News
SEP 10 NEWS: CPD and CPR
We all know that mandatory CPD is an integral part of the new scheme, as is a CPR certification. The Association is in the latter stages of finalising its CPD and CPR program for 2010/11 and the next issue of Contact will contain a complete schedule of events (both CPD and CPR) for the period up to 30 November 2011.
SEP 10 NEWS: NSW State Election Policy Ideas
With the NSW state election now just 7 months away, the Association has started discussions with a range of MPs on both sides of politics in order to offer policy ideas prior to the March poll. President Phil Anderton, Vice President Lara Foster and Councillor John Davis and all been out at meetings with Labor, Liberal and Independent MPs, promoting optometry’s benefits and the contributions we can make to the health system. We’ll keep you informed as the activity intensifies over the coming months.
SEP 10 NEWS: Andrew McKinnon October Leave
Andrew will be away for all of October on leave. Any matters which can’t be dealt with by Nicole, Rosemary or Paula will be handled either by Joe Chakman or one of the other Division CEOs.
SEP 10 NEWS: Glaucoma Australia Christmas Cards
For the past nineteen years Glaucoma Australia has been successfully selling Christmas cards to those associated with eye health and to the general community.
Glaucoma Australia offers quality cards to suit both personal and business needs. The range of cards is appealing, offers a large variety to suit everyone and each design is exclusive to Glaucoma Australia.
Packets consist of 10 cards and envelopes per design and only cost $10 per pack (plus postage).
A few of the designs can be ordered, without a message, enabling businesses/practices to personalise them. For a quote on these cards please phone the national office on 1800 500 880.
To order from the general range please visit www.glaucoma.org.au.
AUG 10 NEWS: Clarification on Ocular Therapeutics, CPD, & CPR
Welcome to the first update under the new National Registration laws. We are pleased to advise that the grass is still green, sky still blue and cows still produce milk. However there are a few changes that we just want to clarify for you, as a bit of confusion is about.
Firstly, ocular therapeutics. In NSW, endorsed optometrists may now use and prescribe any preparation which appears on the list of medications approved by the Optometry Board Australia. The list can be found here. Look for "Optometry Guidelines for Use of Scheduled Medicines."
In the ACT, things are less certain. We are currently receiving conflicting advice about the state of the amendments necessary to enable optometrists practising in the ACT to access the full OBA list. At present, we advise members practising in the ACT not assume that there has been no change to the medicines you may use and prescribe. We will advise you as soon as we get a firm answer.
CPD – the new CPD system comes into place from 1 December 2010. From that date, optometrists must obtain 40 points per annum in order to maintain their registration. CPD undertaken prior to 1 December will not, except in some exceptional circumstances, count towards that annual points tally. (Note too that it is an annual points requirement – not a rolling average).
CPR – from 1 December 2010 optometrists must maintain a current certificate in CPR, renewed at least every 3 years. The certificate must be in place by 30 November 2011 initially. The Association is about to release a schedule of CPR courses, located at a significant number of centres around NSW & the ACT, which will enable members to gain this certification. Please note that you do NOT need to have been certified prior to 1 December – the first cut off date for CPR is 30 November 2011.
AUG 10 NEWS: Rural Grants Opportunities
The Federal Government has announced two rounds of grants targeted particularly at rural health practitioners. The first is in support of Rural Continuing Education – details can be found here.
The second is around Rural Health Infrastructure Grants – details are available here.
AUG 10 NEWS: Modern Awards Transitional Arrangements
As noted previously, the first of the transitional phases between pay rates under the old and new Award structures is due to be released shortly. We had expected it by now but Fair Work Australia has not yet released the revised pay rates. We hope that they will be available for the September issue.
AUG 10 NEWS: Optometrists Give CFEH Tick of Approval
The Centre for Eye Health has scored high marks for service, staff expertise and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, according to a recent survey of optometrists suggesting the new service is well placed to support improvements in eye disease detection and management within the profession.
Conducted during May and June this year, the online survey by market research company EMC was distributed to OAA NSW/ACT members and completed by 313 optometrists from across NSW and the ACT. It revealed that nearly all those surveyed (97 per cent) were aware of CFEH and two-thirds (67 per cent) had registered to use the free referral service since the Centre opened for business in late 2009.
More than one-third of optometrists based in NSW and the ACT are now referring patients to the newly established Centre with most (98 per cent), saying it provides an excellent or above average service. Further, over 90 per cent said they value the Centre's large range of testing equipment, its staff expertise, free service and the availability of consultant ophthalmologists to review test results.
Respondents said they would be most likely to refer patients to CFEH if they were suspected of, or at risk of, having eye disease - especially those who couldn't otherwise afford the advanced diagnostic testing that is available at CFEH.
CFEH Deputy Director David Pye said he was pleased with the high level of awareness about the Centre and positive perceptions of its standard of service: "The survey reveals that a large majority of optometrists know about CFEH's services and the appropriate types of patients to refer to us."
However, the survey suggests CFEH needs to do more to educate and inform optometrists about patient referrals.
"There's a mismatch between patient referral patterns for conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy compared to their prevalence in the community," says Associate Professor Pye. "We are very excited about playing a key role in enhancing knowledge of detecting and managing eye disease within the profession and assisting practitioners to provide improved patient care."
CFEH hopes to do this through continuing ophthalmic professional education events, newsletters and other interactions with optometrists.
Another challenge for CFEH is to address a perception among some regional optometrists that the Centre is too far away for their patients.
"The geography of NSW and the ACT means that distance was always going to be a potential referral barrier in the minds of optometrists and patients," says Pye.
"We need to speak further with optometrists in regional centres about our patient assistance programs, and to canvass their suggestions for making the Centre more accessible to patients and practitioners outside of the greater Sydney area."
CFEH is a new initiative providing an integrated approach to reducing preventable vision loss from eye disease through early detection. CFEH is the world's first referral facility providing an extensive range of state-of-the-art eye imaging and visual assessment services in one location and at no charge to the patient or Medicare. More than 650 optometrists have registered with CFEH and more than 1000 patients have been referred for testing and diagnosis.
