Weekly Update

Dear Members,

After having spent 10 of the last 30 days in Canberra, I thought this would be a good time to update on you on CRANAplus' recent advocacy on behalf of the remote sector.

While in Canberra I met with the Australian Rural Health Alliance, the eHealth consultation, the Australian National University’s health workforce forum, a delegation to Parliament House and seven other meetings to both secure funding for the next three years and to develop partnerships for a much needed project.

During the past year, CRANAplus along with five other organisations was asked to form an advisory group and to comment on what we considered necessary for the advocacy and support of the sector. The decision was made for our organisation, to comment only on our own activity and to position ourselves very firmly in the remote sector alone. There is no doubt that we have overlaps with the rural sector, but we considered it vital to focus on our own sector and ensure that we were seen as the only national organisation with solely a remote health focus.

We will continue in this role and we will continue to push for the sector with the worst health outcomes in Australia. We are a small organization, looking after a relatively small percentage of the population, scattered over around 80% of the nations landmass. The people in remote Australia deserve a strong advocate in health and CRANAplus is one of the few that is there for them.

In regards to pending legislation, it would appear that amendments to the midwifery and nurse practitioners bill have been referred back to the senate community affairs committee for further debate. CRANAplus hopes that common sense will prevail and yield a better outcome.

Warmest Regards,

Carole Taylor
CEO, CRANAplus
 

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Clinical Procedures Manual has Arrived

The CRANAplus Clinical Procedures Manual second edition has finally arrived!!

The cost is $70 per manual, which includes postage and handling. Pre-ordered copies are now being shipped.

Orders can be made by phone, fax or email. Click here for the order form.

Call 08 8959 1111
or
Fax the completed form to 08 8959 1199

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MEC and REC Course Survey

As we wrap up 2009, the CRANAplus FLEC team is taking time to analyse its programs and look for ways to improve them. We'd like you to complete this survey to assist in developing online programs to support the rural and remote health practitioner in maintaining and developing clinical skills in the area of emergency and maternity care.

Warmest Regards,
The FLEC Team
 

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Your Opinion is Important to Us

As part of the rebranding process, CRANAplus is evaluating its publications, to ensure that we are addressing the needs of our members and readers. We have created a brief (10 question) survey about this weekly email newsletter. These questions were part of a survey handed out at the recent annual conference. If you weren't able to attend conference or didn't get the chance to complete the survey, we would appreciate your input. Please take a few moments to click on this link and complete the survey.

If you additionlal thought or concerns that aren't addressed in the survey, please feel free to send us an email with your thoughts.

Thanks for your time,
Paula Waggoner
Editorial Liaision
CRANAplus
 

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Aboriginal Health Worker Award

Aboriginal Health Worker Chrissy Kumara was happy to be the first to receive the Aboriginal Health Worker Directors Award last month. The 37-year-old AHW received the award as recognition for her outstanding work with children and dedication to further training. “I was really happy when I first travelled town to get the award, said Chrissy “Yeah, it was a real surprise.”

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HREO Position Open

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Remote Health Practice Ref (9266)
This position is a partnership between the Centre for Remote Health (CRH) and CRANAplus. This position is responsible for the delivery, continued development and assessment of the advanced nursing components of the Remote Health Practice program to post graduate nursing students.
• Centre for Remote Health
• Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
• Available for one year initially on a fixed-term basis, 1 full-time or 2 part-time positions
• Salary (Academic Level B): $69 118 to $82 075 pa (Academic Level C): $84 666 to $97 626 pa
• Plus 9 or 17% employer superannuation
Applications close: 4 December 2009
Full details including how to apply online can be found at our Jobs@Flinders website
 

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Meetings & Conferences

Strong Stories, Strong Mob, Strong Kids: GROWING UP TOGETHER
University of Newcastle
Callaghan, NSW
1 - 3 December 2009
The Inaugural Indigenous Family and Community Strengths Conference (now known as the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Family and Community Strengths Conference), held in April 2008 was a great success. Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback and support for this event, the Family Action Centre will keep the momentum moving and will continue to share stories, successes and strengths of Indigenous families and communities.

Lime Connection III
Advancing Indigenous Health: Workforce Innovations
Melbourne, VIC
2 - 4 December 2009
The aim of the LIME Network is to be a dynamic network dedicated to ensuring the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning of Indigenous health in medical education, as well as best practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical students.
 

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Educational Opportunities

Community Development and Public Health short course
Darwin, NT
8-10 December
This 3 day short course is being run by Menzies School of Health Research. The course will be presented by Leanne Mick-Ramsamy and it will focus on the fundamentals of community development with a focus on public health.

