continue to monitor the findings and recommendations of the Review and participate in consultations as they arise.
General Information Older Adult Mental Health Model of Service
The WA Mental Health Commission has invited WA Country Health Service to lead the development of a Statewide Older Adult Mental Health (OAMH) Model of Service.
The OAMH Model will broadly define how the services are delivered using international, national and local evidence-based best practice principles. It will standardise current practice across the system and find practical ways of enhancing and reconfiguring services within current constraints.
The OAMH Model will support the overarching WA State Seniors Strategy which is a 10-year whole-of-government strategy, with action plans, developed by the Department of Communities to support older Western Australians to live their best life as they age. It will also inform the decisions made by the Ambulance Ramping Taskforce and in relation to the de-commissioning and reconfiguration of Graylands and Selby Older Adult Mental Health Services.
If you would like to participate in a consultation workshop and contribute within the development process, please email oamh.mosregistration@health.wa.gov.au by 17 May 2024. Head to Health
Head to Health helps people access the mental health and wellbeing services that are right for them, free of charge. It connects them with the help and support they need to keep mentally heathy. It makes it easier to navigate and choose the most suitable care options, whether that’s face-to-face, via phone, or online. It comprises the Head to Health website, the Head to Health Phone Service and a network of Head to Health centres and is funded by the Australian Government under the PHN Program.
A campaign to raise awareness of, and increase calls to, the phone service has completed its first round. While it will take time for Head to Health to become top of mind for the community when they are seeking mental health support, in the same way that Lifeline is, there has nonetheless been a significant increase in call volumes since the campaign began. The campaign is supported by local community engagement, with information about the service being well received by local groups such as social services and educational facilities.
Find out more about Head to Health
Sector Information Update your service in My Community Directory
WAPHA will no longer be maintaining your organisation’s information on My Community Directory, but we encourage you to continue to maintain your services listing as it provides consumers with relevant information about primary health care services available to them. If you deliver a mental health or alcohol and other drug service, your service listing will also automatically display in the Mental Health Commission’s My Services Directory.
Login to your My Community Directory account. Please note it is free for all health, social, and community services to list on the platform and free for all consumers to search. Our Awarded Contracts web page ensures transparency in our commissioning and allows us to convey the breadth of our funding. This replaces the previous Services page that was advertised in this publication.
News and Media The Big 5 for good mental health
Watch our latest Better Health, Together video, as Professor Nick Titov, Executive Director of MindSpot talks about The Big 5, an evidence-based tool that everyone can use to nurture and improve their mental health. Holyoake to run Northam Head to Health The community of Northam and surrounds will benefit from a new Head to Health site expected to open in June. Northam Head to Health will offer immediate free advice, support and, if needed, assessment and treatment for people with stress, anxiety and other mental health issues.
WA Primary Health Alliance has selected Holyoake as the lead agency to establish and operate the site following a competitive tender procurement process. Holyoake, an experienced, well-resourced, and well-connected service provider who have a long history in the community, has been awarded the contract to establish and run the site. They will be working closely with the local community and health services to ensure the service meets their needs and is well integrated into existing health and social service networks. This new site is part of a wider range of Head to Health services funded by the Australian Government available to the community including the Head to Health Assessment and Referral Phone Service 1800 595 212, Head to Health sites, and Head to Health website.
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