Dear Obstetric Shared Care GPs,

We hope that wherever you may be, you are safe and well during these crazy COVID days.

Whether it feels like it or not, with each day that passes we are redefining our ‘new normal’. Has our trust in society changed? Has our sense of responsibility to each other altered? Has our appreciation for simpler pleasures in life been amplified? Will COVID-19 changes to protocols become the new? Or maybe we are headed straight back to the way we used to do things! There is lots to consider as time passes.

We are excited to announce that we will be transitioning back to face-to-face CPD activities where possible at the end of June 2020. As we at GP Partners Australia make this move, we will be ensuring that we comply with the Government guidelines related to physical distancing and COVID-19 safety. 

We can’t wait to see you at our future education CPD activities and events.

South Australian GP Obstetric Shared Care Protocols 
Clinical Directive – 2020

We have been working hard to update the
Statewide SA GP Obstetric Shared Care Protocols! 

They are finally here!
These protocols have been developed in accordance with contemporary professional standards of care and outline the minimum standards of clinical practice required by General Practitioners providing maternity services in South Australia.

ACCESS THE 2020 PROTOCOLS HERE

Physical Distancing

As per the latest CDNA SoNG guidelines, the terminology is now physical distancing rather than social distancing. It is important to continue to remind patients and staff of the 1.5m rule and to maintain this where possible in your Practices.

GPs should ensure the GP OSC SA woman is referred to a ‘booking’ hospital as soon as possible to ensure her first antenatal visit is scheduled before 20 weeks gestation and preferably in the first trimester.

Face-to-Face Consultations and Telehealth

There has been some discussion and questions raised recently about the guidelines in place at each of our public maternity hospitals. Particularly as the RANZCOG guidelines at this time recommend reduced contact with tertiary hospitals and advocate decreasing face-to-face contact.

To clarify this, I have contacted each hospital for their comments:

Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Dr Jenni Goold at the WCH tells us that women can request a telehealth consultation if they are anxious or unwell. However, it is strongly recommended that appointments continue to be face-to-face as this allows for important clinical examinations, such as BP, SFH, fetal heart rate auscultation, fetal position, presenting part etc. which is essential to maternal and fetal well-being. Jenni emphasizes that if a woman requests a telehealth consult rather than a face-to-face that this be recorded, along with the reason for this, in the Pregnancy Hand-Held Record. (Version 12).

Flinders Medical Centre

Lisa, the GP OSC Midwife Coordinator explained that telehealth consultations were not adopted at FMC. Face-to-face appointments have been the norm.

Lyell McEwin Health Service / Modbury Hospital

Siobhan, the GP OSC Midwife Coordinator explains that GP OSC Clinics at NALHN have been mostly face-to-face, with some phone consultations if the woman requests this.
However, the antenatal clinics for LMcH and Modbury are still currently providing telephone consults for antenatal triage visits. So it is really important that the GP advises the woman to request GP Obstetric Shared Care when booking her appointment. Otherwise, she may initially be booked for a telephone consult.

GP Obstetric Shared Care VIRTUAL ONLINE CONFERENCE

Our inaugural virtual online workshop was held on Thursday 21st May 2020

Thank you to those who attended last Thursday’s GP OSC Online Workshop live.

We were so happy that 92 GPs listened in. I will be sending out the link to the recording next week. The recording will also be made available on GP Partners Australia website.

The Presenters and Panelists presentations will also be available on our website from next week. A special thank you to the Presenters, Dr Anthia Rallis, Associate Professor Anne Sved-Williams and our OSC GP Advisors, Dr Jenni Goold and Dr Michelle Emmerson for their fantastic contribution on the night.

Thank you for all the lovely emails and feedback we received. It has been great and very much appreciated, especially by me.

An update from Dr Anne Sved-Williams
(In relation to Anne’s Presentation last week)

THE PANORAMA OF PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH 
 

For those of you who listened to my talk in that excellent session organised through GP Partners Australia for Obstetric Shared Care GPs on May 21st, I cannot believe I failed to say this to you: 

All those mental health diagnoses in our patients can be mixed in together!

I set them out as a list as if they were separate entities and I am sure you know this already but co-morbidity is the norm. It is the mix of symptoms which makes our work with our patients interesting and also challenging and definitely worthwhile! 

It is recognising all parts of the panorama that can provide better pathways to better management!

 
There’s one thing I need to say
That I didn’t say clear on the day
(Sorry – I didn’t have it pat):
PND is NOT simply that
Of a depression that’s started anew
Yes, it may be that for a few
But for many it’s much more complex
So when doing those mental health checks
A wide range of symptoms exists
And whilst looking for more on those lists
Of anger and anxieties and fears
And low mood and bad thoughts and tears
For those who are amongst the sorest
Please make sure you look at the forest
For if you just look at the trees
PND is what one there sees
But BPD can be part of that mix
And really you can only help fix
If you see the whole of the woods
You’ll deliver a better set of goods!
Not one or the other – sometimes BOTH
Better diagnosis: better treatment: better growth!
Anne

News

Syphilis is Still Out There Campaign for Health Professionals

The Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA) and SHINE SA have released a new social media campaign for health professionals. The campaign aims to raise awareness of syphilis screening and treatment during COVID-19.

The syphilis outbreak in South Australia continues.

Download Details Here

An Interesting Article

COVID-19 AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RISKS

I have also attached the link to an article that I came across that you may find interesting, although not really OSC related!

Don’t forget to visit our GP Partners Australia website for further updates and resources www.gpex.com.au

We trust this – and future updates – will be of help to you during these unsettling times.

Stay safe.

If you have any questions or require additional information please do not hesitate to contact the GP Obstetric Shared Care Program Manager – Leanne at lmarch@gppaustralia.org.au

Booking the GP Obstetric Shared Care woman at the Booking Hospital