Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs

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Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
Autumn 2021

Slugs and snails and researchers’ tales
The LARCS aren’t singing          Virtual Reality helps healing

  info@nordocs.org.au                               nordocs.org.au
                                                      NorDocs | 1
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
in this issue
Editorial3
Dr David Scott awarded OAM                                       5
Connecting dads and their babies, a great start for life         5
NorDocs Board 2021                                               6
NorDocs Webinar Series                                           7                                    Photo by Tmaximumge form PxHere
New board members for Healthy North Coast                        8                                Cover photo: Our cover does not depict
                                                                                                   the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a.k.a.
The importance of diversity on boards                            9                                COVID-19, pictured above, but an uncanny
Vale Mungo MacCallum                                            10                                look-alike, the Janolus nudibranch,
                                                                                                   photographed    by    marine     scientist
Slugs and snails and researchers’ tales                         11                                Prof Steve Smith from Southern Cross
                                                                                                   University.
The LARCS aren’t singing in Australia                           12
                                                                                                     To borrow the words of Sir David
WellMob – your ‘one-stop shop’ website for Indigenous wellbeing 13                                Attenborough, Prof Smith must have “one
Who’s where?                                                    15                                of the best jobs in the world”, and in this
                                                                                                   instance he was working in sheltered
Phones swat virus-bearing mozzies                               16                                rockpools along the Coffs coastline, around
                                                                                                   the Solitary Islands.
Mental health inquiry calls for a sectoral ‘refocus’            17
                                                                                                     Less attractively known as a ‘sea
Massive health spend delivers mixed results                     18                                slug’, this creature is part of a large and
                                                                                                   distinctive family found along much of the
North Coast Cancer Institute turns ten                          19                                Australian east coast.
Radiotherapy for skin cancer – an overview                      20                                  Working further afield is another SCU
                                                                                                   researcher, Dr Steven Purcell, whose
Of circuses, sideshows and high-wire feats                      23                                focus is the ‘sea snail’, more accurately
Virtual Reality moves from gaming to healing                    24                                the trochus, which he found to be having a
                                                                                                   positive ecological impact on coral reefs in
Timing is right for SCU’s new health head                       27                                Samoa.
Book Review                                                     29                                  A healthy environment is essential for
                                                                                                   the physical and mental wellbeing of us all,
Tapa designs take a lot of beating                              31                                and NorDocs is pleased to be introducing
Allied Health on the North Coast                                32                                a regular ‘Environment’ section to our
                                                                                                   magazine.
Rising vaccine hesitancy needs urgent addressing                34                                   We are not ignoring the ongoing
The jumble of recovery                                          35                                impacts of COVID-19 – if only! – and the
                                                                                                   impending vaccine rollout. Unfortunately,
Benefits of eReferrals becoming clear                           36                                the pandemic story seems set to continue
                                                                                                   all year, and probably beyond. If anything
People with disabilities and the Covid-19 pandemic              39                                can be predicted it would be to forget
                                                                                                   international travel and to enjoy life within
                                                                                                   our own safer borders - and our magical
                                                                                                   waters.
 nordocs on the web:                       www.nordocs.org.au                                      Cover photo: Professor Steve Smith,
  search - NorDocs is available in pdf and Issuu format from our website. Article references are   Southern Cross University
  available via the online hot links.
  subscribe - Get the latest from NorDocs by subscribing to the newsletter                           editorial team
                                                                                                     Dr David Guest Clinical Editor
  write - Unless otherwise stated all articles in NorDocs can be reshared under CC BY-SA 3.0 AU      editors@nordocs.org.au
  NorDocs welcomes contributions from members and the general public.
                                                                                                     Dr Andrew Binns GP Contributor
  tweet - Follow @nordocs_nsw                                                                        editors@nordocs.org.au
  facebook - join the private group Northern Rivers Doctors Group on Facebook                        Robin Osborne Editor
                                                                                                     editors@nordocs.org.au

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2 | NorDocs
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
Editorial
Vaccine monitoring is up with the AIR
As summer ended we read the news that            and given the pressure to get the vaccine
COVID-19 related deaths in the USA               out with minimal delay, the task was never
exceeded 500,000 - that’s deaths, not cases      going to be easy. Some suggestions for
- while in Australia the case tally stood at     the program that made their way into the
under 10, with no new cases in NSW at the        initial plans may have been visionary but
time.                                            were clearly never going to work. They had
                                                 survived the first round of brainstorming
  Phase 1a of the Australian Covid-19
                                                 in Canberra and were “pencilled in” before         David Guest, Clinical Editor
vaccination national roll-out strategy has
                                                 more experienced administrators took
just commenced. It will take the rest of the                                                     huge scale of the nationwide vaccination
                                                 control.
year to vaccinate the majority of the over-                                                      program,    the   government    recently
fifty years population but once 70,000             While it is easy to be critical, success      enacted the Australian Immunisation
quarantine border workers and 100,000            will be defined as getting the majority of      Register Amendment (Reporting) Bill
high risk health workers are vaccinated          the Australian population vaccinated by         2020 mandating compulsory upload of
by early April the rest of the country can       the end of the year. Keeping things simple      COVID-19 vaccination data records.
exhale with a big sigh of relief.                may be the key. A loose translation of 19th
                                                                                                   While most GPs would regard this as
                                                 century German Field Marshal Helmuth
  It is a tribute to Australia’s health system                                                   reasonable, given the nationwide crisis we
                                                 von Moltke’s remark, “No battle plan ever
and our public health workers that we have                                                       are facing, many have been surprised at
                                                 survives contact with the enemy” is apt.
weathered this storm better than nearly                                                          the harshness of the penalties for failing to
every other country. There is the feeling          Even as we start the program it is            lodge the data within a two-week period.
that life is getting back to normal, although    confusing to have two different vaccine         In theory the penalties could amount to
the ‘new normal’ is still spoken about.          treatments. The ‘brand name’ debate             several hundreds of thousands of dollars. It
Australia’s unemployment peaked at 7.5%,         is hotting up in Europe as I write. This        does look pretty heavy handed.
which was less than predicted, with the          however merely reflects the difficulties
                                                                                                   The only way GPs could cope with
recovery in job numbers in the last four         of trying to manage a new and unknown
                                                                                                 the requirements to upload such a large
months being strong and much faster than         disease. In early 2020 the Federal
                                                                                                 number of vaccine record submissions
in previous recessions.                          government was competing with other
                                                                                                 is by using an automated system linked
                                                 governments around the world for vaccines
   The Federal and State governments of                                                          to the practice’s usual electronic record
                                                 of unknown efficacy. Backing at least a
all persuasions, and their Oppositions,                                                          system. These systems are now largely in
                                                 couple of horses was only sensible.
have united behind the efforts to contain                                                        place, which is quite an achievement but it
and manage the virus and the downturn in           Some vaccine efforts such as the              does put the final nail in the coffin for non-
the economy. They have mostly succeeded,         University of Queensland’s failed, not          computerised general practice.
with only occasional bickering when under        because they were ineffective, but because
                                                                                                    GPs are also concerned about the logistics
the most extreme public (and media)              of other unforeseen effects. UQ’s vaccine
                                                                                                 of roll-out of the vaccines nationwide. In
pressure.                                        would have rendered many Australians
                                                                                                 recent years the Department has taken
                                                 positive for AIDS; falsely positive, but what
  Australia as an island surrounded by a                                                         an increasing command and control
                                                 alarm that would have caused.
large maritime border, distant from other                                                        approach to the delivery of influenza
populous areas, has been in a fortunate            It is therefore unlikely that the current     vaccines. Delaying the commencement of
position. Look at the situation in Indonesia     Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines that            vaccination until mid-April and tightening
or PNG. It has been easier for us, to            Australia has purchased will be the best        the window for delivering the vaccine has
bowdlerise former Prime Minister Tony            choices in the future.                          put increasing pressure on general practice
Abbott, to “stop the viruses”.                                                                   logistics. The difficulties have been further
                                                   Monitoring the vaccination status of the
                                                                                                 compounded by problems with the supply
   The Federal Health Department has             nation has been entrusted to the Australian
                                                                                                 chain resulting in hundreds of hours of
stated that, “Rolling out the COVID-19           Immunisation Register (AIR). The
                                                                                                 wasted practice time cancelling scheduled
vaccine is one of the greatest logistical        Register has been tracking all vaccinations
                                                                                                 clinics and then scrambling to reinstate
challenges in the nation’s history.” It will     since 2016 and all childhood vaccinations
                                                                                                 them when the supplies finally came
fall to general practice to deliver the vast     since 1996. The COVID-19 vaccines have
                                                                                                 through.
majority of these vaccinations. The tasks        been added to the register.
are challenging at all levels of the program,                                                      Adding two COVID-19 vaccines to this
                                                   Previous uploads of data from GPs
from national to state and regional levels                                                       mix, each given at least a few weeks apart
                                                 to the AIR were voluntary and in some
and even down to the pointy end at the GP                                                        and separate again to the influenza vaccine,
                                                 cases were incentivised by payments for
clinic itself.                                                                                   has the making of a logistical nightmare for
                                                 lodging updates. Given the seriousness
                                                                                                 thousands of practice managers around the
  With so many unknowns and variables,           of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
                                                                                                 country.

