NTGPE utilised its strong complementary strengths in medical and cultural education recently during an External Clinical Teaching Visit (ECTV) to Katherine. Dr Mark Cavill, NTGPE Medical Educator and Mr Richard (Richie) Fejo, NTGPE Cultural Educator travelled to the inland township to observe the residing GP Registrar in two separate Katherine Medical Centres from not only a medical but also a cultural perspective. With a higher population of Indigenous people in the NT, this cross educational approach provided invaluable and in-depth feedback to the GP Registrars that was relevant to the Territory.

Here Dr Mark Cavill shares his insights of the trip from a Medical Educator’s perspective.

Reflections on Educational Visits

Inherently we all want to help people – this is especially true of Doctors and Teachers. I think it’s for this reason I went to medical school - to help my patients. In more recent years my career has taken on a new angle – myself and other Teachers have been helping other Doctors to help their patients.

It was with eager anticipation I arranged a visit to Katherine, with a Cultural Educator and friend from NTGPE. Richie and I had two Registrars to visit and a meeting with the Medical Director of Katherine Hospital.

The concept of the ECTV is to observe what happens between the patient(s), their families and the Doctor, without getting directly involved in the consultation. On arrival to Katherine our first stop off was at a new private clinic, where we observed a Doctor new to General Practice training during five consultations with patients. It can be an unusual and daunting experience for the trainee to have another Doctor sitting in, more so if there are two Educators present. The Registrar soon settled in to the experience though and at the end of the session we were able to deliver our observations and feedback. With both Medical and Cultural Educators present, the Registrar was able to gain unique and diverse insights into clinical practice and client interaction.

We enjoyed a chat that evening over dinner with the Director from the Hospital, and the following morning we headed to the Katherine Aboriginal Medical Service. Again Richie and I sat in on four consultations with the trainee. In this session the input from the Cultural Educator proved especially valuable, allowing the trainee to see the problems presented from the patient’s perspective and enable better holistic interaction with future patients.

As Richie and I travel back to Darwin we reflect on our short trip – we had certainly learnt a lot from each other, and hopefully the trainees we have visited have learnt as much from our experience. As Richie drives and I type my letters to the Doctors we have visited, I feel fulfilled again knowing I have helped my colleagues, who in turn will continue to help their community.

Mark Cavill
Medical Educator, NTGPE
June 2012

GP Registrar Program, GP Trainers, Headlines, News and Events

Dr Andrew Hume, GP Registrar, has kindly articulated for us the highlights of the recent GPR Conference in a light hearted article detailing the engaging experience from a delegate’s perspective …

GP Registrar Conference A Winner – A GP Registrar Reflects …

Not since the sozzled flying doctor Clive Fenton cajoled his Gypsy Moth onto a Tennant Creek airstrip during the great depression has the remote desert community seen such medical fervor. In early June I was one of 17 GP Registrars from the breadth of the Northern Territory who infested the town for an NTGPE conference, to meet, greet and gain insight into the rigors of healthcare delivery in Australia’s heart.

Flying in early from Darwin on chartered planes, we descended from a clear lens of sky into the Warramungu people’s land; the plane’s wings shivering off grassfire updrafts. We were welcomed at the ironically named El Dorado Hotel by the proprietor, Mary, whose delicious scones more than made up for the plain surrounds. Mary continued to conjure a cataract of calorific cuisine for the remainder of our stay.

A welcome to country was followed by a frank feedback session with Registrar Liaison Officer Dr Casey Williams, and then a communication-based Indigenous Health Module was delivered by the CEMENT (Cultural and Medical Educator) team. Dr Justin Coleman whipped out an inspiring presentation on practical tips for GPs; what junior burger Registrar knew that capsules float and tablets sink? Or that Lyclear + hair conditioner = lice treatment? Not this one. All very useful. In the afternoon the group dissolved into self-directed exploration of the township before Justin cheerfully extracted our long-impacted literary genius in a reflective writing session after dinner.

On day two we undertook a second communication session (complete with a dubious attempt to fashion two kidneys from a Chux sponge), and mastered the ins and outs of airway management and Pap smears. A tour of Anyinginyi Health Centre and the Royal Flying Doctor Service followed a visit to the Tennant Creek Hospital with its new 16-bay haemodialysis unit, constructed to service the greatest incidence of chronic renal failure in the world. Later, some of the party retreated to relax at Lake Mary Anne and perhaps spot El Dorado in his golden birthday suit.

On the final day Dr Tim Henderson, ophthalmologist from Alice Springs, proffered some visionary insights into the General Practice aspects of his trade. There was time for just one last coronary-clogging cream cake before the group sardined back into a Hardy Aviation tin can to return home. As Darwin’s serpentine waterways glittered closer, and the flaps ground down, perhaps there was at least one Registrar thinking of returning to the desert.

