What we offer
Quality improvement in general practice
We offer a range of QI support for general practices in our region. Support includes self-paced, online learning modules and structured programs developed and delivered in conjunction with industry experts.
Your practice is encouraged to identify three potentials areas of improvement, which assists our QI team to tailor our support to you. There are different levels and duration of activities available including:
Practice coaching with an experienced QI coordinator. These sessions are generally face-to-face, and you will be supported to set a goal, discuss roles and responsibilities, test ideas, monitor and evaluate your progress. You will receive a certificate of completion and project summary (approximate duration 4-6 months).
Mini QI activity – for 1 or 2 people in the practice to complete independently (approximate duration 1-2 months)
What does a General Practice Quality Improvement Coordinator offer:
We can provide general practices with QI coaching and support to:
Analyse practice data dashboards
Identify opportunities for QI in your practice
Assist with setting a goal for improvement
Use QI resources
Assist with PIP QI, including the registration, guidelines, and improvement measures
Provide coaching either face-to-face or virtually to assist you to achieve your goal.
Current programs
Cancer screening (bowel, cervical, national cancer screening register implementation)
First Nations QI project
Health assessments (45–49-year-old, 75+ year old, healthy heart checks)
Immunisations (pneumococcal 70+ years, COVID 75+ years, influenza, COPD recommended)
Lifestyle modifications (My Health for Life, Healthy Habits)
Diabetes management
Patient measures (smoking, alcohol, BMI, ethnicity)
Self-paced activities - Immunisation
Pneumococcal 13vPCV (Prevenar 13) vaccine - Free SMS opportunity for your practice
General practices are invited to register for the Pneumococcal Vaccination Recall Program for adults aged 70+ years.
It is estimated that only 1 in 4 eligible Australians aged over 70 have receive the NIP-funded 13vPCV vaccination.
Brisbane South PHN invite you to participate in a sponsored program to conduct a free SMS recall for patients eligible for the 13vPCV (Prevenar 13) vaccination, funded on the National Immunisation Program (NIP). This recall initiative is using the GoShare app and is free and available now.
In 2024:
56 BSPHN practices sent a total of 19,701 SMS messages to patients aged 70+ years.
2,404 patients aged 70+ years received a Pneumococcal (Prevenar13) vaccine in the 30 - 60 days after the SMS was sent out.
On average, this activity led to a 3-fold increase in vaccination rates in participating practices.
Feedback from practices indicated it was very beneficial, and they would recommend this program to others.
To participate and improve pneumococcal vaccination rates for eligible patients, simply complete the EOI (Expression of Interest) nominating the team member who will be involved. Once the form is received, you will be contacted to create the list of eligible patients and then schedule a 15-minute phone call to guide you through the steps to send the recall by SMS.
This opportunity is available to practices with Medical Director or Best Practice clinical software (even if you participated in 2024).
Your practice will receive allocated SMS credits.
A practice staff member will be guided through the steps to send the recall SMS bundle out to patients.
The recall program utilises the GoShare app and allows an authorised practice staff member to identify patients aged 70+ years eligible for vaccination.
It only takes 15 minutes of a practice staff member’s time to complete the activity.
All costs related to this GoShare recall program, including SMS costs, are covered by Pfizer Australia, manufacturer of the 13vPCV (Prevenar 13) vaccine.
For more details about this activity, please email support@bsphn.org.au or phone (07) 3864 7540.
Covid 19 Vaccine - Free SMS opportunity for your practice
General practices are invited to register for the Covid 19 Vaccine Activity for adults aged 75+ years.
BSPHN have again partnered with GoShare to provide an opportunity for practices to identify eligible patients 75+ years who are due for a Covid 19 vaccine. This patient recall initiative is free and available now.
Data from the Department of Health and Aged Care shows only 16.4% of people aged 75+ years have received a COVID booster in the last 6 months and, only 38.3% in the past 12 months.
2024 Outcomes
During Aug - Nov 2024:
19 practices sent out a total of 5,790 SMS reminders.
637 patients received the vaccine within 30 days of receiving the SMS.
This is an average increased take-up of 14.1%.
Feedback received from practices for this activity showed it was r very successful and, they would be interested in completing a similar activity.
Participate in 2025
BSPHN is excited to provide this activity again in 2025:
Your practice should have Medical Director or Best Practice clinical software.
Your practice will receive allocated SMS credits.
A practice staff member will be guided through the steps to send the recall SMS bundle out to patients.
The recall program utilises the GoShare app and allows an authorised practice staff member to identify patients eligible for vaccination.
It only takes 15 minutes of a Practice staff member’s time to complete the activity.
This opportunity is available to general practice who did not participate in 2024
To participate in the Covid 19 activity click Covid 19 Vaccine Activity and complete the EOI. Please note at this stage, if you were one of the practices who participated in 2024, you cannot participate again.
Once the form is received, you will be contacted by GoShare to create the list of eligible patients and then schedule a 15-minute phone call to guide you through the steps to send the recall by SMS.
For more details about this activity, please email support@bsphn.org.au or phone (07) 3864 7540.
Cervical screening self-collection
Cervical screening rates amongst eligible population, aged 25-74 years in the Brisbane south region is 37.1% (1.1% less than the National average of 38.2%).
Health professionals play a central and critical role in the National Cervical Screening Program in assessing patient risk and using clinical judgement to recommend testing and follow-up.
How would I complete a QI project around cervical screening self-collection?
Cervical screening self-collection resources
· Self-collection for cervical screening test
· National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR)
· Cervical screening target poster
· NCSR target poster
First Nations QI project
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience poorer health, much greater mortality, and burden from chronic disease than non-Indigenous Australians. [1]
How would I complete a QI project in relation to First Nations people?
Health assessments
Preventive healthcare is an important activity in general practice. It includes the prevention of illness, the early detection of specific disease, and the promotion and maintenance of health. The partnership between GP and patient can help people reach their goals of maintaining or improving health. Health assessment QI programs include: 45–49-year-old, 75+ years, healthy heart checks and First Nations health assessments.
How would I complete a QI project in relation to health assessments?
My Health for Life QI program
My Health for Life (MH4L) program is a free behaviour change program for people at high risk of developing a chronic disease. It is designed to support participants to make small lifestyle changes that can have significant, long-term health benefits.
The program supports the primary health care network through the extension of advice given by health professionals.
Health professionals can refer patients into the program through the following pathways:
completing the referral template in your practices clinical software (MedicalDirector or Best Practice)
completing the manual referral form (Brisbane PHN to supply upon request)
completing the Fillable_Referral_Form
referring the patient to complete the online health check via one of the following:
o Scan to QR code
The program includes 6 coaching sessions (either virtual, telehealth or group face to face sessions) for participants over an 18-week period. These sessions are facilitated by qualified health professionals and MH4L facilitators. Once the participant has completed the 6 coaching sessions, they will then gain access to the 6-month maintenance program.
What practices in our region are saying about our QI support
I would recommend this service because PHN are always extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
This service helped me to understand Best Practice a lot more, and be able to identify what our patients are due for or missing in their charts.
Always my 1st point of contact. Best information source.
We are always provided with good feedbacks and useful suggestions.
Great, makes you think and plan and see results, or lack thereof, then tweak and replan.
Contact us for more support
Our Quality Improvement Team works with general practices to provide practical advice and resources to help plan, implement, and review your QI activities. To request further practice support, please contact the Quality Improvement team on Phone: 3864 7540 or email: support@bsphn.org.au.
Our team is dedicated to providing the best possible support for your practice.