                                                                                                                              NorDocs | 3
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
Editorial
        continued from P3
                                                 the LHD and State.                                 able to address the identified skills gap
  While few GPs believe the rollout will                                                            in the current Board structure. Their
                                                   The North Coast Allied Health
be trouble free, coping with uncertainty                                                            appointment is expected to be announced
                                                 Association (NCAHA) is one of the five
and imperfections in the system is                                                                  in the near future.
                                                 member organisations of the North Coast
something with which most of us have had         Primary Health Network. On page 32 they              Leaving the Board in 2020 after nine
long experience. We’ll probably muddle           outline their vision for the North Coast.          years were previous Chairman, Tim
through.                                         Their vision for patient centred, multi-           Francis, a GP/anaesthetist from Urunga,
  On a brighter note - congratulations to        disciplinary, team based, collaborative care       Dr Chris Jambour, founder of the Grant
Dr David Scott on receiving the Order of         echoes the same values as the Australian           Street Medical Centre in Ballina and former
Australia Medal in the recent Australia          Medical Home model of care. Alas this              Director of Medical Services LBH, Naree
Day honours. On page 5 Dr Brian Pezzutti         concept seems to have gone out of fashion          Hancock, a North Coast administrator in
marks David’s many achievements leading          in government health circles.                      health and education and Scott Monaghan,
to this award.                                                                                      CEO of Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal
                                                   NCAHA laments that the current
                                                                                                    Corporation.
  Technical solutions and technical              approach is failing on the North Coast and
problems abound in medicine just as they         they call for stronger inter-disciplinary             The new-look Board is better positioned
do in general life and some long for the         integration and training, particularly for         to take the NCPHN from its former role
“good old days”. However, as Franklin            those dealing with chronic and complex             of a support organisation for primary
Pierce Adams had noted, “nothing is more         care patients. Current health care funding         health practitioners to that of a lean,
responsible for the good old days than a         models perpetuate the ineffective status           innovative, technically advanced and
bad memory”.                                     quo and they challenge the government to           efficient commissioner of Commonwealth
                                                 once again innovate in this area.                  health services focussed on high value
  In this issue we report on a few of                                                               deliverables to the government. This new
the many IT related innovations whose               GOBSAT guidelines (Good old boys
                                                                                                    focus is succinctly elaborated in NCPHN’s
progress has been accelerated by the             sitting around a table) defined the
                                                                                                    2020-2021 strategic plan.
COVID-19 virus. On page 13 Well Mob              traditional care pathways in a bygone era.
outlines the resources they have developed       They failed on multiple levels, not the least        We wish them luck.
to reach the indigenous community with           being the lack of an evidence base and nor
                                                                                                      Other recent changes at NCPHN
assistance for the social and emotional          were they patient centred.
                                                                                                    also reflect a lesser role for local health
wellbeing of their clients.                        The modern focus for organisations               organisations in determining the NCPHN
   Last year’s rains resulted in worsening       involved in health care is to build structures     Board’s makeup. While some see this as
allergies in the spring and also more            that reflect the local population and which        detrimental it does obviate any potential
mosquito borne infections such as Barmah         truly represent their communities. Gone            conflicts of interest where Board members
Forest and Ross River viruses. Local             are the days of decree by the white male           were also associated with contractors to
councils in conjunction with the North           patriarchy.                                        the NCPHN. This had been an area of
Coast Public Health Unit are trialing an                                                            particular concern to the Executive and the
                                                   On page 9 North Coast Primary Health
SMS notification program on the risks and                                                           Department.
                                                 Network CEO, Julie Sturgess, highlights
preventative measures for these diseases         the importance of diversity for local health         On page 7 we outline our vision for the
(page 16).                                       organisations mirroring a similar thrust in        Nordocs monthly webinar series and
  On     page      24    North     Coast         Australia’s top 300 ASX companies which            appreciate any feedback, recommendations
neuropsychologist, Lynne Ridgeway, writes        has the interim goal of at least 30% of            or assistance with our education program.
about the ways in which virtual reality          Board members being female.                        The Board hopes to reinstate face to face
is being used in various conditions such                                                            meetings once the vaccination program has
                                                   Reflecting this new push to diversity at
as pain management, psychological and                                                               reached relevant targets later in the year.
                                                 the NCPHN, Ms Sturgess welcomes two
neurological disease. VR is not just for         eminent Australians to their Board. Among            Closer to home, NorDocs also has a
games, apparently.                               many other roles Graeme Innes is a former          new Board, as we report on page 6. Local
   Getting the right information to the right    Human Rights commissioner and Kerry                haematologist and new mum, Louise
person at the right time is a goal of modern     Stubbs is Deputy Chancellor of Western             Imlay-Gillespie is the new Chair, with
IT. In Who’s Where (page 15) we look at          Sydney University. In addition to their            Nathan Kesteven staying on as Vice Chair.
measures to also getting it to the right         wide experience the CEO notes they bring           We also welcome GP, David Glendinning,
place. Keeping track of where doctors are        “expertise in the fields of law, social justice,   to the Board where he will also take on the
currently practising is an ongoing task that     advocacy, and high-level government and            role of Treasurer.
still requires manual updating by practice       administration and add value and diversity
                                                                                                      NorDocs, like the rest of the nation, will
managers.                                        to the organisation’s strategic direction”.
                                                                                                    remember 2020 as a year of turmoil and
  On page 36 Tim Marsh updates us on the           Two more vacancies on the Board                  disruption. Few of us will miss it. However
Lismore Base Hospital eReferral system for       are yet to be filled. The NCPHN                    with new challenges, new directions and
outpatient clinics. The trial to date has been   Nominations Committee has identified               new blood we are eager to see what 2021
positive and its success makes it a possible     two highly credentialed candidates from            will bring us.              - David Guest
model for wider dissemination throughout         the corporate/charity sectors who are
4 | NorDocs
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
Dr David Scott awarded OAM
by Dr Brian Pezzutti                             a number of senior positions with the
                                                 Society, including being an executive
                                                 counselor, Vice President 2014 – 2016 and
Dr David Scott is the recipient of well-
                                                 President 2016-2018, and he is currently
deserved community recognition for his
                                                 the Immediate Past President.
service to Australia, particularly in the area
of anaesthetic services.                           During the time of his Presidency,
                                                 David was deeply involved on the
  David arrived in Lismore 26 years
                                                 Medical Benefits Schedule Review, and
ago and has served our community with
                                                 his direct liaison with the Federal Health
diligence and distinction, both in the public
                                                 Minister Greg Hunt ensured that the
and the private sectors, at a national and
                                                 inappropriate recommendations of the
international level.
                                                 Review Committee were not adopted by the
  Along the way David has provided clinical      Government. Had the Government adopted
leadership, training to young trainees,          these recommendations patient care would       conferences, and published a well-
anaesthesia and pain management and              have been significantly affected, and out of   acknowledged book with Alwyn Chan
consultancy, particularly in the area of         pocket cost would have risen sharply.          at Liverpool Hospital on Regional
Regional Anaesthesia.
                                                   David led a dispute between the              Anaesthesia with Ultrasound Guidance.
  His work with the College includes             Anaesthetic Department and the Northern          David has served in the Royal Australian
being the Founding Chair of the Special          NSW Local Health District Chief Executive      Air Force Reserves since 1990, currently
Interest Group for Regional Anaesthesia,         to gain changes to the sessional contracts     holding the rank of Group Captain. He is
and convening the Regional Anaesthesia           for Anaesthesia services so that Lismore       now Clinical Director of Anaesthesia and
Workshop of Queensland since 2005.               was positioned well to attract Anaesthetists   Intensive Care for the RAAF. David has
                                                 to work in Lismore.                            deployed overseas with the Australian
  His efforts in education were recognized
with his appointment as an Associate               Combined with supporting the dynamic         Defence Force to Afghanistan and
Professor at the Lismore Clinical School         leadership of the Department and the           East Timor at great personal risk and
of the University of Western Sydney, and         focus on “training and retaining”, Lismore     considerable cost.
his holding a Visiting Professorship at the      now has in excess of 30 Specialists in           His deployment following the earthquake
University of California, Sacramento and         Anaesthesia Pain Management and                and tsunami in Bandar, Aceh (Indonesia)
at the Uniformed University in Bethesda in       Perioperative Care, far more than any          in 2006 saw him do outstanding work
Washington DC, USA.                              Country Region in Australia. His strong        under the most demanding conditions.
                                                 advocacy for evidence-based practice
  At a local level, David was at one time the
                                                 and innovation has been important                I am sure David’s colleagues would
Director of the Department of Anaesthesia
                                                 for the continuing development of an           join me in applauding this well-earned
and Acute Pain Medicine at St Vincent’s
                                                 excellent anaesthetic service for the people   recognition for his services to our
Private Hospital, Lismore.
                                                 Richmond Valley.                               community, contributions to the profession
 Joining the Australian Society of                                                              and advocacy at the highest levels of
                                                   At an International level, David has         Government.
Anaesthetists in 1988 David has held
                                                 taught and lectured at many overseas

