Rural Primary Health Service (RPHS)
Program Co-ordinator: Julia Tekis
Dietitians: Lisa Deppeler, Patrice Forner
Description
RPHS is an acronym for RURAL PRIMARY HEALTH SERVICES. The program supplies Dietitians to general practice surgeries on a roster basis. The Dietitians support GPs in the management of patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by providing individual dietetic counselling to these patients.
Division GP Support – How we can help you ?
The dietitians and podiatrists conduct one to two sessions at each RPHS registered surgery in a four-week roster. The sessions are generally of 3½ hours duration. Extra sessions can be provided according to patient needs.
One hour is allocated to "New Patients", those who have never had a dietetic consultation or those for whom it has been many years since the last dietetic consultation.
Thirty minutes is allocated for the patient coming back for a Review session.
Surgery staff / practice nurses are instrumental in the administration of the RPHS program in the individual surgeries.
The Care Planning Process works very well with the RPHS program, as the dietitians have a clear understanding of the process and are easily accessed for collaboration, appointments, reviews, and ongoing patient management.
Unfortunately as we no longer have a podiatrist on the team the RPHS program can only assist with Case Conferences if the GP has arranged for another allied health professional to be in attendance at a Case Conference. The RPHS Program endeavours to be flexible to the needs of general practitioners.
If you would like to participate in the RPHS Program please email [julia at sdgp dot org dot au].
Additional clinics are available in Milton and North Nowra.
As an adjunct to the RPHS dietetic service, we have provided a limited number of sessions, free of charge to RPHS T2DM patients, to psychologists and exercise physiologists in Nowra and Milton.
Patients suitable for this referral would be those with T2DM who may benefit from consultation with either an exercise physiologist or a psychologist. The RPHS dietitian are available to discuss individual patient's suitability with their GP.
RPHS Diabetes Resource Folder
A RPHS Resource Folder is provided to all GPs participating in the RPHS Program. The folder includes information on diagnostic screening, a diabetes management flow chart, PIP and SIP information integrated into the management flow chart, a local diabetes service directory and patient handouts.
Practice Support
Administrative support is provided to practice staff to customise the RPHS Program to individual practices’ needs. Practice support visits available to GPs and staff in relation to care planning processes within the practice.
Feedback
To improve the RPHS Program we would like your feedback on past, current and any future activities that you would find beneficial for you in your practice. Please feel free to provide this feedback by phone, fax or email [julia at sdgp dot org dot au].