Is it time to innovate?
The GP Plus initiative provides support packages to General Practice to undertake important practice reform.
Burden of Chronic Disease
As the burden of chronic disease increases within the community it will continue to impact on general practice demand.
Building systems
The ability to systematiclly provide chronic disease care and coordination will become a critical issue for general practice to manage this demand.
Effective Team Members
Practice Nurses who provide some of the care and coordination needs for these patients have been demonstrated to be effective.
GP Plus Practice Nurses are effective general practice team members
Applications
Practice Nurse Applications are currently closed
Recruitment for Round 6 of the GP Plus Practice Nurse Initiative will open in April 2009, please return to the website for regular updates or you can subscribe to our electronic newsletter
GP Plus Practice Nurses
A practice nurse is a Registered or Enrolled Nurse who is employed in the General Practice Setting and who provides general and / or specialist nursing services to General Practice.
Go to position description
A GP Plus Practice Nurse is engaged through the GPplus intiative and has completed a program of training and orientation to equip them with the skills and knowledge to provide particular focus on chronic disease management services. In addition the practice nurse assists in the development of systems to underpin chronic disease management such as data management and patient recalls and registers.
During the induction or secondment period the GP Plus Practice Nurse is supported by an experienced Mentor Practice Nurse from the local Division of General Practice.
General Practice
General Practices located within the metropolitan Divisions can apply for access to the GP Plus Practice Nurse support packages.
There are three types of support packages:
Package A - trial a Practice Nurse
The local Division will recruit a Practice Nurse to meet the needs identified by the designated practice in developing and managing their chronic disease systems.
The Practice Nurse is employed through the local Division of General Practice and is seconded to the designated general practice for a period of 20 weeks.
The practice must demonstrate a genuine intent to employ the practice nurse beyond the secondment term.
The Division will train, orientate and support the induction process of the Practice Nurse and through the support of a Divisional mentor nurse assist the Practice Nurse in the establishment of systems to underpin the practices chronic disease care.
Package B - directly employ a Practice Nurse
The local Division will assist a General Practice to identify their needs in regards to undertaking practice reform in the provision of chronic disease care and management.
Issues such as data cleaning and data mangement will also be assessed and recommendations made.
The Division if required will assist the General Practice in the recruitment of a Practice Nurse who is employed specifically to manage the systems required to provide effective chronic disease care and coordination.
The Practice Nurse is directly employed by the practice however the local Division will provide training, orientation and support the induction process of the Practice Nurse.
A Divisional mentor nurse will support and assit the Practice Nurse in the ongoing management of systems to underpin the practices chronic disease care and coordination for a period of 20 weeks during which time the Practice Nurse will acquire the level of competency required to be effective.
Package C - upskill an existing Practice Nurse
The local Division will assist a General Practice to identify their needs in regards to undertaking practice reform in the provision of chronic disease care and management.
Issues such as data cleaning and data mangement will also be assessed and recomendations made.
A Practice Nurse already employed by the practice will access training and support from the local Division to assist the reform process in the practice.
A mentor nurse will support and assist the Practice Nurse in the ongoing management of systems to underpin the practices chronic disease care and coordination for a period of 20 weeks during which time the Practice Nurse will acquire the level of competency required to be effective.