Many thanks to NTGPE, the CEMENT team and Tennant Creek for hosting us over the three days.

Andrew Hume
GP Registrar
June 2012

NTGPE held the first of two 2012 GP Registrar Conferences in Tennant Creek from 6 June to 8 June, with 17 GP registrars, 3 medical educators, 4 cultural educators and 2 external GP presenters in attendance.

The location was chosen to showcase rural / remote Northern Territory to this GP Registrar cohort as a possible future training location; to give them a feel for the surrounding community and culture as well as the breadth of medicine they would work in if they were to choose to train at the three major locations in Tennant Creek, being Anyinginyi Aboriginal Congress, the Royal Flying Doctor Service or Tennant Creek Hospital.

Registrars attending the conference came from Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Gove with presenters from Darwin, Alice Springs and Brisbane. Conference participants were treated to a wide array of topics by industry acclaimed presenters: Ophthalmology by Dr Tim Henderson, Procedural Skills – How to Deal with Triage presented by Dr Cameron Smith plus Airway Management and How to Prepare a Presentation, both by Dr Nigel Gray. Dr Justin Coleman also presented a total of 3 topics - GP Tips, Reflective Writing and Examination of Joints.

The social calendar offered visits to the Cultural Centre and markets, afternoon nibbles at Lake Mary Anne and a BBQ dinner to give Registrars time to relax and connect with each other on their experiences in the training program both on a personal and professional level.

It was a very successful event with Registrars, local clinics and the community all appreciative of the work that went into making it happen at the rural location. GP Registrar Program Manager Christine Heatherington-Tait said the logistics were quite amazing, requiring the use of charter flights from Darwin to Tennant Creek and return, driving a hire mini bus down from Alice Springs and remote accommodation and meals for 28 people. She said the Tennant Creek community is already looking forward to GP Registrars taking up the rewarding challenge of working in Tennant Creek to enhance the already great medical workforce it has.

The 2^nd GP Registrar conference will be held the first week of November in Darwin and NTGPE is looking forward to hosting another exciting program for an even larger contingent of attendees.

Click here for Dr Andrew Hume (attending GP Registrar)’s humorous take on conference events.

Northern Territory General Practice Education (NTGPE) held a social inter-staff baseball game on Wednesday 30 May near their offices at Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, in recognition of this year’s National Reconciliation Week, held from 27 May – 3 June, with this year’s theme being ‘Let’s talk Recognition’. The friendly game was designed to raise awareness of the need to take part and create a positive and inclusive environment for communication and change.

Following the game Mr Garry Lambert, NTGPE’s Business Manager, announced the positive purposes of NTGPE’s soon to be released Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP is aimed to build positive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and is a public contribution towards the national effort to close the 17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

National Reconciliation Week celebrates two meaningful milestones throughout Australia’s History, the successful 1967 referendum and also the High Court Mabo decision. 2012 marks the 45th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, a date which saw Indigenous Australians recognised in the national census by the Commonwealth. The ‘Mabo Decision’ led by Eddie Mabo, recognises traditional land rights by the common law of Australia.

Back row L-R: Richard Fejo, Susie Lehmann, Kerry Ganley, Sandy Si, Dr Chris Kennedy, Pamela Jeffery, Garry Lambert, Elisabeth Heenan, Wendy McCallum and Kevin Parriman

Front row L-R: Belle Allison, Marygen Allen and Sajjad Bhatti

For more photos, click here

NTGPE has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation to ensure the ongoing housing requirements of Doctors in Training (including GP Registrars, Prevocational Doctors and Medical Students) are met whilst on they are on placement at Galiwin’ku clinics.

With Hon Warren Snowden MP in attendance to witness the collaborative agreement, it was a significant moment in ensuring continued medical services for the residents of Galiwin’ku.

Four local properties are currently being used to accommodate trainee doctors and whilst ownership of the properties is still being finalised, this MOU confirms the use of these dwellings as ongoing trainee Doctor accommodation with the collaborative long term aim of improving Indigenous Health by establishing an early rapport between trainee doctors and community clinics with the expectation they may return as fully qualified GPS.

The MOU demonstrates the intention of NTGPE to work closely with Aboriginal Medical Services to improve the health outcomes of those living in remote communities. East Arnhem Shire has also assisted with provision of services to housing on the site and this three way partnership demonstrates the value of providers working together to benefit the community.

Dr Chris Kennedy, acting CEO, NTGPE (left) and Mr John Grant, Chair Miwatj Board (right) watch on as Hon. Warren Snowden witnesses their signatures on the collaborative document.