General practice quick updates for week beginning 16 February 2026
Updates for the week beginning Monday 16 February 2026.
Find this week’s quick updates and alerts for local general practices, covering the latest sector developments, education and training events, key health system updates, funding opportunities and clinical resources relevant to our region.
For more information or tailored practice support, contact our Primary Care team at [email protected].
Quality Improvement in action: this local clinic boosted screening rates for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds
Our latest case study highlights how a small, single-doctor general practice clinic in Sunnybank Hills significantly improved cancer screening participation among patients from culturally and linguistically diverse background.
Most of the clinic’s patients come from diverse Chinese language-speaking backgrounds, including Cantonese, Hokkien, and Mandarin-speaking backgrounds.
Working closely with a Brisbane South PHN quality improvement coordinator, the practice developed culturally sensitive strategies to improve patient engagement. These included clearer communication measures, tailored resources, and pro-active follow up with patients. This case study offers a powerful example for any practice striving to lift screening rates and deliver truly patient-centred care.
Read the full case study here: Cultural awareness and role development for GP and practice team in cancer screening for CALD patients | Brisbane South PHN
Share your success
Have you recently completed a QI activity? Share your results with the General Practice Quality Improvement team.
OPTMED-D clinical trial is underway — Your practice might be eligible to participate
Optimising Medicine Information Handover After Discharge (OPTMED-D) launched as a clinical trial in December 2025 to improve communication between hospitals, general practitioners (GPs), and community pharmacists during patient transitions from hospital to community care.
General practices and pharmacists in high-risk Metro South and Gold Coast postcodes are invited to participate. The study involves post-discharge MedsChecks or home medication reviews (HMRs) for at-risk patients, with results shared with GPs to support ongoing care. This collaborative model aims to reduce 30-day readmissions and strengthen continuity of care.
Mater Queensland eConsultant update
Receive specialist advice for your patients’ case within days through Mater Queensland eConsultant. Provided at no cost for private and public patients, the service uses the Consultmed digital platform and is asynchronous. Requests for advice (RFAs) are auto populated from Best Practice and Medical Director with access via a portal for those with other practice software. Log on to www.consultmed.co and set up a free account to begin.
After lodging a request, General practitioners (GPs) will receive feedback from the Mater Queensland eConsultant team within 3 business days.
eConsultants are available for: Cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, geriatric medicine, haematology, immunology, infectious diseases, nephrology, neurology, obstetric medicine/ medical complications of pregnancy, paediatric dermatology, respiratory and sleep medicine.
Join the free Queensland eConsultant webinar
Program lead and GP, Professor Claire Jackson, will discuss the service and demonstrate the Consultmed platform’s use.
Time: 6 pm to 6:30 pm AEST
Date: Wednesday 18 February 2026
Location: This is an online webinar, delivered through Microsoft Teams