Remote Health Practice Program
Applications close 4th January, 2010
Postgraduate Nursing Programs:
Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2GC072)
Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2GD042)
Master of Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2CM054)

Country Health SA - 2010 Transition to Professional Practice (TTPP) Nursing Program
Country Health SA Transition to Professional Practice (formerly the Graduate Nurse Program, GNP) is a broad program covering theoretical as well as clinical aspects of the registered nurse role that facilitates your professional and personal growth.

Country Health SA Transition to Professional Practice program offers a unique and valuable experience to graduate nurses which will significantly contribute to the development of their role as a registered nurse.

Rural nursing provides diversity of practice that ensures a challenging work environment and enables development of close working relationships with a multitude of health professionals and members of the community.

The variety of practice settings includes surgical, medical, midwifery, aged care, paediatrics, theatre, emergency and community health that allows for broad clinical skill development.

Opportunities exist for new graduates to develop their knowledge and skills with particular emphasis on the unique role of registered nurses in the rural setting.

Continuing Professional Education Scheme for Rural and Remote Nurses
This Scheme is available for both registered and enrolled nurses to undertake postgraduate Continuing Professional Education courses and for attendance at conferences held within Australia (as presenters or delegates). Recently re-entered nurses are encouraged to apply under this scheme to further skill themselves for their specific work place. Scholarships are worth up to $10,000 each for up to two years of study. Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and they must be able to demonstrate that they are practicing in a rural or remote area of Australia and also hold a current practicing certificate. For clarification of your eligibility under this scheme please contact us by email: scholarships@rcna.org.au or on free call number 1800 117 262.

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Funding Available

Health and Hospitals Fund - Regional Cancer Centres Initiative, Invitation to Apply (ITA 171/0910)

The Department of Health and Ageing invites applications from eligible organisations, in both the public and private sectors, for infrastructure funding to establish new or enhanced regional cancer centres under the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF). Joint private and public ventures may also be considered. Applicants must be able to demonstrate they have the capacity to support and maintain a viable and sustainable regional cancer centre, including addressing workforce needs and recurrent operational costs. Applicants must also show how the proposed centre will align with state and territory cancer services plans, be part of a collaborative network of cancer services and have appropriate referral pathways. Application Start Date: 14/11/2009 - Application Close Date: 08/01/2010

Health Infrastructure Funding for Remote Communities
Australia’s rural and remote health service providers are now able to access funding for essential health infrastructure and equipment in a new grant round. The round is the fourth under the $46 million National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP). Applications opened on the 14th of November and close on the 29th of January 2010.

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Articles of Interest

Comprehensive Consultation on Redesigning the Northern Territory Emergency Response
The Australian Government today released the Report on the Northern Territory Emergency Response Redesign Consultations, detailing feedback from several thousand people at more than 500 meetings and workshops covering 73 remote Northern Territory communities and town camps between June and August 2009.

The Uptake and Quitting of Smoking
In Australia, 50% of indigenous people smoke which is double the rate of non-indigenous Australians.

Firm Sets Trend for Cheap Remote Housing
A company that has been able to build a house in a remote indigenous community in Queensland, at a third of the usual cost, says it has been inundated with calls - including from the Northern Territory Government.

Australia 'Regressive' on Indigenous Education
A national conference has heard how the education system in Australia is failing indigenous children and forcing many to drop out with little or no skills.
 

Sea Lake Bush Hospital Granted Reprieve
Residents from the western Victoria town of Sea Lake have called off a planned rally in Melbourne today, after a victory in campaign to save the local health service. The Sea Lake bush hospital was threatened with closure Christmas.

Study Aims to Tackle Rural Depression
Xstrata Coal and national depression initiative Beyondblue are jointly funding a new research project to tackle male suicide in rural communities.

Regions Lack Disability Services
A report has found that parts of regional Australia are missing out on services for people with disabilities.

Obesity Study to Measure Hospital Visits
Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) have started a long-range study on people who are overweight or obese and the number of times they need to visit hospitals.

Researchers Herald Cancer Test Breakthrough
The Children's Medical Research Institute has developed a new blood test, which may assist in the early diagnosis of 15 per cent of all cancers.

Indigenous Newslines
The Australian Government produces a magazine and radio program on Indigenous programs and issues. Indigenous Newslines magazine is published five times a year and covers important developments in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.
This edition profiles the Fitzroy Crossing community’s battles against alcohol abuse, takes an in-depth look at the involvement of indigenous Australians in the national debate on water, and covers the efforts being made to boost Indigenous employment.

Desperate for Town Doctor
When Trevor Smart looked over Killarney valley for the first time in 2000 he was sure he’d found a place to call home. It is possible his heart skipped a beat – he’s had a long-term chronic heart condition – at the thought of retiring to a regional area.Yet he reassured himself there was a doctor in town.

Pilbara Local Receives Honorary Posthumous Deadly Award
Pilbara local Lynette Florance Mowarin passed away peacefully on the 21st of August 2009, shortly after she was honored for a lifetime of hard work and dedication to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
 

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