GP Program
GP Access Project - Pilot
The GP Access Pilot Project commenced in April 2007 with funding from St John of God Health Care and was completed in December 2007. The aim of the project is to improve the health of consumers of alcohol and other drug (AOD) services by assisting them to regularly visit a General Practitioner (GP) and by having closer working relationships between AOD services and GPs.
Seven agencies that provide a diverse range of AOD services and represent different consumer groups were selected to take part in the pilot and training was provided for the staff participating. A consumer survey was used by the pilot agencies over a 12 week period (July - Oct 2007), to gain a better understanding of how many consumers have regular GPs, when they last had contact with a GP, any difficulties they have in talking about their alcohol and drug use to GPs, what stops them from going to GPs, and how they can be assisted to get better health care. The surveys were administered by the AOD workers in order to facilitate a conversation with the consumers about the importance of accessing GPs for general health needs, to provide an opportunity for the worker to assist the consumer to locate a GP and to establish referral pathways and shared care arrangements with GPs.
The survey tool and other information and referral template resources were developed by the Project Coordinator in consultation with the GP Access Working Party that oversees the project. The working party has representatives from the pilot agencies, other AOD agencies, the WA GP Network, HealthRight, DAO, and a GP/academic.
Links were made with the relevant Divisions of General Practice so that GPs could be informed about the project and AOD agencies were encouraged to make their own links with the Division program staff as well as GP practices.
The pilot has been evaluated based on information from the consumer survey and feedback from participating AOD staff and GPs. The final evaluation report is available on this website. As a result of this evaluation a proposal for stage two of the GP Access Project designed to extend this approach to other AOD agencies in metropolitan and regional areas of Western Australia has been submitted to St John of God Health Care and if funding is approved the project will be rolled out to the rest of the state over an 18 month period.
For more information, you may like to read:
- GP Access Pilot Project Evaluation Report - Summary
- GP Access Pilot Project Final Evaluation Report December 2007.
Project Coordinator: Diane Snooks
Resources
Fact Sheets and Articles for GPs on Alcohol and Other Drug Issues
- We share the same patients - introducing the WA alcohol and other drug agencies
- How do I know who and where to refer patients with alcohol & other drug problems
- Harm reduction - so your patient doesn't want to stop using alcohol/drugs...
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
AOD Brochure for Patients
Telephone Information and Counselling Services
Clinical Advisory Service (CAS)
24 hour Specialist Medical Advice on Drug and Alcohol Issues for Health Professionals only
Telephone: 9442 5042
Country callers freecall: 1800 688 847
Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS)
24 hour, statewide confidential service for the general public and non-medical professionals
Telephone: 9442 5000
Country callers free call: 1800 198 024
Parent Drug Information Service
24 hour, statewide confidential service
Telephone: 9442 50 50
Country callers freecall 1800 653 203
Web Resources
- Alcohol and other Drugs: A Website for GPs and Health Professionals - Department of Health and Ageing
WANADA Directory of Western Australian Community Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies
Our directory of alcohol and other drug agencies is available in print, as a PDF document and now as an online searchable database. The database makes it easy to find information about alcohol and other drug services available to patients and was funded by the Perth Central Coastal Division of General Practice and the Managing the Mix program.
- WANADA Directory of Western Australian Community Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies Search
- WA Agency Directory (PDF version)