  Connecting dads and their babies, a great start for life
The summer 2020-21 edition of NorDocs             the birth of the baby, provided they are      to play. General Practitioners and primary
introduced the Focus on New Fathers               at least 14 years of age. The messages will   healthcare providers are in a fantastic
(FoNF) pilot, a partnership between NSW           continue until the baby is one.               position to be able to refer new parents to
Health and the University of Newcastle                                                          this free and easily accessible service.
                                                    From the program launch on 6
to deliver a free service to non-birthing
                                                  September 2020, there have been more            If you would like to experience the
partners of all cultures and genders.
                                                  than 125 fathers enrol from the Northern      service firsthand, there is a professional
  Once a ‘father’ has enrolled through            NSW Local Health District, nine of which      taster available to provide insight into the
www.health.nsw.gov.au/focus-on-new-               identify as Aboriginal, and 1314 enrol        messages that fathers will receive. To sign
fathers, the father will receive regular          across the state. Along with Northern         up for this, head to www.sms4dads.com,
text messages with tips, information and          NSW Local Health District, there are          scroll to the bottom left and click on ‘click
links designed to help them connect with          three other pilot areas; Northern Sydney,     here for professional taster’.
and support their baby and partner, while         Western Sydney and Murrumbidgee
                                                                                                  Further information about the program
looking after themselves as a parent.             Local Health Districts. At this stage, the
                                                                                                can be found on the webpage, or by
                                                  pilot is continuing until 30 June 2021.
  Fathers and co-parents can now sign                                                           contacting the Northern NSW Local Project
up from as early as 12 weeks into the               Healthy child development starts            Coordinator, Emma Murray on 6621 1245
pregnancy or up until 24 weeks following          early and dads have an important part         or emma.murray1@health.nsw.gov.au.

