Hepatitis B and C webinar series - GPHN

VHHITAL and Gippsland PHN invite GPs and primary healthcare professionals to attend a series of webinars in early September.

The three informative and interactive webinar sessions aim to improve the confidence of primary health care workforce based in Gippsland PHN catchment area to effectively screen, treat and manage patients living with hepatitis B and C. The series will also aim to empower GPs and Nurse Practitioners based in Gippsland PHN to participate in VHHITAL HBV S100 Prescriber Course.  

Please note: This series of webinars will contain localised data and information for the primary health care workforce in the Gippsland PHN region. However, much of the content is relevant to the entire Victorian workforce and registrations are open to all primary health care workers in Victoria.

Session 1 - Hepatitis B and C Essentials (Lunch break webinar)

Date/Time: Tuesday, 1st September 2020, 12:00pm – 1:00pm (1 hour)

Epidemiology update of hepatitis B and C (including prevalence data of GPHN) 

Presenter: Jennifer MacLachlan | Epidemiologist, WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Doherty Institute 

Inclusive healthcare practice: tackling stigma and discrimination 

Presenters: HEPSpeakers and Health Promotion Educator of Hepatitis Victoria

Session 2 – Hepatitis B: An Update for Primary Care (GPHN)

Date/Time: Wednesday 2nd September 2020, 7:00pm – 8:30pm (1.5 hour)

Additional topics: including hepatitis B and D co-infection, the local perspective of shared-care, and collaboration between community prescriber and specialist, and reference to the Gippsland HealthPathways. 

Presenter: Dr Lester Mascarenhas | HBV S100 GP Prescriber

Guest speaker: Dr Julian Rong, Gastroenterologist

Session 3 – An Update of Curing Hepatitis C in Primary Care (GPHN)

Date/Time: Thursday 10th September, 7:00pm – 8:30pm (1.5 hour)

Presenter: Dr Matt Penn, HIV & HBV S100 Dual Prescriber

NB - By registering for this event you will automatically be registered for all three sessions and Zoom links will be emailed out 1-2 days prior to the event. For each session, participants will receive a Statement of Attendance. In order for RACGP and ACCRM points to be applied, participants are expected to attend all three sessions. If you are unable to attend all sessions, please still register and attend those that you can as you will still be able to self-claim the points via the relevant accreditaion body using the Statement of Attendance.

Continuing Professional Development: RACGP and ACCRM accreditation in progress, 1xs100 HBV points

Learning outcomes:

• Increase understanding of the impact of stigma and discrimination on client outcomes
• Improve patient outcomes through early diagnosis, follow up, and appropriate management of hepatitis B and C, including vaccination for hepatitis B.
• Ensure regular screening of at-risk patients and confidently interpret hepatitis B and hepatitis C test results
• Discuss with patients the hepatitis B treatment options and importance of regular monitoring
• Describe hepatitis C treatment guidelines and mechanisms for prescribing in consultation with or without a specialist
• Assess for advanced liver disease, monitor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and refer appropriately