Throughout October, November and December AGPN facilitated over 100 workshops nationally to inform Divisions, Medicare Locals and practice staff on the introduction of the PNIP. From 1 January 2012 this streamlined funding has replaced six of the practice nurse MBS item numbers and the previous PIP funding available to rural and remote practices. The PNIP will be available to all accredited general practices, Aboriginal Medical Services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. To access a February payment, applications for the PNIP need to be received by 31 January 2012. Applications for top up and grandparenting payments close on 30 June 2012. Information and resources, including further workshops on the PNIP are available.

Orientation Program for Nurses New to General Practice. AGPN offers this online orientation education program to all nurses working or contemplating working in general practice. Covering 12 topics, this program will assist nurses to orientate themselves to areas most often encountered in providing nursing care to patients in the general practice context. Face to Face workshops are also being held in various locations.

A series of AGPAL Regional Satellite Navigation Workshops are available in 2012. They designed to assist practices to undertake accreditation under the RACGP Standards for general practices 4th edition. Registration forms are available.

The 2010 update of the Recommendations for Clinical Care Guidelines on the Management of Otitis Media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations are now available. Funding is available to Medicare Locals/Divisions to support general practices in their region in implementing the Guidelines and promote strategies to increase the detection/diagnosis, treatment and prevention of otitis media.

Australian Wound Management Australian and New Zealand Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention and Management of Venous Leg Ulcers. The Publication includes an abridged version and a flow chart for the assessment of venous leg ulcers

Registrations, call for abstracts, sponsorship and exhibition bookings now open!
“Leading, Linking, Innovating, Transforming”
Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 July
Cairns Convention Centre
A number of countries across the globe are undergoing significant health reform; reform based on a shift from hospital-based care to comprehensive primary health care (PHC), with an emphasis on prevention and health promotion in community-based settings. The 2012 Conference will explore how health care networks are forming and maturing and, more importantly, the integrative and coordinating roles and functions they fulfill in creating a well-developed primary health care system.

A draft program is up on the website and the latest speakers confirmed include:
• Dr Johnny Marshall, Chair of National Association of Primary Care, UK, and of United Commissioning, UK
• Dr Jason Cheah, CEO of the Agency for Integrated Care in Singapore
• Professor Helen Keleher, President of the Public Health Association of Australia

First early bird registrations will close on Tuesday 31 January
Call for abstracts will close on Friday 10 February
Sponsorship and exhibition bookings are now open

• The Australian Wound Management Association 18-21 March 2012 Sydney.
• Come and visit the AGPN Nursing in General Practice and other Program staff at the Australian Practice Nurses Association conference 3-5 May 2012 Melbourne.
• The 7th Annual Conference of the Australian College of the Nurse Practitioners, will held at the Outrigger, Surfers Paradise, 5-8 September 2012.