About
Vision
General Practitioners: leadership in primary care and health service improvement for Kimberley people.
Mission
Promoting strong governance
- Providing effective leadership
- Effective health program management
- Building and maintaining relationships
- Maintaining relevant clinical and corporate skills
Values
Membership and stakeholders
Actions and programs will be developed and delivered with respect to member expectations, community benefit, stakeholder support and the remaining values
Sustainability
Our services and programs will be developed and delivered with a focus on continuity of service delivery in order to bring sustained benefit
Capacity Building
will be an essential principle in our services and programs
Safety
The Division’s administrative and technical services will be delivered safely and we will continue to promote safe clinical service delivery
Quality
We promote service quality in program support and clinical service delivery
Efficiency
Services will be developed and delivered with respect to equity of access and consideration to optimal cost benefit
Innovation
With respect to the above values; our actions, programs and initiatives will be supported by evidence. Notwithstanding this, we will embrace innovation.
Executive Summary
The Kimberley Division of General Practice Ltd (KDGP) is a not-for-profit membership based company registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). It is governed by a Board of eight directors: six GPs, one non-medical clinician, and one community director. The company has adopted a Constitution which outlines the different membership categories. There are approximately 100 active members of the company.
KDGP works as a support mechanism and communication medium for medical and health staff working in:
- state hospitals, population health and community health centres;
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services; and
- private practices.
Its members are drawn from each of these sectors. The company employs a professional staff to provide direct service provision in allied health and mental health to each of these sectors. It also employs a small corporate and program team. Based in Broome WA, KDGP has staff members working though-out the Kimberley region, with some based permanently in Kununurra.
KDGP is a member of the national Australian General Practice Network comprising 118 Divisions, eight state based organizations, and the national peak body. It is registered for accreditation under the ISO 9000:2001 quality improvement standards.
Principles
KDGP will instigate projects from time to time. In doing so it will endeavour to build capacity in the region and employ the principles of community development.
In all of its work, KDGP operations are mindful of the diverse cultures and the pristine environments that exist in the Kimberley region.
All health service delivery and support is conducted with patient health outcomes in mind. Collaborative partnerships with all stakeholders are encouraged for health outcomes.
KDGP is an inclusive company – all community members are encouraged to be involved with the company and with health planning for health outcomes.
Strategic Domains
The members of KDGP met in August 2007 in Derby and determined the following domains as the strategic priorities for KDGP:
Workforce Support
“The Division will strive to support a vibrant and sustained primary care workforce in the Kimberley region.”
It will work to:
- facilitate members’ access to quality training and CPD events in the Kimberley region, including accredited sessions to ensure ongoing registration with professional bodies;
- increase the availability of Kimberley specific topical training sessions to ensure members are able to function in the health environment in the Kimberley region;
- support members to access training events outside the region through the provision of limited scholarships;
- provide a “community of professional support” for members; and
- facilitate members’ interactions with support agencies, placement agencies, regulatory agencies and registration agencies, and assist members with compliance where appropriate.
IM / IT
“The Division will pursue efficient and effective communications, data management and storage systems to enhance the ability of health services to provide patient care.”
It will work to:
- find and implement solutions in information technology to promote a managed health network
- support all health providers to access and contribute to a managed health network
- develop an information management environment of shared electronic health records
- contribute to the development of efficient systems to securely exchange patient information between authorized persons and organizations
- introduce appropriate data management and extraction tools for health service providers
Members
“The Division will strive to create a community of participation by all members and their families.”
It will work to:
- orient newcomers to the region in a positive and productive way;
- support members and their families living in the Kimberley region;
- coordinate a socially supportive network for members to enjoy, including the direct sponsorship of members’ social events throughout the region; and
- support a vibrant Rural Medical Family Network in the region.
Advocacy
“The Division will advocate for quality and sustainable health services in the Kimberley region for all residents and visitors.”
