Sunshine Coast

Country to Coast, QLD is urging residents to get vaccinated for whooping cough (pertussis) to protect our youngest community members after a spike in cases 1432 reported across the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Central Queensland already this year, compared with only 19 for the same period in 2023* We …

Upcoming CDM MBS item changes webinar – Wednesday 9 October 2024 RACGP are holding a webinar in October about the upcoming changes to chronic disease management items. This webinar will be very timely ahead of the changes commencing (pending passage of legislation) from 1 November. All General Practices, GPs, Practice …

Authorised Restrictive Practices can improve the quality of life of a care recipient however, it is essential to understand their use, benefits, and harm through guided monitoring and review, establishing clear guidelines and careful person-centred assessment. The Aged Care Act 1997 defines a Restrictive Practice as “any practice that has …

Our Healthy Ageing Team was in Biloela recently, alongside the local Dementia Alliance seeking feedback on our Dementia Journal Resource Pack, which also included a magnet developed in partnership with Dementia Australia.   Country to Coast, QLD Director of Healthy Ageing, Julie Dymock said these resources were developed to assist …

On 10 July, we announced national community health and support services provider, EACH, as the lead agent in the next stage of the reform journey, following a competitive tender process. EACH will work with a consortium of providers to establish 4 hubs in Rockhampton, Emerald, Gympie, and Hervey Bay by …

General Practice in Aged Care Incentive – accreditation and exemptions for non-traditional practices  Some general practitioners that deliver care to residential aged care homes operate as sole providers and mobile practices and until recently were not eligible for accreditation under the RACGP accreditation standards. Following consultation, the definition of a general practice …

In 2023, many RACHs applied for Telehealth grants. If you did receive a grant, please note the Telehealth Grant Impact Statement reporting is now overdue. You should have received multiple reminder communications from CCQ. Telehealth Support Grants are part of the Commonwealth’s response to Aged Care Reform. The grants increase …

  The new General Practice in Aged Care Incentive commenced on 1 July, providing incentive payments to general practices and general practitioners for delivering regular visits and care planning to permanent residents living in residential aged care. This may result in some changes in the way that general practitioners deliver services to residents living …

In October, we celebrate older Queenslanders and their ongoing contribution across the region —whether as older persons ageing in our community, or an aged care resident, carer, grandparent, or advocates. Seniors Month is all about increasing the social connectedness of older people and their communities because we all want to …

We all know people in our community who are at greatest risk of suffering severe symptoms from flu include people aged over 65, and people with a medical condition. While most residents and staff in aged care settings will already have received their annual flu shot, we can all do …

It is important to ensure the safety of our community, especially older people. Older age continues to be the biggest risk factor for severe COVID-19. Regular vaccination is the best protection from severe illness, hospitalisation or death from COVID-19. The recommendation from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is: …

There are upcoming changes to the National Bowel Screening Program. From 1 July 2024, the Department of Health is lowering the eligible screening age for the program from 50 to 45 years of age. What does this mean for patients aged 45-49? Eligible people aged 45 to 49 can be …

Country to Coast, QLD’s fourth round of Clinical Societies events wrapped up on 12 June, totaling more than 1000 participants and thousands more connections forged since the program launched in August 2023. CCQ Director for Healthy Ageing and host for Round four, Julie Dymock was delighted with the record attendance …

Did you know that the 2022 ransomware attack on an Australian health insurer exposed the sensitive data of 9.7 million Australians? Digital transformation in the primary care sector can unlock amazing opportunities and new ways of working, but it comes with risks that must be understood and managed. Cyber security, …

Country to Coast, QLD’s My Healthy Community survey is open until 14 July to all Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast residents aged 18 and over. Help us get the word out to your patients, staff and clients, so we can all understand what really keeps our community healthy …

In 2023, many RACHs applied for Telehealth grants. If you did receive a grant, please note the extended final due date for the Telehealth Grant Impact Statement for RACH is approaching fast, with submissions due at close of business, Tuesday 10 June 2024. You also should have received a reminder …

On 23 April, we reached out to all Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs) across the region to better understand how you use digital health in your everyday operations. We were also keen to hear how we could better support your facility, with help tailored to your individual needs. While we …

The General Practice in Aged Care (GPACI) Incentive payments will launch Monday 1 July 2024 and will replace the current Aged Care Access Incentive. GPACI  Incentive payments are available to participating general practices supporting older people living Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs) with regular visits and care planning services. The aim …