Medical Council NSW

In our latest podcast episode, we explore the value of good communication and collaboration between doctors and pharmacists in supporting patient-centred care and safety.

Our host Dr Penelope Elix speaks with Adrian Lee, pharmacist and former deputy president of the NSW Pharmacy Council, with Dr Mel Griffiths, a GP and NSW Medical Council hearing member.

They discuss the dynamics of building effective professional relationships to support better patient outcomes and patient safety. Our guests share practical tips on engaging patients to promoting medication adherence, to navigating the regulatory and professional roles of each profession when it comes to prescribing and dispensing.

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW (MCNSW). The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the MCNSW. The MCNSW does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

The growth in telehealth has delivered enormous benefits to patients by providing more timely and accessible health care, but how do doctors decide when a telehealth consult is appropriate? What do quality telehealth consultations mean in practice?

In this podcast episode, host Dr Penelope Elix speaks with, Dr Anne Tonkin AO, Chair, Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and Dr Michael Wright, Medical Director from Avant about practical aspects of telehealth consults and key points from the MBA’s Telehealth Guidelines released last year.

Resources

Medical Board of Australia Telehealth Guidelines (Sept 2023)

Medical Board of Australia Good medical practice – a code of conduct for doctors in Australia

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW. The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the Council. The Council does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

Excerpt from an about to be released episode on telehealth with guests Dr Anne Tonkin AO, Chair, Medical Board of Australia and Dr Michael Wright, Medical Director from Avant. In this clip, Dr Wright describes the benefits of telehealth while emphasising the standards of care that apply in face-to-face care also apply in telehealth consults.

Host Dr Penelope Elix discusses with Dr Michael Bonning, AMA NSW President and GP, anxieties doctors can have about seeking support for their own health and explains the very high threshold required for health-related notifications to regulators.

Doctors in Australia are less likely to have their own doctor than the rest of the community. As committed professional caregivers, medical practitioners can sometimes neglect their own mental and physical well-being. Our host Dr Penelope Elix speaks with Dr Michael Bonning, GP and AMA NSW President about doctor self-care, the importance of a doctor having their own GP, services available such as Doctors for Colleagues, the role of doctors treating doctor patients and myths about health-related mandatory notifications to regulators.

Further resources for listeners

        Doctors health (section 11) and supporting health of colleagues

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/

https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-policies/guidelines-for-mandatory- notifications.aspx

Over half of people experiencing mental health symptoms do not voice their concerns, and GPs are often the first point of contact when they do seek help. In this podcast episode, the Council's Medical Director and practising GP, Dr Penelope Elix talks with Black Dog Institute Executive Director and Chief Scientist, Professor Samuel Harvey about how doctors can engage with patients, what is best practice for mental health referrals, and additional resources for doctors to support patient care.

Resources

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW . The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the Council. The Council does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

Over half of people experiencing mental health symptoms do not voice their concerns, and GPs are often the first point of contact when they do seek help. In this preview of of our 'Mental Health - Beyond the referral' episode, the Council's Medical Director and practising GP, Dr Penelope Elix talks with Black Dog Institute Executive Director and Chief Scientist, Professor Samuel Harvey about ways doctors can start conversations on mental health with their patients.

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW. The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the Council. The Council does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

What does 'Informed Consent' entail? Our expert panel provide insight into how doctors can properly obtain 'Informed Consent'?

Resources

· consent-section-4.pdf (nsw.gov.au)

· Standards-for-general-practices-5th-edition_1.pdf.aspx (racgp.org.au)

· medicalboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-policies/code-of-conduct.aspx

· Avant - Informed consent and communicating information

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW . The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the Council. The Council does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

Professor Anne Duggan is the Chief Medical Officer at the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. In this preview of the Continuity of Care episode, Professor Duggan explains the importance of having a connected health care system.

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW (MCNSW). The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the MCNSW. The MCNSW does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

In this episode, your host Dr Annette Pantle joins Professor Anne Duggan and Dr Liz Marles from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and Dr Kiely Kim from MDA National to discuss how doctors can maintain good continuity of care for their patients in an increasingly complex health system.

For more information on medical records, listen to our podcast: Medical records: are you doing the right thing for your patients? - Whooshkaa

Listen to more episodes here: Medical Council NSW - Whooshkaa

Other resources:

· RACGP - How can GPs encourage continuity of care?

· RACGP - The duty to follow up

· 10 keys to good patient-centred record keeping | Medical Council of New South Wales (mcnsw.org.au)

· Medico‐legal risks associated with fragmented GP care | InSight+ (mja.com.au)

· Continuity of medication management | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW (MCNSW). The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the MCNSW. The MCNSW does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.