GP Bulk Billing and MyMedicare on the Rise
Recent data has showed that general practice bulk billing, along with MyMedicare participation for practices and Australians is on the rise. General Practice bulk billing rates have increased nationally by 3.4% [1] over the last 7 months since triple bulk billing changes came into effect on 1 November 2023. This amounts to two million additional […]
Andrew Newton commences as CEO for WentWest
WentWest, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN), welcomes Andrew Newton as our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Andrew joins us from his most recent role as CEO of Northern Beaches Hospital, Healthscope, where he demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision and dedicated engagement with staff, community and health care professionals. This complements our mission of working […]
Transition of Western Sydney Care Collective and Urgent Care Services
On 1 July, several of the Western Sydney Urgent Care Services transitioned from the Western Sydney Care Collective initiative to the new NSW Health Single Front Door program. NSW Health Urgent Care Services are open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, including public holidays. Patients can call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak […]
Minister Visit to Westmead Medicare Urgent Care Clinic
Scott Walters, Senior Program Manager at WentWest, Matt Baldwin, ForHealth, Dr Adriaan Nel, ForHealth, Michelle Quinn, Interim CEO at WentWest, The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Andrew Charton MP, Simon Taylor-Cross, ForHealth, David Gyenge, ForHealth, Richard Hoskins, ForHealth On Wednesday 19 June, it was an honour to welcome The Hon […]
Making Health Care Accessible to People Experiencing Homelessness Through our Winter Grants Funding
To support the community during the 2024 winter season, we offered grant opportunities to accredited general practices across the local government areas of Blacktown, The Hills Shire, Parramatta and Cumberland. The grants were offered to support the delivery of COVID-19 and Flu vaccination clinics, either in practice or community, to vulnerable patient groups. The clinics […]
Monitoring High-Risk Medicine Safely with SafeScript
SafeScript NSW is a software program developed for medicine prescribers and pharmacists. It provides users with real-time information about high-risk medications being prescribed and dispensed to a patient. Prescribers and dispensers are encouraged to take the information into account when determining the safest and most effective options for their patient. Medicine prescribers can also use […]
Supporting Refugee Patients in Western Sydney
In Western Sydney, over half of the region’s population was born outside of Australia, a statistic significantly higher than the state average[1]. In a community marked by diversity, it’s crucial to acknowledge the journey and challenges that people from refugee backgrounds and asylum seekers face, particularly in finding the right health care for them and […]
Update to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. Each week, around 300 Australians are diagnosed with the disease and 100 will lose their lives[1]. Although around one in 13 Australians will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime, over 90% of bowel cancer diagnoses can be successfully treated when detected early[2]. This […]
Streamlining Health Care Information Management with Provider Connect Australia
In the dynamic landscape of the health care industry, communicating with multiple business partners about the changes of your health organisation’s details can be an administrative burden. However, with the Australian Digital Health Agency’s (ADHA) Provider Connect Australia (PCA) service, health care organisations such as general practices and pharmacies can streamline information management. PCA is […]
My Health Record Improving Efficiency for Health Care Providers
My Health Record is an online tool that summarises an individual’s health information and can be shared securely online between the individual and health care providers. My Health Record gives health care providers access to patient health information in a timely and efficient manner to improve the coordination of care of their patients. The system […]