Almost the End of Winter 2022….

Hello!

Well, here we are almost at the end of August 2022 and still it has continued to be quite chilly and wet, but fortunately it’s warm in our office! Spring is just around the corner!

Hopefully this signals the end of the current COVID wave, and a general return to good health, uplifted spirits and good times at work!

Luckily, to distract you from the recent cold and wet weather in SA, we have another jam-packed newsletter for you! 

We have just delivered three CPD activities in the past month, including our third GP Obstetric Shared Care Accreditation Seminar and to date almost 600 GPs have attended our CPD Activities this year. We still have some great CPD activities coming up, including an event at the Adelaide Pavilion on the 22nd September, a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Course and we are heading to Port Lincoln in October. 

Welcome to Thursday 1,2,3,4 where we promise to bring you no more than four pieces of highly valuable interesting information, just for you. Please enjoy!

As always, our newsletters aim to keep you informed on the latest news, changes, updates, special announcements and talk all things obstetric!

From my team, our Board of Directors and myself, stay warm and healthy!

Leanne.

The new Termination of Pregnancy Act commenced on 7 July 2022.

The Termination of Pregnancy Act 2021 is available here. The SA Health Termination of Pregnancy Policy can be found here.

A key part of the law is the ability for Medical Practitioners, including credentialled General Practitioners, to provide medical abortion care. The credentialing process is outlined below for your information. It is important to note that there remains great inequity in access to abortion in South Australia, particularly for women living in rural and remote areas.

In Australia medical abortion using MS-2 Step (mifepristone followed by misoprostol to end an early pregnancy) is indicated under the PBS for medical termination of an intrauterine pregnancy of up to 63 days of gestation. 

This procedure is more accessible and less invasive than surgical termination.

Women can only obtain an authority prescription for MS-2 Step from doctors who are registered prescribers. Only registered pharmacists are able to dispense MS-2 Step.
Registered prescribers are currently required to re-register every three years.

A private prescription can be given to patients without a Medicare card.

Medical Practitioners can register to become an MS-2 Step prescribers by completing the 2–3-hour FREE online training provided by Marie Stopes Australia (available at(www.ms2step.com.au). This also attracts CPD points.

To coincide with the commencement of the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2021 recently, the following updated documents have been uploaded to the SA Health Website (www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/perinatal) and Web-Based App (https://extapps2.sahealth.sa.gov.au/PracticeGuidelines/):

  • Termination of Pregnancy Policy
  • TOP Brochure – “How do I access an abortion in SA”
  • Perinatal Loss PPG

Please refer to the summary that details main practice changes and any budget or risk implications.

Click Here

I am pleased to inform you that the stillbirth decision-making resources for Consumers have been uploaded recently. They are the culmination of several months of work within the stillbirth project and have been informed by a number of research activities, clinicians, the SA Perinatal Autopsy Service, and most importantly, bereaved parents. They include:

1. Pre-admission Information for Families experiencing perinatal loss fact sheet –

To help parents prepare for what to bring to hospital, particularly in relation to making memories (given at the time of discovery) 

2.Stillbirth Investigations: Information for Parents fact sheet

To be used in 1 of 3 ways:

  • As a pre-emptive prior to the conversation regarding stillbirth investigations, including autopsy. 
  • To guide you through a discussion about stillbirth investigations and autopsy 
  • Following a discussion regarding stillbirth investigations and autopsy as a resource to help them remember information and make their decision. 

3.Consumer video: The Perinatal Postmortem Examination: An information resource for families –

 Can be used in association with the Stillbirth Investigations fact sheet or instead of the fact sheet. May be particularly useful for family members or others involved in decision-making who have not had the opportunity to participate in discussions or where English literacy levels are low.

4.Postnatal Care following Stillbirth fact sheet –

To be given around the time of discharge from the hospital as part of discharge discussion

5.Community Bereavement Support Groups in South Australia Following Stillbirth brochure –

To be given as part of a discussion around emotional responses to perinatal loss, with offer of contacting a group on their behalf. Note: some of these organisations provide a hospital to home program where they will meet the parents in hospital

The written resources are also available in the following languages:

  • Arabic
  • Dari
  • Farsi (Persian)
  • Hazaragi
  • Simplified Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Vietnamese

The resources are available on a specific SA Health webpage: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/stillbirth with explanatory information for Consumers.

Twilight Seminar Series

The written resources are also available on the web-based App: https://extapps2.sahealth.sa.gov.au/PracticeGuidelines/ (for Clinicians).  

Please see below the link to the recent pre-Spring Twilight session “COVID in 22: now what?’ @ Twilight” held on Wednesday 24th August 2022.

Huge thanks to Prof Paul Johnson, A/Prof Lisa Hui and Dr Josephine Power for such brilliant informative talks on COVID19 and the public health response, how pregnant women are shaping up with COVID infection and vaccination, and how healthcare workers are bearing up under the cumulative strain of infections, disruption and staff shortages. 

The recording has been broken up into “chapters”, so you can easily click on the session you want to watch along the bottom of the video.

The password to access the recording is Twilight.

Link to Twilight Recording

To claim OSC CPD points please notify Leanne at lmarch@gppaustralia.org.au

Did You Know?

NUCHAL TRANSLUCENCY ULTRASOUND SCANS

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AT THE WOMEN’S & CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

SA Medical Imaging at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital is now accepting GP referred Nuchal Translucency ultrasound scans. 

The referral must meet the Medicare requirements expected of all radiology request forms, a valid request form to any provider is acceptable, and all patients will be bulk billed.

At the time of the booking, the patient must have a WCH Medical Record Number (MRN). 

If the patient does not have a MRN please fill in the Patient Registration Form and fax it to the Patient Registration Office on 8161 8232 while the patient is still in the GP rooms. The following day the patient will need to book their appointment.
 Bookings can be made by calling 8161 6055 between 08:30 and 16:30.

The Women’s Ultrasound Department has capacity for 15 nuchal translucency scans per week. 

If an appointment cannot be provided, the patient will be advised to contact an external provider.

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact Casey Smedley (Acting Team Leader of Women’s Ultrasound) on 8161 6245 or casey.smedley@sa.gov.au

CLICK HERE FOR PATIENT REGISTRATION FORM

POPPIE Study Patient Consent to Contact Form

GPs are working together with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) to inform women about the PoppiE Trial.
The PoppiE trial is designed to determine the optimal level of iodine supplementation for pregnant women who already have an adequate iodine intake from the food that they eat.

To further assist those of our GPs who are providing amazing support to this study we have designed a consent form for you to give to your patients.

They will be invited to provide their contact details and give consent for a staff member from SAHMRI Women and Kids to contact them to discuss this research study further.

Once completed please send to lmarch@gppaustralia.org.au

To access Consent Form – CLICK HERE

Expression of Interest Form – CLICK HERE

  • Mercy Perinatal Global Obstetrics Update 2022
  • Thursday 17th November-Saturday 19th November 2022
  • HYBRID: Park Hyatt, Melbourne and Online via Zoom
  • Online Tickets Available
Register Now