                                                                                                                            NorDocs | 5
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
NorDocs Board 2021
Dr Louise Imlay-Gillespie is the new Chair   doctors. Louise and Nathan aim to            program was devised as a way of increasing
of the Northern Rivers Medical Network       foster improved communication and            medical manpower in the hospital system
(NorDocs) for 2021.                          build stronger professional relationships    during the early stages of the pandemic
                                             between primary and secondary health         in preparation for the anticipated large
  Louise came to the North Coast in
                                             care.                                        numbers of patients who might have
2016 and has worked as a haematologist
                                                                                          required hospital treatment for COVID-19.
at LIsmore Base and Grafton District           Also joining the Board is Dr David
Hospitals since then. She has recently       Glendinning. David is a former engineer        David was also an unsuccessful candidate
returned from maternity leave on a part-     and project manager who retrained as a       for 2021 Board membership of the North
time basis following the birth of her son,   medical practitioner here on the North       Coast Primary Health Network.
Fox. We congratulate Louise and her          Coast, first through the University of
                                                                                             Continuing on the Board is surgeon
husband, oncologist Joe Gormally, on this    Wollongong training program and then
                                                                                          Trafford Fehlberg. Trafford has worked
happy event. Joe has also been a member      in the North Coast hospital system. On
                                                                                          as a general surgeon in a local private
of the NorDocs Board the past two years.     page 38 David describes his journey into
                                                                                          practice since April 2019, and before that
                                             medicine and expands on this in a recent
  Louise was instrumental in organising                                                   in Timor-Leste. In November 2020 he was
                                             episode of Destination’s podcast, where
various education events at Lismore Base                                                  appointed as the inaugural staff specialist
                                             rural graduates talk of their decisions to
Hospital, including the physicians’ week-                                                 general surgeon at Lismore Base Hospital,
                                             become rural doctors. (See link on page
end and the NorDocs Unconferences                                                         and now consults from the outpatients
                                             38).
in 2018 and 2019. Under her guidance                                                      clinic at Lismore Base Hospital. Trafford
NorDocs hopes to build further on the           David has also worked extensively         and his wife Zoe have also recently had a
hospital based education program.            with Lismore Base Hospital on various        son, Tasman. We trust the demands of
                                             eHealth and JMO education initiatives.       patients and children do not cause too
  Dr Nathan Kesteven, the former Chair,
                                             He was the Director of the Assistants in     many sleepless nights for them both.
stays on as Vice-Chair. Nathan has
                                             Medicine program last year that allowed
championed improvement in education                                                         Trafford’s 2019 presentation on his
                                             final year medical students to act as
and communication for all North Coast                                                     surgical experiences in Timor-Leste is
                                             interns with limited responsibilities. The

6 | NorDocs
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
in our 2019 webinar archive at Vimeo.
Trafford has a particular interest in
upper gastro-intestinal surgery and he
will present on that topic in our 14 April
Webinar.
  Dr Helen Lloyd joined the Board last year
and will continue on in 2021. Helen is a GP
                                                   NorDocs Webinar Series
in Mullumbimby and is pursuing research
on mammalian meat allergy which is one         The NorDocs webinar series commenced         they refer regularly. We believe this
of the subjects in our next podcast on 17      in August 2020 and is continuing in          makes for a better understanding of
March 2021.                                    2021. Meetings are now scheduled on a        the issues that both GPs and specialists
                                               regular basis for 7.30 pm on the second      face in providing a sound, efficient and
  We are sad to see Dr Bronwyn Hudson          Wednesday of the month.                      affordable service.
leave the Board. Bronwyn has organised our
most recent webinar along with colleagues        NorDocs is an independently run              Our preferred structure is for case
David Helliwell and Anthony Solomon on         organisation and receives no funding         based learning that spans all sectors
opiate dependence treatments. Bronwyn’s        from the government or government            of the health system from primary and
article from 2018 on opioid treatment in       related entities. As such it relies on its   secondary to tertiary care, involving
general practice along with the associated     own activities, and sponsorship and          doctors, nurses and allied health
webinar is found on our website. Bronwyn       advertising from its supporters. It is a     professionals. The sessions are live and
presented to the National Ice Taskforce in     model used by most publications around       interactive, allowing practitioners to pose
2019 as we reported in GPSpeak magazine.       the world and by podcasts on the web.        questions to the presenters in ‘real time’
We appreciate the work she has done for                                                     as well as being recorded if members are
                                                 Our webinars policy is to acknowledge
NorDocs and the general community over                                                      not able to make it at the allotted time.
                                               our sponsors at the beginning and end
the last three years.                                                                       However, we feel that the greatest value
                                               of each podcast and grant them the
                                                                                            derives from being a participant.
  Dr David Guest remains as secretary,         opportunity to address the audience for
a position he has held for 10 years.           one to two minutes. This occurs at the         The first meeting for 2021 held on 10
However, he is now ably assisted by our        beginning of the meeting. To date only       February 2021 was on opiate dependency
administrative officer, Linda Ward. Linda      one of our sponsors has taken up this        treatment and was given by the North
has a background in nursing and practice       option.                                      Coast D&A team of Bronwyn Hudson,
management. She runs her own practice                                                       David Helliwell, Anthony Solomon, Petra
                                                 It is understood by our sponsors and
management consultation business and in                                                     Liedel and Michael Burgess.
                                               advertisers that they exert no control
the past has worked for the Improvement        over the content or format of the              The schedule for the first half of 2021
Foundation and the North Coast Primary         presentations, which are determined          is ‘pencilled’ in below but is subject to
Health Network.                                solely by the presenters and the NorDocs     change.
   NorDocs runs a number of open email         webinar committee.
                                                                                              GPs wishing to stay up to date
lists. The pracman list goes to all Practice     There are many webinars and podcasts       with the webinar series or who have
Managers in the Network’s footprint.           available on the web today, some of          recommendations for future topics
NorDocs-members is an announcement             excellent quality. However, the particular   should join the gp-talk email list at
list for North Coast doctors, particularly     advantage of the NorDocs webinars is         https://lists.nordocs.org.au/postorius/
those who are not on Facebook, and gp-         that they give local GPs the opportunity     lists/gp-talk.lists.nordocs.org.au/  or
talk goes to North Coast GPs. It mainly        to hear and see the specialists to whom      write to “Nordocs Webinars” .
discussions from the webinars and other
general practice/NorDocs matters. Practice
                                                       Date             Topic                        Presenters
managers and members can subscribe
from the list page at https://lists.nordocs.
org.au/postorius/lists/.                               10 Feb           Opioid Dependence            Riverlands Drug and
                                                                                                   Alcohol unit
  The Board is keen to hear from
members on ideas for activities, education
                                                                                                     Susan Tyler-Freer,
                                                       17 March         “Too much meat”            Helen Lloyd and Louise
events or any other matters of concern.                                                            Imlay-Gillespie
The Board can be reached at “Nordocs
Board”     and for general inquiries and
administrative matters contact “Info @
Nordocs”  which is monitored by Linda
Ward, our administrative officer.                      16 June          Shoulder Disorders           TBA

