Aust Fam Physician
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Self directed learning (SDL) for continuing medical education (CME) is the most effective approach for improving physician performance and patient care outcomes. Self directed learning is an essential basis for CME. ⋯ This article briefly examines the evolution of SDL and its importance in lifelong learning for general practice. The challenge for CME providers is to facilitate SDL while taking general practitioners' views and preferences into consideration.
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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has worked with funding from the Australian government to improve support and training for general practitioners working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. ⋯ The RACGP plays an important role in supporting GPs working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This includes current RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health projects such as providing support for the NACCHO GP Network, provision of accessible relevant cultural safety training for GPs, a national meeting of those working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, access to the RACGP library's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health resource collection, and the ongoing distribution of other resources, as well as RACGP organisational support for a range of other initiatives. On an individual level, all GPs are challenged to work at being well informed, and to take a personal leadership role so they can play a part in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
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Expenditure through major commonwealth funded health programs such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is much lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples than other Australians. Section 100 of the National Health Act (1953) allows for special access arrangements where pharmaceutical benefits cannot be conveniently supplied. ⋯ The implementation of S100 medications for remote area Aboriginal health services (AHSs) represents a breakthrough in medicines access, and is one of the most significant improvements in health service delivery for many years. If we are to achieve equity in access to the PBS for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, an extension of this initiative is necessary for rural and urban AHSs.
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Communication between general practitioners, information sharing, and GP support are important issues, especially for those in rural and remote areas. Internet based links can facilitate enhanced communication. ⋯ The NACCHO GP Network is the first on-line service to provide focussed information for GPs in the Aboriginal community controlled health sector. It also provides a place for GPs, locums and general practice registrars to raise issues and share ideas and information on Aboriginal health practice. The NACCHO GP Network has the potential to reduce isolation and address the support needs of GPs, and enhance the interaction of the Aboriginal community controlled sector with general practice organisations.
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The BEACH program, a continuous national study of general practice activity in Australia, gives an overview of consultations with indigenous patients. Between 1998 and 2003, general practitioners recorded 5476 consultations with people who identified themselves as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. ⋯ In this article we compare 'indigenous encounters' with total BEACH encounters. This provides a backdrop against which articles in this issue of Australian Family Physician can be further considered.