Practice nurse update – 19 February 2025

CESPHN – support for nurses working in general practice

Are you a new nurse working in general practice?

Our practice support team are available to provide you with a Practice Nurse orientation session which includes a copy of our Practice Nurse Resource Guide.

We can also provide you with ongoing support to help you learn and succeed in your new role.

These sessions can either be an in general practice or a virtual visit.

If you would like to book an orientation session or have any questions, please contact practicesupport@cesphn.com.au

Primary Health Care Nurses Day

We hope you all had a nice Primary Health Care Nurses Day and celebrated in a way that was meaningful to you. CESPHN held a morning tea in support of all Primary care nurses. We would love to see how you celebrated so please send us your photos to practicesupport@cesphn.com.au

PHC Nurses Day 4.jpg

Important – Updated Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) Guidelines for Enrolled Nurses Working in General Practice

To be eligible to receive incentive payments for enrolled nurses, practices must ensure:

The enrolled nurse(s) are working under the direct or indirect supervision of a registered nurse(s) in accordance with the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Enrolled Nurse Standards for Practice (EN Standards); and
That if, the EN Standards require documented supervisory arrangements to be in place with the employer(s), the arrangements are: – supported by the affected registered nurse(s) and enrolled nurse(s); – reviewed annually and when the engaged enrolled nurse(s) or supervising registered nurse(s) circumstances change; and – retained by the practice and provided to the Department of Health and Aged Care for auditing purposes, on request.

For further information – https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-11/workforce-incentive-program-practice-stream-guidelines.pdf

CESPHN – programs

Child and Family Health

CESPHN recognises that child health is a key priority issue, with rates of developmentally vulnerable children higher in this region compared to the national average. The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) measures development vulnerability through the following domains: physical health and wellbeing; social competency; emotional maturity; communication skills and general knowledge; and language and cognitive skills. The percentage of children within CESPHN who were considered developmentally vulnerable has risen with the most vulnerability observed in the geographical locations of Kogarah- Rockdale, Hurstville, Canterbury and Botany.

For relevant clinical information, please view Sydney Healthpathways and South East Sydney Healthpathways

News and announcements

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has applied to change the Nurses Award 2020.

The application, seeks to vary the Nurses Award 2020 to lift the minimum award wage rates for all registered nurses, enrolled nurses, assistants in nursing and midwives, working in various settings, including primary health care.

If successful, the minimum rates of pay for all classifications and pay points of registered nurses, enrolled nurses, student enrolled nurses, nurse practitioners and occupational health nurses in the relevant settings would increase by about 35.8%.

For further information – https://anmj.org.au/shaping-the-future-of-care-anmf-priorities-2025-work-value-2-the-nurses-and-midwives-case/

https://www.fwc.gov.au/hearings-decisions/major-cases/work-value-case-nurses-and-midwives

New: National Cervical Screening Program Guidelines

The updated guidelines, which were published in January 2025, will come into effect in April. As five years have passed since Australia’s national cervical screening program transition to a screening strategy based on human papillomavirus testing, the national cervical screening guidelines have been reviewed and updated.

Further information – https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/Eez2Kj

Education opportunities and programs

CESPHN Webinar – Lunch and learn

Join us online for a comprehensive session on Interpreting Practice Progress Reports

Gain an understanding of the redesigned CESPHN’s Practice Progress reports and the skills to utilise them effectively.

Wednesday, 19 February 2025

Online Webinar Event, via Zoom Webinar.

St Vincents – Type 2 Diabetes Patient Education Groups

Do you have patients living with type 2 Diabetes that would benefit from an education group?

St Vincents Hospital are offering free education groups for patients with type 2 diabetes. Groups will be held in March, June and October.

For further information – https://cesphn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Diabetes-patient-education-group-1.pdf

Benchmarque Group – Perform Venous Blood Collection

The Perform Blood Collection Course (HLTPAT002) is evidence-based and focuses on teaching best practices for both patient care and clinician safety. This course equips students with the essential knowledge and skills to confirm collection requirements, prepare the client and equipment, and perform routine blood collections in a clinical setting.

When: 4 March 2025

Where: Central and Eastern Sydney PHN Mascot

Cost: $450.00

To book – https://www.benchmarquegroup.com.au/courses/perfor m -blood-collection/#workshops

To access further education sessions from Benchmarque – Benchmarque Booking-Flyer-CESPHN.pdf

*Please note: Ear wax removal on 5 March has been cancelled.

Scholarships

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care are offering scholarship opportunities to Registered Nurses and Midwives to undertake post graduate study in the primary care and aged care sectors.

To find out more – https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/primary-care-nursing-and-midwifery-scholarship-program