                                                                                                                        NorDocs | 7
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
New board members for Healthy North Coast
Healthy North Coast, the successful                         value in understanding those issues from
contractor for the federally funded North                   both the provider’s and consumer’s side.”
Coast Primary Health Network, has
                                                              Graeme Innes said, “I hope that I can
announced two high-profile appointments
                                                            bring a deep knowledge of the community
to its board of directors, Kerry Stubbs,
                                                            sector, experience in governance, and a
the Deputy Chancellor of Western Sydney
                                                            wide network of connections at all levels
University, and Graeme Innes, former
                                                            of state and federal government to the
commissioner at the Australian Human
                                                            organisation.”
Rights Commission for almost a decade.
                                                               Healthy North Coast CEO Julie Sturgess
  Both share a deep passion for the health
                                                            said she was delighted to be welcoming
sector and are keen to contribute to their
                                                            the new directors whose expertise in the
local communities, according to the
                                                            fields of law, social justice, advocacy, and
Healthy North Coast announcement in                                                                                ‘meeting’ but ‘exceeding’ our goal of
                                                            high-level government and administration
early February.                                                                                                    delivering the Primary Health Network
                                                            would add value and diversity to the
                                                                                                                   program in our regional footprint, from
  “I have had a lot of experience in                        organisation’s strategic direction.
                                                                                                                   Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads, and the
community health services, disability and
                                                              “Together, they will help Healthy North              New England Tableland.
mental health services, and in palliative
                                                            Coast continue its drive to take a leading
care. I’m also particularly interested in                                                                            “We believe our communities are the
                                                            role in the ongoing health reform and
Aboriginal health issues and initiatives,”                                                                         ultimate beneficiaries of Healthy North
                                                            improvement that is clearly needed in our
Kerry Stubbs said.                                                                                                 Coast’s successes and we are immensely
                                                            region and nation.
                                                                                                                   proud to be delivering the PHN program.”
  “I believe I can contribute something of
                                                               “We will strive to succeed in not just

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8 | NorDocs
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
The importance of diversity on boards
by Julie Sturgess,                                                                                      She is a member of the Community
                                                                                                      Advisory Committee for the Australian
CEO, Healthy North Coast                                                                              Digital Health Agency; Advisory Council to
                                                                                                      the Australian Health Protection Principal
As the new year gets into full swing for                                                              Committee on Disability Pandemic
Healthy North Coast, it is fitting to look                                                            Planning; and the NSW Government
at the role our board plays in shaping our                                                            Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual
future, and to celebrate the breadth of                                                               Assault Council.
talent and diversity they bring.
                                                                                                        A former NSW Telstra Businesswoman
  With our recent appointment of two truly                                                            of the Year in the Community and
remarkable board members, Graeme Innes                                                                Government sector, Kerry is particularly
and Kerry Stubbs, I have been reflecting                                                              interested in using design thinking to
on the words of KPMG Australia’s Chair,                                                               foster innovation and better co-design of
Alison Kitchen, in her introduction to                                                                services and systems for the people who
Building Gender Diversity on ASX 300                                                                  use them, and in particular disadvantaged
Boards, published last June.                                                                          and minority communities.
  Alison wrote: “… When you’re operating                                                                Our choice of two new members
in an environment where there’s a huge                                                                with exemplary legal, social justice,
number of unknowns – having a lot of          New Healthy North Coast (HCN) Board members Kerry       advocacy, and high-level government and
different experience around the table is      Stubbs (front), Graeme Innes and CEO, Julie Sturgess.   administration experience, reflects our
a very good thing. And that diversity of                                                              commitment to creating a diverse board
experience can help boards navigate the         He was Australia’s Race Discrimination
                                                                                                      with wide-ranging skills.
enormous challenges we are facing.            Commissioner for three years and
                                              served for almost a decade as a former                     Graeme and Kerry join our other highly
  “…having different voices, different                                                                valued board members, who together
                                              Commissioner with the Australian Human
perspectives, different life experience and                                                           provide Healthy North Coast with an
                                              Rights Commission, developing significant
different business experience at the table                                                            extensive range of knowledge, skills and
                                              networks with both federal and state
– all asking open questions, being curious                                                            expertise in local health care provision,
                                              governments, including in the areas of
and sharing experiences, is the key to                                                                clinical expertise, Aboriginal health,
                                              health and with First Nations People.
surviving and thriving. The advantage                                                                 academia,    community      development,
a diverse board offers is the ability for        Graeme      has been a registered mediator
                                                                                                      business and    corporate   management,
companies to be agile, flexible, and to       for many       years, and has negotiated at
                                                                                                      accounting and finance, law and local
think, quickly and differently.”              all levels      of society, from community
                                                                                                      government, and advocacy and social
                                              mediation      to the development of a UN
  2021 heralds an exciting new chapter                                                                justice.
                                              treaty.
for Healthy North Coast as we continue                                                                  Having such a stable and diverse
to serve the Mid and North Coast regions        He has a strong diversity and inclusion
                                                                                                      board to steer Healthy North Coast has
with an ambitious and locally focused         mindset and leads this area of change as
                                                                                                      resulted in clear direction and strategy,
PHN program, and the guidance of an           a non-executive director of Life Without
                                                                                                      solid accountability and controls, and
experienced and diverse Healthy North         Barriers, one of Australia’s largest service
                                                                                                      transparency. Our diverse board will
Coast Board of Directors.                     providers in the areas of Aboriginal and
                                                                                                      continue to help us better serve and
                                              Torres Strait Islander people, people with
  As we rise to meet the unprecedented                                                                represent the needs of our community
                                              disability, asylum seekers and children in
challenges of the coming decade in                                                                    as we navigate the move to regional
                                              out-of-home care.
health care, we will continue to focus on                                                             commissioning and new partnership
connecting with, and serving the needs          Kerry is Deputy Chancellor of Western                 structures with other organisations inside
of general practice, allied health, and our   Sydney University and has worked as an                  and outside of the healthcare system.
communities, through our four strategic       academic at both Sydney University and
                                                                                                          As with all Primary Health Networks,
pillars. This is a mission about which we     the University of Technology.
                                                                                                       our contract with the Commonwealth
are incredibly passionate and proud.             She has extensive human resources,                    Government dictates that we must have
  It is a real honour to introduce Graeme     research and teaching expertise in the areas             a diverse, skills-based board as well as
and Kerry – both local residents – as new     of anti-discrimination, equal employment                 clinical councils, to help us function and
board members.                                opportunity and social justice, as well as               navigate the landscape that we are in.
                                              significant expertise in the human capital               Our current board members include a
  Graeme is a lawyer and company director
                                              field, including previous roles as CEO of                specialist anaesthetist, a dentist, two
with more than 40 years of board, finance
                                              Northcott and Executive Director of St                   GPs, and a senior public administration
and business management experience.
                                              Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.                               executive.

