> All Medicare eligible Australians can now access services via telehealth where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so.

> The new temporary MBS telehealth items must be bulk billed and are for non-admitted patients.

> The bulk billing incentive Medicare fees will double for items relating to general practice, diagnostic imaging and pathology services.

> Medicare rebates paid for the new GP and medical practitioner telehealth services are at the same level as the rebates paid for the equivalent face-to-face services.

> General Practice telehealth/telephone item numbers now available for :

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments
• Chronic disease management plans and reviews
• Mental health including mental health care plans and reviews
• Eating disorder management
• Pregnancy support
• Autism management
• Urgent after hours unsociable

> For more information and a list of the new MBS items, please read the COVID-19 Bulk Billed MBS Telehealth Services - GPs and Other Medical Practitioners factsheet and other relevant factsheets here.

> Find the full item descriptor(s) and information on other changes to the MBS on the MBS online summary webpage.

> Please email COVIDResponse@health.gov.au if you have a query relating to the COVID-19 telehealth MBS items.

Our PHN offers free access to the healthdirect Australia Video Call platform for GPs and health care providers to use in our region. The platform allows you to deliver care to your patients via video consultation. Benefits of the Video Call platform include:

• it's easy to use for consumers, web-based, requires no software download, uses low bandwidth and meets Medicare security requirements; and
• the PHN can set your practice up with login details and offer training.

View a recent webinar about the capability of the healthdirect Australia Video Call platform.

Contact practicesupport@ddwmphn.com.au to learn more and get connected.

These masks are for use by GPs who are specifically willing and able to undertake specimen collection in their practice as per the Department of Health advice.

• the physical layout of your practice and whether it is suitable for isolation of patients presenting as a suspect case (including any post testing requirements);
• whether you have access to all the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), not just masks; and
• your confidence in infection control procedures across your whole practice.

Please note there are several pathology collection centres across the Darling Downs and West Moreton region who can collect specimens for testing.

The Department of Health has made available a limited supply of surgical masks for general practice staff and people who may have had contact with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). For general practices located in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region, these masks will be distributed via our PHN.

Before requesting masks please consider:

• Is there a local supply available commercially?
• Does your practice have a population which is more likely to have been exposed to the novel coronavirus?
• Does your practice have an unusual number of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms?

If you have an identified need for surgical masks at your practice, please contact our Primary Care Liaison team via email practicesupport@ddwmphn.com.au

Please include the quantity of masks that you would like to receive for consideration. We will only be releasing up to 100 masks per practice at this time due to limited supply.

Please note:

• We are currently processing all of the requests in accordance with the Department of Health guidelines.
• Once processed, we will be distributing masks via courier only.
• Due to the heavy demand on the courier services, can we please ask that you order your masks before you are completely out of stock.
• Courier delivery can take between 1-3 days for local delivery from Springfield (possibly longer for rural areas) due to the current environment.

LOCATION:
Baillie Henderson Hospital, entrance via Burnview avenue off Mort street

OPEN TIMES:
9:00am - 4:00pm - Monday to Friday
10:00am - 4:00pm - Weekends and public holidays
NO APPOINTMENT OR REFERRAL IS REQUIRED. This is a drive up clinic. Patients will be seen in order of arrival.

TARGET GROUP:
Only patients with mild to moderate symptoms who meet the current criteria outlined in the Queensland Health Public Health Alert dated 14 March 2020. Please note: If your practice has capacity and the equipment/personal protective equipment (PPE) to assess and test patients who meet the criteria at your practice or via telehealth and referral to a private laboratory, please continue to do so.

PROCEDURE:
Patients can access the fever clinic through the Mort St entrance at Baillie Henderson Hospital. A sign will advise patients to STOP and phone the clinic. Patients can beep their car horn if they don't have access to a mobile phone. Patients will be triaged over the phone. Testing and/or clinical assessment will then occur via a doctor if needed. QAS will be called if any patients present severely unwell with breathing difficulty. The clinic is not equipped to manage severely ill patients.

MANAGING SEVERELY ILL PATIENTS:
If you or your staff assess a patient either in person or through telehealth to be severely unwell with breathing difficulties, call QAS for the patient as required.

Call the Toowoomba Base Hospital Emergency Department to let them know you have a severely unwell patient with breathing difficulty and suspected COVID-19. Due to the volume of calls being received, ensure you:

• state your name and role;
• state that you have a severely unwell patient with breathing difficulty and suspected COVID 19;
• state patient observations or other symptoms/signs of severe concern. The consultant can then advise you on how to proceed.

Please tell patients to call the relevant hotline before presenting to the clinic in person.

