Western Health upper gastrointestinal and general surgery (UGIG) GP education evening 2026

Join us for an engaging GP education evening at the new Footscray Hospital, showcasing upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer services, referral pathways and practical management strategies in collaboration with Western Health specialists. This informative event will provide valuable insights into appropriate investigations, shared care opportunities and streamlining referrals to improve patient outcomes across the UGI pathway.

Western Health invites local general practitioners to an informative and engaging education evening at the new Footscray Hospital, focused on current approaches to upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer management and referral pathways. This event will provide GPs with the opportunity to see our new hospital while hearing directly from specialist clinicians across the UGI service.

The session will explore practical topics relevant to primary care, including appropriate pre-referral investigations and imaging, identifying patients who require specialist review, and improving referral quality to support timely triage and clinic allocation. Additional discussion points will include management pathways for asymptomatic gallstones, shared care opportunities between primary and tertiary services, and updates on pancreatic cyst surveillance and referral processes.

With increasing demand across UGI services, this evening aims to strengthen collaboration between general practice and Western Health specialists, helping streamline referrals and support earlier, more coordinated patient care. The event will also provide valuable networking opportunities with colleagues and members of the Western Health UGI multidisciplinary team over a fully catered evening.

Speakers

• Julian Choi is a specialist hepato-pancreato biliary (HPB) and general surgeon with a special interest in pancreatic conditions.
• Ryan Newbold is an oesophago-gastric and general surgeon with a special interest in oesophageal cancer.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise appropriate surveillance and referral pathways for pancreatic cysts including identification of high risk features requiring HPB review. 
• Recognise early red flag signs that require urgent referral for gastroscopy.