                                                                                                                                 NorDocs | 9
Slugs and snails and researchers' tales - Autumn 2021 - The LARCS aren't singing Virtual Reality helps healing - Nordocs
Vale Mungo MacCallum
by Robin Osborne                                era.

I dipped in and out of Mungo                      For many years a tradition in the Mungo-
MacCallum’s life for decades, starting          Jenny Garrett household was a party
with an introduction in the office in (old)     marking the Feast Day of St Mungo (13 or
Parliament House, Canberra that he shared       14 January, according to the calendar you
with my childhood friend, the late Helen        choose), honouring a sixth century saint
Ester (nee Cunningham), an accomplished         celebrated on Glasgow’s coat of arms.
journalist who held similar views of the
                                                  Arriving at one such event I noticed
Australian political class.
                                                Mungo in his office, clattering away on his
  Helen worked for the Inside Canberra          manual typewriter, ignoring the mounting
newsletter, later launching her own             revelry upstairs. I asked Jenny what he
publication,   Monitor.    Mungo     was        was writing and learned it was an obituary
writing for outlets far and wide. I was         for a recently deceased, high-profile Labor
astounded that these bright sparks could        politician. It was due to be filed that
turn out wonderful stories from such a          afternoon for the next days’s paper.
claustrophobic office.                                                                         Mungo (Felt pen on Echo newspaper
                                                  Soon Mungo joined the feast honouring
                                                his namesake, and partied on.                  clippings) by Jeni Binns
  Mungo and I shared space and time
in two media outlets, the quirky Nation                                                          A few days later Mungo’s obituary for
                                                   I read the obit next morning – it was
Review and ABC radio’s Double J where                                                          Helen appeared in The Sydney Morning
                                                word perfect and insightful, amusing,
I interviewed him each afternoon for the                                                       Herald. As might be expected it was again
                                                irreverent… all the qualities that marked
Frontline news program: “So, Mungo,                                                            word perfect: “In matters of belief and
                                                his columns and other writings over the
what’s been happening in Australian                                                            conviction she was unswerving to the end,”
                                                years. Moreover, it had been written as a
politics today…?”, and off he’d go.                                                            he wrote.
                                                single draft on a typewriter, and faxed to
  Later, as editor of the Lismore Echo,         Sydney.                                          Words that apply equally to Mungo
I engaged him to write a weekly column                                                         himself.
                                                  The last time I saw Mungo was on the sad
that we titled, with his amused approval,                                                        Legend has it that St Mungo performed
                                                occasion of the funeral of our mutual friend
‘Political Corrections’.                                                                       four miracles in Glasgow, which are also
                                                Helen Ester on the Gold Coast in November
  Along with the journalist gene I share        2015. Mungo wasn’t up to driving by then,      depicted on the city’s coat of arms. One
Mungo’s Wentworth family background,            so I gave him a lift up and back, and we       of them, I’m pleased to note, is that he
mentioned in David Lovejoy’s tribute as         conversed as much as we could, given his       restored life to a robin that had been killed
being “hard to overcome, even when you          dependence on a ‘speech box’ due to his        by some of his classmates. This is some
choose left-wing politics”. My grannie was      laryngectomy.                                  relief, although next time the bell tolls it
a Wentworth, every bit as eccentric, and as                                                    may well be for me.
                                                  We didn’t stay for drinks and the drive
intelligent, as Mungo, albeit from an earlier                                                    Link to the Echo’s farewell to Mungo
                                                south was a largely silent and sombre one.

  The importance of diversity on boards
    continued from P9                             ● Warren Grimshaw AM has extensive           University; and Sub Dean of Medicine at
                                                senior experience in public administration     the University Centre for Rural Health
  The board, including our new members,
                                                and the health sector. Warren is Chair of      (Sydney University). He has been a GP in
will help Healthy North Coast continue its
                                                the Mid North Coast Local Health District      Murwillumbah for more than 35 years as
drive to take a leading role in the ongoing
                                                Board, a position he has held since 2011.      both senior partner and managing partner
health reform and improvement that is
clearly needed in our region and nation.          ● Dr Caroline Hong has a Bachelor            of King Street Medical Centre.
                                                of Dental Surgery, Graduate Diploma              ● Dr Joanna Sutherland is a specialist
  We will strive not just to ‘meet’ but to
                                                of Health Administration, and a Master         anaesthetist in Coffs Harbour, with a
‘exceed’ all the goals of delivering the PHN
                                                of Health Administration. She is a             Master of Health Policy, and a Master
program in our regional footprint from
                                                Board Trustee of the St Vincent’s Clinic       of Clinical Sciences (Research). She is
Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads and the
                                                Foundation and has been in that role           actively involved in teaching and training
New England Tableland.
                                                supporting healthcare and medical              medical students (as a conjoint academic
 Other Healthy       North    Coast   board     research since 2012.                           with UNSW Rural Clinical School), and
members:                                                                                       training and supporting specialist and GP
                                                  ● Dr John Moran AM is Associate
  ● Dr Adrian Gilliland is a GP and co-         Professor of Medicine at the University of     anaesthetists.
owner of Coffs Medical Centre, a large,         Wollongong; Assistant Professor at Bond
long-established general practice.
10 | NorDocs
Slugs and snails and researchers’ tales
by Robin Osborne                                                                                    at Sydney Fish Market and is regarded as
                                                                                                    highly nutritious.
Slugs and snails may be unwelcome
                                                                                                      Now, as Dr Steven Purcell has confirmed
residents of terrestrial gardens but in the
                                                                                                    in the journal Restoration Ecology, the
ocean they are being hailed for making
                                                                                                    trochus is having a positive ecological
positive contributions to the aquatic
                                                                                                    impact on coral reefs in Samoa where it
environment as well as delighting those
                                                                                                    was first introduced 15 years ago, long
fortunate to sight them.
                                                                                                    after it was well established in other Pacific
  In the forefront of ‘sea slug’ and ‘sea                                                           countries as a valuable shellfish resource.
snail’ research are two Southern Cross
                                                                                                       Noting that he had found no negative
University marine scientists, Steven Purcell      Professor Steve Smith                             ecological effects of the trochus in colonised
and Steve Smith, the latter being fortunate
                                                                                                    Samoan coral reefs, Dr Purcell wrote: “It’s
enough to share his initials with these
                                                                                                    a story of the amazing colonisation of snails
extraordinary creatures. He may even be
                                                                                                    that appears to benefit both the marine
able to say the words ‘Sea Slug Census’
                                                                                                    environment and the livelihoods of the
three times quickly, although perhaps not
                                                                                                    Samoan people.
under water.
                                                                                                      “Unlike examples in Australia – the cane
  At the end of January Professor Smith
                                                                                                    toad, the fox, rabbit and European carp, to
coordinated the third annual Coffs Coast
                                                                                                    name a few, which have been detrimental
Sea Slug Census, an event where “divers
                                                                                                    to native species and habitats – the trochus
and rockpool ramblers” – another nice
                                                                                                    has shown itself to be a welcome species
piece of alliteration – join forces to discover
                                                                                                    that can control reef algae while offering a
a significant number of nudibranch
                                                  Dr Steven Purcell measuring trochus shell.        valuable new seafood to coastal people.”
species. The flamboyant nudibranchs,
less attractively known as ‘sea slugs’, are                                                           Several years ago the Australian Centre
molluscs with reduced or absent shells,                                                             for International Agricultural Research
and they flourish in the waters of the NSW                                                          (ACIAR) commissioned SCU to partner
North Coast.                                                                                        with Samoa’s Ministry of Fisheries in the
                                                                                                    study.
  Professor Smith said, “The abundance
of sheltered rock pools along the Coffs                                                                “From a few initial release sites, trochus
coastline, combined with the underwater                                                             now can be found around both main
habitat diversity around the Solitary                                                               islands in Samoa. At many reef sites,
Islands, provide a fantastic combination                                                            populations are abundant, with several
of suitable conditions for a large range of       Gold spotted nudibranch                           hundred animals or more per hectare,” Dr
species.”                                                                                           Purcell said.

