North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) has several Expert Advisory Groups that provide operational and strategic advice to program teams on the work that we do to support primary care and the community.
Our General Practice Advisory Group (GPEAG) includes general practitioners, practice nurses and practice managers from across our region.
It consists of one of each of these 3 core general practice occupations from each of the central, northern and western parts of the . The group provides guidance to ensure that our work reflects the needs and preferences of primary care professionals.
Key functions include:
- providing specialist advice on general practice and NWMPHN priorities
- ensuring NWMPHN program design and implementation is relevant and realistic for primary care
- advising on priorities for primary care workforce development, education and training.
Meet our newest GPEAG members
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Namarata Malhotra is the practice manager member from our west region. She works at Deer Park Medical Centre where she leads her team in quality improvement and identifies and facilitates education for her staff. She has worked in multi-location medical practices, a single doctor owned practice, and has helped business owners start a new practice. She is also working towards becoming a Certified Practice Manager through Australian Association of Practice Management. Namarata joined our GPEAG in May 2023. |
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Leona Edwards is a practice manager from our central region. Leona currently works at Collins Place Medical Clinic in the CBD, where she has 20 years of experience as practice manager and director. She was involved in the introduction of major initiatives such as computerisation in general practice, My Health Records, electronic prescribing and e-referrals. Leona holds a Master of Teaching as well as a Diploma of Practice Management and has a strong interest in educating and facilitating learning with her fellow workers. She joined our GPEAG in November 2022. |
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Kim Moffat is the clinical nurse coordinator from Your Community East Reservoir in our northern region. She has been a nurse for 25 years, working in hospitals and primary care. She enjoys meeting new people from a variety of demographics and sharing experiences. Her goal is to improve patient care, clinical outcomes and the sustainability of general practice. Kim works towards developing a team-centred approach to allow effective planning and management of the health care needs of the individual patient. She also has a strong interest in quality improvement activities and using practice data to drive improvement. Kim joined GPEAG in November 2022. |
You can meet the 8 members of the GPEAG group here. Please note at the time of publishing NWMPHN was reviewing candidates for a ninth member of GPEAG. More information will be provided once this person is confirmed.
Current activities
GPEAG meets 4 times a year. At the most recent meeting it discussed:
- Updates to processes and communications for mental health intake at NWMPHN.
- Strengthening Medicare General Practice Grants and how the NWMPHN can support practices with uptake. This included GPEAG feedback that support for practices on grant and tender writing would be useful, and suggestions on how NWMPHN can promote ways practices can allocate grant funds.
- The NWMPHN General practice winter planning grants for at-risk people: seeking clarity on whether funding can be allocated to support existing practice workflows using SMS as first point of contact with high-risk patients.
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners continuing professional development (CPD) changes and ways NWMPHN can support GPs and practices. Strong feedback indicated NWMPHN should promote activities that meet the new CPD criteria, acknowledging that new requirements for reviewing performance and measuring outcomes are likely to be more difficult for GPs to meet.
- Discussion of GPEAG annual survey results and opportunities for improvement in the way the group is supported and meetings are run.
Future activities
GPEAG’s final meeting for the financial year will focus on the Federal Budget and new measures affecting general practice. At this meeting GPEAG will provide advice to the NWMPHN on potential risks and opportunities of the Budget measures, as well as advice on the best ways the NWMPHN can support practices with these changes.
For more information about GPEAG, please email education@nwmphn.org.au