Our hotlines are staffed by registered nurses who can answer questions about symptoms and testing criteria.

LOCATION:
Jubilee Building, downhill from Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department entrance

OPEN TIMES:
Hotline: 07 3413 7199 (8:00am to 8:00pm)
Open: 11:00am to 5:00pm, seven days a week – phone ahead on hotline

TARGET GROUP:
Only patients with mild to moderate symptoms who meet the current criteria outlined in the latest Queensland Health Public Health Alert will be tested. Please note: If your practice has the capacity, the equipment, the pathology referrals and the personal protective equipment (PPE) to assess and test patients who meet the criteria, please continue to do so either at your practice or via telehealth.

PROCEDURE:
Patients or their GPs should phone ahead on one of the dedicated phone hotlines to discuss symptoms and testing criteria before the patient presents at the hospital. If testing is recommended, the hotline nurse will provide instructions.

OUT OF HOURS:
Outside the clinics’ hours of operation, patients who meet the testing criteria should present to their closest emergency department for testing.

IN AN EMERGENCY:
If your patient is very unwell and has breathing difficulties, call Triple Zero (000) and advise the Queensland Ambulance Service that the patient they are transporting to Ipswich Hospital may have COVID-19.

Next, call the Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department triage nurse on 07 3810 1227 to let them know you have a severely unwell patient on the way to ED who may have COVID-19.

Ensure you state:

• your name and role
• patient observations and symptoms of concern.

The triage nurse will advise you on how to proceed.

Please tell patients to call the relevant hotline before presenting to the clinic in person.

Our hotlines are staffed by registered nurses who can answer questions about symptoms and testing criteria.

LOCATION:
Gatton Hospital, 97/103 William St, Gatton

OPEN TIMES:
Hotline: 07 5468 4113 (8:00am to 8:00pm)
Open: 8:00am to 4:00pm, seven days a week – phone ahead on hotline

TARGET GROUP:
Only patients with mild to moderate symptoms who meet the current criteria outlined in the latest Queensland Health Public Health Alert will be tested. Please note: If your practice has the capacity, the equipment, the pathology referrals and the personal protective equipment (PPE) to assess and test patients who meet the criteria, please continue to do so either at your practice or via telehealth.

PROCEDURE:
Patients or their GPs should phone ahead on one of the dedicated phone hotlines to discuss symptoms and testing criteria before the patient presents at the hospital. If testing is recommended, the hotline nurse will provide instructions.

OUT OF HOURS:
Outside the clinics’ hours of operation, patients who meet the testing criteria should present to their closest emergency department for testing.

IN AN EMERGENCY:
If your patient is very unwell and has breathing difficulties, call Triple Zero (000) and advise the Queensland Ambulance Service that the patient they are transporting to Ipswich Hospital may have COVID-19.

Next, call the Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department triage nurse on 07 3810 1227 to let them know you have a severely unwell patient on the way to ED who may have COVID-19.

Ensure you state:

• your name and role
• patient observations and symptoms of concern.

The triage nurse will advise you on how to proceed.

For clinics/hospitals in rural locations, please refer to your relevant HealthPathways COVID-19 Assessment and Management page and view 'COVID-19 Referrals'.

• Darling Downs HealthPathways
• West Moreton HealthPathways

As a part of the Australian Government Department of Health’s response to COVID-19 testing and management, GP respiratory clinics are being established in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region.

A GP Respiratory Clinic is now open at Flinders Peak Medical Centre in Purga (Greater Ipswich) to clinically assess people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms (a fever, cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat and/or unusual fatigue).

If your practice does not have access to appropriate PPE/isolation rooms to assess patients with respiratory symptoms or test for COVID-19 when indicated, you can now refer them to the Flinders Peak Medical Centre GP Respiratory Clinic.

The respiratory clinics are staffed by GPs and will provide full assessment and management plans for patients presenting with respiratory symptoms. They are designed to complement existing fever clinics which have been established by the local hospital and health services.

Patients who present to the GP respiratory clinics who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing will be tested accordingly, with results to be carbon copied to their usual GP.

If a patient tests positive, the patient will be referred to the local Public Health Unit.

If a patient tests negative, the patient will be notified of the result by staff at Flinders Peak Medical Centre.

Depending on the symptoms of the patient, the patient will be referred back to their usual GP and/or provided with a management plan.

CLINIC DETAILS

Location: Flinders Peak Medical Centre, 355 Ipswich Boonah Rd, Purga QLD 4306
Operating hours by appointment: 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:30am to 12:00pm Saturday and Sunday.
Making a booking: Anyone wishing to be seen at the Respiratory Clinic needs to make an appointment. To make an appointment or for more information, call 07 5464 6765.