  With the support of the local diving                                                                “A vibrant fishery has been established
group, Professor Smith created the first Sea                                                        in Samoa, where artisanal village fishers
Slug Census in 2013 at Nelson Bay, north                                                            collect them for local consumption and sale
of Newcastle. Since then, in conjunction                                                            by the roadside.”
with local naturalist and diving groups, the                                                           In recent years, reefs in Samoa and
event has expanded to sites from the Gold                                                           elsewhere in the Pacific have been impacted
Coast to Melbourne and offshore at Lord                                                             by coral bleaching and subsequent algal
Howe Island.                                                                                        overgrowth. Other studies show that
   “Participants   simply     find     and                                                          trochus can benefit reef systems. Through
photograph as many species of sea slug                                                              its feeding, the herbivorous snails graze
as possible and note the location. It’s a         A polished trochus shell Credit: Steven Purcell    down this algal overgrowth that can
citizen science program that offers fun,                                                             smother young corals or prevent them
                                                  properly known as the trochus.                     from attaching on the reef.
adventure and opportunities to learn about
our remarkable marine biodiversity,” Prof           If Australians know anything about                “Our data found the introduced trochus
Smith added.                                      trochus it is because of the spectacular          in Samoa do not appear to be out-
                                                  lustre of the shell, which, when polished,        competing the native marine snail species,”
  Meanwhile, in Pacific waters far to the
                                                  makes it the most popular source of               Dr Purcell said.
east, SCU’s other marine-researching
                                                  mother-of-pearl buttons. The meat, which
Steven has been on the trail of an equally
                                                  can be cooked in a variety of ways, is sold
fascinating creature, the ‘sea snail’, more

                                                                                                                                 NorDocs | 11
The LARCS aren’t singing in Australia
by Andrew Binns                                                                                                 such as Lippes Loops and Copper
                                                                                                                7s had a much higher infection
Noteworthy stories in the medical                                                                               rate than the modern devices,
media have highlighted a general                                                                                whether hormonal or copper.
lack of education and procedural
                                                                                                                  IUCDs have had their ups and
training for GPs around the
                                                                                                                downs in reputation over the
topic of long-acting reversible
                                                                                                                years, but the newer devices are
contraceptives   (LARCS),   used
                                                                                                                safe, with minimal side effects
by 12% of women in Australia
                                                                                                                and are generally well accepted by
compared with 15% in comparable
                                                                                                                those women who use them.
countries.
                                                                                                                 More training for GPs at all
  Although usage has increased
                                                                                                               levels is a high need. For those
in recent times, we still lag behind
                                                                                                               who would prefer not to be
other countries, and the uptake
                                              regional areas.                                                  trained in these procedures,
rate has plateaued rather than
                                                                                                      encouraging the use of LARCS rather than
increasing.                                     So, what could be done at the primary                 just the OC pill for contraception would
  Compounding the dilemma are our sky-        care level to address these concerns?                   be beneficial for both contraception and
high hysterectomy rates, which according        More training in LARCS procedures,                    reducing menstrual bleeding. Added to this
to a recent OECD report are much higher       particularly insertion of etonogestrel                  are the benefits of minimising unplanned
than they should be. For example, Australia   implants (Implanon) devices and the                     pregnancies that can occur through poor
does about 250 hysterectomies/1000            levonorgestrel intrauterine system (Mirena              compliance, including remembering daily
women compared with, say, Denmark             and Kyleena IUCDs), would help as these                 oral contraceptive pill taking.
at 20/1000. New Zealand has half our          reduce menstrual bleeding.                                 One new(ish) device on to the market
rates, while Finland has decreased its
                                                There is some talk of this role partially             to help encourage the use of LARCS is the
hysterectomy rate by 60% in the last 20
                                              being taken over by trained RNs, which                  Kyleena, released in March 2020. This
years.
                                              may fragment care if not performed in                   device not only provides safe contraception
  Professor Jason Abbott, UNSW Faculty        the GP setting. That said, specialised                  for five years but reduces menstrual loss. It
of Medicine, commented in AusDoc 2020         family planning clinics fulfill an important            is also suitable for use in nulliparous and
(12 October, 2020) that we have one of the    complementary role for many women and                   younger women. Women with menorrhagia
highest hysterectomy rates in the OECD        offer valuable training opportunities for               would be best suited to a Mirena, which
and that although the rates have fallen the   GPs.                                                    contains a higher dose of levonorgestrel.
reduction has not been fast enough.
                                                 I was involved in the first family planning            The Kyleena is a smaller device than
  Prof Abbott says this is due to low         clinic in Lismore. It started about 40 years            the Mirena, and is indicated specifically
awareness in primary care alternatives to     ago and was a controversial topic amongst               for contraception. The comparison of
treat menorrhagia and a lack of training in   GPs. We did IUCD clinics at that time                   these devices for patients is shown in the
minimally invasive endometrial ablation       and I am pleased to say the devices have                following table.
procedures, particularly in rural and         improved vastly since then. The old devices

   Consideration                                                Kyleena                                       Mirena
   Risk of pregnancy over 3 years      2,7
                                                                Slightly higher (2%)                          Lower (0%)
                                                                Difference is not statistically significant but may be clinically significant for
                                                                women.