It will work to:
- build relationships with other health service providers to provide coordinated and responsive services to members and the community
- represent the unique circumstances of people living and working in the remote Kimberley region, both at a State and a National level;
- advocate for enhanced primary health care for residents of the region, including the development and implementation of primary care models for growing populations in remote areas;
- optimise the benefits of multidisciplinary care from leadership in General Practice;
- advocate for healthy lifestyle initiatives in the region which aim to lessen the burden of chronic diseases through health promotion, prevention and early intervention; and
- ensure Kimberley residents have the best chance of a healthy and productive life in the Kimberley region.
Health Promotion
“The Division will emphasise health promotion approaches in all aspects of primary care in the community.”
It will work to:
- ensure community approaches to health promotion are efficient and effective;
- support, in partnership with community based organizations and government agencies, health promotion activities in localized settings;
- broaden the health sector’s acceptance of the benefits of health promotion, prevention and early intervention, and the role primary care and general practice has in realising the benefits;
- support community-based initiatives across all social determinants of health, to deliver effective messages that promote health; and
- maximize the collaboration of stakeholders in developing and delivering health promotion messages and activities to the community.
Governance
“The Division will exemplify good governance in all of its conduct, and will advocate for good governance, in all of its aspects, for all dealings impacting on health in the Kimberley region.”
It will work to:
- maintain high governance standards in accordance with the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s Principles of Good Corporate Governance and Best Practice Recommendations in relation to all conduct of the company’s operations and lead by example
- operate in an efficient and effective manner and ensure inclusion of all who desire to participate
- conduct matters transparently, whilst ensuring accountability to funding agencies
- remain compliant with all statutory, regulatory and contracted requirements
- espouse the benefits of sound governance to all entities impacting on health in the Kimberley region
Allied Health
“The Division will deliver, in partnership with other health providers, a sustainable and accessible allied health service, not otherwise provided in the region, to enhance primary care service delivery with an investment in clinical intervention and treatment and prevention strategies.”
It will work to:
- employ qualified allied health professionals based in the region
- employ professionals to deliver high needs services eg dietetics, podiatry, diabetes education and paediatric nutrition to address the burden of chronic disease in the region
- foster partnerships with the community to deliver appropriate and equitable services and ensure skills are transferred to the community
- deliver an efficient and effective service which is regularly evaluated
- be responsive to the community needs
- participate in community events where health promotion and prevention messages can be communicated effectively with other health service partners
- ensure a coordinated service is provided, with appropriate referral mechanisms between providers in the health sector
- increase access to Medicare EPC items where patient outcomes are evident
- increase the use of team care arrangements coordinated by GPs
Mental Health
“The Division will deliver an appropriate mental health service based on focused psychological strategies, with appropriate referrals mechanisms within the sector and within the primary care sector.”
“The Division will work with the community to understand mental health issues and to manage them within the community, with available resources.”
It will work to:
- employ qualified mental health professionals based in the region
- foster partnerships with the community to deliver appropriate and equitable services and ensure skills are transferred to the community
- deliver an efficient and effective service which is regularly evaluated
- be responsive to the community needs
- participate in community events where mental health promotion and prevention messages can be communicated effectively with other mental health service partners
- ensure a coordinated service is provided, with appropriate referral mechanisms between providers in the mental health sector
- increase access to Medicare items designated for psychological treatment where patient outcomes are evident
- increase the use of 3-step mental health plans coordinated by GPs
Discreet Programs
KDGP is funded by a number of entities. By far the largest funder is the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. In addition to the above priority domains, KDGP will continue to manage discreet projects according to funded programs and contracted agreements. These include: immunization, aged care GP and allied health panels, home medicines reviews, quality use of medicines.
Contacts
Location: Unit 5 / 20 Hamersley Street Broome WA
(registered place of business)
Telephone: +61 8 9192 7888
Facsimile: +61 8 9192 7999
Post: PO Box 1548
Broome WA 6725
Internet: www.kdgp.com.au
Email: reception@kdgp.com.au