Weekly Update

Dear Members,
Conference planning is progressing well and the Abstract Committee has received many excellent papers. Delegates will have on offer a diverse range of informative presentations relevant to, and celebrating the remote health sector . The draft schedule will be available on our website Wednesday July 14th.
A reminder that the closing date for Poster Abstracts is August 6th. If you would like to submit a poster we encourage you to do so. You will find all the details on our website.

This week we welcome Oxley Nursing Services who join us as our latest Corporate Member. Oxley Nursing Services is based in Brisbane and through their affiliate Cairns Nursing Agency are well placed to offer employment opportunities both nationally and in far north Queensland particularly. Oxley has announced the establishment of the Oxley Scholarship with the Australian Catholic University . The $4000 scholarship is opened to commencing students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing course at the Brisbane campus of the University and designed to encourage students to undertake nursing placements in rural or regional Queensland.

Each year under the PHCRED program, the University of Tasmania Department of Rural Health (UDRH) offers a small number of project-based research training opportunities attached to research projects operating within the Department. They are now seeking expressions of interest from primary health care professionals for these short term, part-time casual placements. If you are interested in a position you will find details here.

Early bird conference registration offers substantial savings on the paper sessions and events surrounding conference. Don’t miss this opportunity which ends July 31st.

Regards,
Anne-Marie Borchers
 

The National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI)
The National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI) is a 5-year commonwealth and state funded initiative which aims to improve the prevention and early detection of antenatal and postnatal depression; and to provide better care, support and treatment for expectant and new mothers experiencing Perinatal depression. Carol-Ann Stanborough (based in Port Augusta) has been appointed Country SA - Perinatal Mental Health Coordinator, employed to support the development & implementation of Perinatal Mental Health screening & referral pathways throughout Country SA. Their newsletter outlining the project & key directions is available on our website.

Know someone with a great story?
The National Rural Health Alliance is working with Regional Arts Australia to produce a book that highlights stories about arts and health projects from regional Australia. They need your stories and photographs. The book will be visually beautiful with strong lively stories backed up by stunning images and a sound evidence-base. Call for stories are now open. Visit Regional Arts Australia website.

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Deadline for Back from the Edge survey

'Back From the Edge' is a comprehensive survey of nurses investigating the stressors resulting from their work in the very remote regions of Australia. This four-year project compares and contrasts the occurrence of occupational stress of remote nursing with that of nurses working in other contexts. The primary objective is to develop and implement interventions that prevent or reduce the impact of occupational stressors in the remote workplace. If you haven’t received your questionnaire or would like to participate, please email Sue.lenthall@flinders.edu.au . Please participate and encourage your colleagues to do so as well - It’s your story we need to better understand.

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Meetings & Conferences

The 28th CRANAplus Conference
13-16 October 2010
Adelaide, SA

SNAICC National Conference
27-29 July 2010
Alice Springs, NT

The Australian Association of Gerontology (SA & NT Division) presentsAAG Northern Territory Conference
12 & 13 August 2010
Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin, Northern Territory

Australian Diabetes Society & Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting
1-3 September 2010
Sydney, NSW

Early Childhood Development in Indigenous Communities
21-22 September 2010
Darwin, NT

2nd Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium
29-30 September 2010
Sydney, NSW

The 4th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Suicide Prevention
17-20 November 2010
Brisbane, QLD

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Scholarships & Educational Opportunities

CRANAplus/YNA Undergraduate Scholarships
Deadline - 31st August 2010 Each year CRANAplus in partnership with Your Nursing Agency (YNA) offer a total of six $1000 scholarships. These scholarships are available to students who, as part of their undergraduate course of study in a health discipline at any Australian university, undertake a remote location placement.

PHC: Making a difference 25-26 October 2010
This short course has been developed to strengthen health professionals understanding of the social, environmental, structural, political and philosophical issues that impact upon health care provision in remote Australia. The workshop will explore primary health care, its current status and potential in Australian health care as well as the recognition of the importance of integrating health promotion and prevention strategies in remote health settings.

AUSMED: Improving Your Knowledge of Medicines Seminar
As medicines are one of the highest areas of risk for ALL nurses; it is essential that YOU regularly update your knowledge on this key professional area.
Brisbane: 19 - 20 August
Perth: 2 - 3 December
Adelaide: 15 - 16 November

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Articles of Interest

NEW LEADERSHIP FOR NURSES AND MIDWIVES
The Australian Nursing Federation has a new leadership team with Lee Thomas assuming the role of federal secretary and Yvonne Chaperon taking on the federal assistant secretary position from 1 July 2010. Ms Thomas said she felt honoured to be leading Australia's third largest and fastest growing union. Prior to taking on the role of assistant federal secretary of the ANF in 2008 Ms Thomas was secretary of the South Australian Branch of the union. I feel a great sense of pride and responsibility in working to achieve outcomes that are important to the ANF's 175,000 members, the residents of aged care facilities and patients across Australia who need nursing and midwifery services.

NATIONAL HEALTH NETWORK ‘NEEDS LOCAL ATTENTION’
Differing regional health challenges facing the Northern Territory could be met with the development of truly “local” Local Hospital Networks (LHN) rather than a sole NT LHN as part of the Federal Government's national health reform, says a leading academic.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE MARCHED THROUGH DARWIN TO CELEBRATE NAIDOC WEEK
Traditional dancers led the throng through the city as traffic came to a standstill

HOSPITAL REFORM BENEFITS 'WILL TAKE TIME'
The Federal Government has been warned it may be five or six years before the full benefits of its health and hospital reforms are realised.

CONCERNS RAISED FOR RURAL INDIGENOUS CARERS
The National Rural Health Alliance has expressed concern about the social and economic challenges faced by unpaid Indigenous carers in regional areas.

DENTAL TRUCK FOR NT
About 8,000 people living in the remote Northern Territory communities of Utopia, Lake Nash, Papunya and Epenarra will soon have regular access to dental services.

MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSION PAPER RELEASED
The State Government has released a consultation paper that will form the basis of a blueprint for reforming mental health services and systems to 2020.

STAFF FEAR HEALTH JOB CUTS IN QLD'S FAR NORTH
Queensland Health staff say they are concerned up to 28 community health jobs will be cut in the state's far north.

MENTAL TRAUMA WORSENS FOR BLACK SATURDAY SURVIVORS
Support groups for victims of the Black Saturday bushfires say the worst signs of mental trauma are just starting to emerge.

'WEEKEND WARRIORS' FLY IN TO PROP UP HOSPITALS
The doctor shortage is now so acute that locums from New Zealand are being flown from across the Tasman to work in country hospital emergency rooms - at times, just for a weekend's work.

PHARMACY STUDENTS HELP TACKLE INDIGENOUS HEALTH ISSUES
Students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) are getting hands-on experience providing pharmacy services to remote Indigenous communities.

INDIGENOUS TOURISM NETS $3B
The Federal Government says Indigenous tourism contributed $3 billion to the economy last year.

CALLS FOR INDIGENOUS TOWN CAMPS IN THE ALICE TO GET MAIL
Most Australians take for granted that the post will arrive in their letterbox every weekday. But not the Indigenous residents of the town camps in Alice Springs.

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