Additional respiratory clinics are being established in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region and information about these clinics will be shared once they are operational.

As a part of the Australian Government Department of Health’s response to COVID-19 testing and management, GP respiratory clinics are being established in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region.

The Toowoomba (Carbal Medical Services) GP-led Respiratory Clinic is now open at 18-24 Charnley Street, Kearneys Spring to clinically assess people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms (a fever, cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat and/or unusual fatigue).

If your practice does not have access to appropriate PPE/isolation rooms to assess patients with respiratory symptoms or test for COVID-19 when indicated, you can now refer them to the respiratory clinic.

The respiratory clinics are staffed by GPs and nurses and will provide full assessment and management plans for patients presenting with respiratory symptoms. They are designed to complement existing fever clinics which have been established by the local hospital and health services and are generally staffed by nurses to assess and test only patients meeting current COVID-19 testing criteria.

Patients who present to the GP respiratory clinics who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing will be tested accordingly, with results to be carbon copied to their usual GP.

If a patient tests positive, the patient will be referred to the local Public Health Unit.

If a patient tests negative, the patient will be notified of the result by staff at the respiratory clinic.

Depending on the symptoms of the patient, the patient will be referred back to their usual GP and/or provided with a management plan.

CLINIC DETAILS

Location:Toowoomba (Carbal Medical Services) Respiratory Clinic, 18-24 Charnley St, Kearneys Spring QLD 4350
Operating hours by appointment:8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday
Making a booking: Anyone wishing to be seen at the respiratory clinic needs to make an appointment. To make an appointment call 07 4580 1400 or book online via https://www.hotdoc.com.au/medical-centres/kearneys-spring-QLD-4350/toowoomba-carbal-respiratory-clinic/doctorsor you can access hotdoc.com.au and search Toowoomba Respiratory Clinic.

As a part of the Australian Government Department of Health’s response to COVID-19 testing and management, GP respiratory clinics are being established in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region.

A GP Respiratory Clinic is now open at Condamine Medical Centre in Warwick to clinically assess people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms (a fever, cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat and/or unusual fatigue).

If your practice does not have access to appropriate PPE/ isolation rooms to assess patients with respiratory symptoms or test for COVID 19 when indicated, you can now refer them to Condamine Medical Centre GP Respiratory Clinic.

The respiratory clinics are staffed by GPs and will provide full assessment and management plans for patients presenting with respiratory symptoms. They are designed to complement existing fever clinics (generally staffed by nurses) which have been established by the local hospital and health services.

Patients who present to the GP respiratory clinics who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing will be tested accordingly, with results to be carbon copied to their usual GP.

If a patient tests positive, the patient will be referred to the local Public Health Unit.

If a patient tests negative, the patient will be notified of the result by staff at Condamine Medical Centre.

Depending on symptoms, the patient will be referred back to their usual GP.

CLINIC DETAILS

Location: 67 Guy St, Warwick QLD 4370
Operating hours by appointment: 9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 11:30am Saturday.
Making a booking: Anyone wishing to be seen at the Respiratory clinic needs to make an appointment. For bookings or more information phone 07 4666 9666.

As a part of the Australian Government Department of Health’s response to COVID-19 testing and management, GP respiratory clinics are being established in the Darling Downs and West Moreton region.

A GP Respiratory Clinic is now open at Kambu - Booval in Greater Ipswich to clinically assess people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms (a fever, cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat and/or unusual fatigue).

This Kambu - Booval GP Respiratory Clinic is only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their immediate families.

The respiratory clinics are staffed by GPs and will provide full assessment and management plans for patients presenting with respiratory symptoms. They are designed to complement existing fever clinics (generally staffed by nurses) which have been established by the local hospital and health services.

Patients who present to the GP respiratory clinics who meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing will be tested accordingly.

If a patient tests positive, the patient will be referred to the local Public Health Unit.

If a patient tests negative, the patient will be notified of the result by staff Kambu Health.

CLINIC DETAILS

Location: Kambu - Booval, 3/160 Brisbane Road, Booval QLD 4304
Operating hours by appointment: 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday
Making a booking: Anyone wishing to be seen at the respiratory clinic needs to make an appointment. For bookings or more information phone 0408 699 432

• Queensland Health Webpage for Clinicians
• Australian Government Department of Health
• RACGP
• 1800 020 080 - National Coronavirus Health Information Line operated by the Department of Health

Financial support measures for general practices

There is a variety of support measures in place for general practices affected by the impact of COVID-19. These include support measures recently announced by the Australian Government, the Queensland Government, tax relief initiatives via the Australian Taxation Office and support packages from Australian banks.