   Risk of ovarian cysts over 3 years7                          Less likely (8.6%)                            More likely (22%)
                                                                Difference is statistically significant.

   Bleeding and spotting days over 3 years7                     More likely due to lower                      Less likely due to higher
                                                                progestogen                                   progestogen
   Dimensions / ease of insertion and                           28 mm width, 30 mm height:                    32 mm width, 32 mm height:
                                                                may be easier to insert/remove                may be more difficult to insert/
   removal   4,5,7
                                                                due to smaller size                           remove due to larger size
   Partial or complete expulsion over 3 years2,7                Low risk (2%)                                 Low risk (1.6%)
12 | NorDocs
WellMob – your ‘one-stop shop’ website for Indigenous wellbeing
Finding online resources                                                                                    and allied health community to use both
that support the mental                                                                                     in and out of session. Some case studies
health and wellbeing needs                                                                                  to give examples are shown below:
of Aboriginal and Torres                                                                                    Case Study 1 – ‘The Grog Brain
Strait Islander people has                                                                                  Story’ (Menzies School of Health
been made easier with                                                                                       Research)
the development of a new
website called WellMob.                                                                                     Showing a young person a short video
                                                                                                            on a health topic can be a great way to
  “It was like looking for                                                                                  discuss a sensitive issue such as alcohol
needles in haystacks to find                                                                                misuse.
culturally safe, Indigenous-
specific wellbeing resources,”                                                                                      See The Grog Brain Story link here.
says Worimi man and project WellMob website team: Dr Judy Singer, Talah Laurie, Sharnie Roberts and David Edwards Case Study 2 – Coping with the
Co-Director, David Edwards.                                                                                       impacts of Trauma (The Healing
“Most people just used                            The WellMob team acknowledge the
                                                                                                                  Foundation)
Google, but it was hard to narrow down guidance of our website development
to Australian Indigenous online resources reference groups in Larrakia (Darwin, NT),
that were evidence-based or had been Kaurna (Adelaide, SA) and Bundjalung
vetted to ensure cultural-safety for our (Lismore, NSW) country. Through the
community.”                                    dedication of these people, WellMob was
                                               developed so it could meet the needs of
  David and the WellMob team work part the many different Aboriginal and Torres
time at the University Centre for Rural Strait Islander communities as part of their
Health (Lismore) and helped develop wellbeing practice.
the website under the national eMHPrac
(e-mental health in practice) project How can we use the WellMob
in collaboration with the Australian website?                                                                  Printing a brochure to explain to a patient
Indigenous HealthInfoNet.                                                                                      how experiencing
What is WellMob?                                                                                        a trauma such
                                                                                                        as abuse can be
The WellMob website has over 200                                                                        triggered     and
practical and effective videos, apps,                                                                   some       coping
podcasts and other websites together in                                                                 mechanisms that
one place. It’s been designed to help our                                                               may support them.
diverse health and wellbeing workforce
to find and recommend online social and                                                                 See Coping with the
emotional wellbeing resources for their                                                                 Impacts of Trauma
Indigenous patients/ clients.                                                                           brochure link here.

Click here for the website promotional video
Why develop WellMob?                                                                                    Health promotion videos – the
                                                                                                        digital talking stick
The inspiration came from frontline
Aboriginal health and wellbeing workers             The website landing page has 6 main                 Health workers wanted the website
here in Bundjalung country, northern                topics you can search under for your                to contain lots of video content using
NSW. They saw the need for a ‘one-stop              Indigenous clients or for your professional         storytelling   techniques      to    supply
shop’ of culturally relevant resources to use       development. These wellbeing topics                 information, rather than just giving a set of
with their Indigenous clients. The WellMob          include: Mind; Body; Our Mob; Culture,              facts. “Our mob often learns and connects
website was developed to fill a cultural gap        Keeping Safe; and Healing.                          with information through story,” says
within the digital mental health space. One                                                             David.
                                                      Under each of these main health topics
of the local health workers stated:                                                                       “It doesn’t have to be an evidence-based,
                                                    there are numerous sub-topics you can also
  ‘We need digital resources across a wide          search under. There is also a search and            online counseling program every time. It
  range of topics, such as healthy living,          advanced search function that allows you            can be something as simple as a video that
  connecting with country, dealing with grief,                                                          talks about someone’s challenges dealing
  identity etc. that fit within a social and        to refine what type of resource and what
  emotional model of care’                          subject matter you are looking for.                 with stress, anxiety or depression, and how
                                                                                                        they overcame them through connecting to
  Anonymous Health Worker, 2016                       The website is a useful tool for our GP           support.”

                                                                                                                                        NorDocs | 13
WellMob – your ‘one-stop shop’ website for Indigenous wellbeing
  “It can be a really great way for a non-       the Black Dog Institute to develop some          at the University Centre for Rural Health
Indigenous clinician to build rapport            webinars about the website and using             in Lismore. If you would like the team to
with an Indigenous client too. They’re           online resources with your Indigenous            send out some free ‘calling cards’ for you to
able to say, ‘Look at this fella, he’s really    clients. You can register for a free webinar     write online resources down and leave with
inspiring.’”                                     titled Supporting Indigenous wellbeing           your client, contact David at E: d.edwards@
                                                 through digital resources: an introduction for   sydney.edu.au.
  This idea of focusing on positive,
                                                 clinicians here.
strengths-based tools is an important part                                                          Also follow the WellMob project via its
of the philosophy behind WellMob. “I             Want more information?                           FaceBook page here.
think it’s nice to have those more positive
                                                 We are fortunate to have the website
stories – to sell the strengths of our culture
                                                 development team based in our region
and how we can reconnect in times when
we’re feeling sad, worried, or stressed.”
  And though the idea of bringing these
resources together in one place was
developed long before the pandemic
began, David and the team see the site as
even more crucial during the restrictions
and uncertainty of COVID-19.
Recorded webinars & CPD
The WellMob team have collaborated with

      Tackling obesity
      with lasting weight
      loss solutions
      As part of an integrated treatment plan, weight loss
      surgery is now widely recognised as one of the most
      successful methods of treating obesity. Bariatric Surgeon
      at John Flynn Private Hospital, Dr Candice Silverman,
      has developed The Peak Program. This multidisciplinary
      program focuses on both the physical and emotional
      wellbeing of the patient and considers their various
      lifestyle, psychological and sociological factors to help
      patients achieve and maintain long-lasting results.

      To find out more visit our website or call 07 5598 9000

      johnflynnprivate.com.au

14 | NorDocs
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