Click here to view available support.

Other support

During events such as the current coronavirus situation, additional pressure may be placed on GPs and practice staff as frontline workers through increased patient attendance to the practice, responding to fear and anxiety amidst the community and staying up to date as the situation evolves.

It is important during such times that GPs and practice staff take time to care for themselves and take the opportunity to debrief with colleagues.

If you require additional support, services are available, specifically developed for GPs.

• RACGP: The GP Support Program - This is a free and confidential psychological support service available to all members. Call 1300 361 008 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
• Queensland Doctors Health Program and Doctors Health Advisory Service - The QDHP provides independent, confidential, colleague-to-colleague support service to assist doctors and medical students.
• AMA Anonymous Peer Support Line (Also available to non-members) - 1300 853 338
• DRS4DRS - is an independent program providing confidential support and resources to doctors and medical students across Australia, by doctors. Confidential phone advice is available 24/7 for any doctor or medical student in Australia via each state/territory helpline and referral service. Call 07 3833 4352.
  
• Lifeline - 13 11 14
  

• STOP AND READ poster_English_A2 for display on the front door of your practice
• STOP AND READ poster_Dinka_A4
• STOP AND READ poster_Swahili_A4
• STOP AND READ poster_Arabic_A4
• STOP AND READ poster_Farsi_A4
• What you need to know about Coronavirus poster_English
• What you need to know about Coronavirus poster_Dinka
• What you need to know about Coronavirus poster_Swahili
• What you need to know about Coronavirus poster_Arabic
• What you need to know about Coronavirus poster_Farsi
• Tell staff poster_English
• Tell staff poster_Dinka
• Tell staff poster_Swahili
• Tell staff poster_Arabic
• Tell staff poster_Farsi
• RACGP patient posters and resources
• Queensland Health patient posters and resources
• Department of Health patient posters and resources

Upcoming Webinars

• Tuesday, 14 April 2020 - COVID-19 Rural and Response series - Click here to access this webinar
• Wednesday, 15 April 2020 - End of Life Directions for Aged Care in Residential Care - Click here to access this webinar
  
• Friday, 17 April 2020 - COVID-19 and ACP Webinar for Healthcare & Hospital Services Professionals Webinar - Click here to access this webinar
• Thursday, 23 April 2020 - COVID-19 and ACP Webinar for Aged Care Professionals - Click here to access this webinar
• Tuesday, 28 April 2020 - COVID-19 and ACP Webinar for General Practitioners - Click here to access this webinar
• Thursday, 30 April 2020 - End of Life Directions for Aged Care in Home Care - Click here to access this webinar
  

Recorded Webinars

• 30 March 2020 - Darling Downs Health: Contact Officer Training
• 30 March 2020 - West Moreton Health: Update for GPs focusing on RACFs
• 25 March 2020 - Darling Downs Health: COVID-19/Influenza outbreaks in RACFs
• 24 March 2020 - Darling Downs Health: GP COVID-19 Update

Please use this DDH Public Health Unit Notification Form.

P: 07 4699 8240 (business hours) P: 07 3646 1699 (after hours)

Please use this WMH Public Health Unit Notification Form.

P: 07 3818 4700 (business hours) P: 07 3176 2111 (after hours, ask for public health)

• COVID-19: GP Alert (19 May 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (18 May 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (12 May 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (7 May 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (5 May 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (1 May 2020)

• COVID-19: GP Alert (29 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (27 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (24 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (21 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (16 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (14 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (9 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (7 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert - Focus on Telehealth (2 April 2020)
• COVID-19: GP Alert (1 April 2020)

• UPDATE 30 March 2020 - Whole of population telehealth now available - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 25 March 2020 - Case definition and testing updates - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 24 March 2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 18 March 2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Update 16 MARCH 2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 13 March 2020 - New MBS items numbers - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 12 March 2020 - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• UPDATE 6 March 2020 - Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Webinar with Darling Downs Health Public Health Unit
• UPDATE 3 March 2020 - Novel Coronavirus COVID-19

• UPDATE 28 February 2020 - Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• UPDATE 26 February 2020 - Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• UPDATE 18 February 2020 - Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
• UPDATE 10 February 2020 - Novel Coronavirus 2019 nCoV
• UPDATE 5 February 2020 - Novel Coronavirus 2019 nCoV
• UPDATE 3 FEBRUARY: Coronavirus Webinar with Dr Penny Hutchinson, Darling Downs Health Public Health Unit

• UPDATE 31 JANUARY: Novel Conronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• UPDATE 28 JANUARY: Novel Coronavirus Public Health Alert
• UPDATE 22 JANUARY: Novel Coronavirus Public Health Alert