New statewide referral criteria for advice on the management of long COVID came into effect on 1 July, 2023. This session will provide an update on the criteria. It will also help to increase participants’ understanding of long COVID and how best to support patients.
The new statewide referral criteria for advice on the management of long COVID were developed by a clinical review panel comprising GPs and hospital-based clinicians who have expertise working with long COVID patients.
In this event, 3 long COVID experts will explore the criteria and their implications for general practice.
Agenda
6:30pm – 6:40pm: Welcome, housekeeping and introductions.
6:40pm – 7:10pm: Speaker, Dr Bernard Shiu
- Clinical picture, management and multidisciplinary care of long COVID.
7:10pm – 7:30pm: Speaker, Dr Katherine Graham
- General practice role in managing long COVID.
- Long COVID HealthPathways demonstration.
7:30pm – 7:40pm: Speaker, Dr Shumaila Panhwar
- New statewide referral criteria for long COVID.
7:40pm – 8pm: Questions and answers.
Continuing professional development (CPD) hours are available for GPs attending these sessions. Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) will allocate 1.5 EA CPD hours for GPs who attend. CPD can also be claimed by participants.
This event is conducted by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network. By registering, you agree for submitted information to be shared and collected by the participating Victorian primary health networks for the purpose of planning, conducting and evaluating the event. For more information, please read our privacy statement.
Speakers
Dr Bernard Shiu is the director of Geelong Long COVID Clinic and clinical director of Banksia Medical Centre. He also holds a senior clinical lecturer position at Deakin University and the University of Notre Dame Australia.
Bernard has served as the Deputy Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Victorian Council and is currently a RACGP examiner, medical educator and supervisor. He was also awarded the RACGP Award for General Practitioner of the Year in 2020.
He established Australia’s first community-based long COVID clinic in June 2022 and was invited to speak at the Victorian Department of Health’s Long COVID Conference in Melbourne on the primary care management pathway for the condition.
He is also a member of the National Clinical Evidence Taskforce.
Dr Kate Graham is a GP located in rural western Victoria. She works for Western Victoria Primary Health Network as a COVID-19 and public health clinical advisor, and is the lead clinical editor for the VicTas suite of COVID-19 HealthPathways.
Kate co-wrote the first national long COVID HealthPathway and worked as a medical advisor at the Victorian Department of Health coordinating outbreak responses in high-risk settings during the COVID-19 peaks.
Dr. Shumaila Panhwar is a GP clinical editor at HealthPathways Melbourne, focusing on COVID-19 assessment and management. Since 2020, she has actively collaborated with health services, advocating for GPs and serving as a GP representative on the long COVID Statewide Referral Criteria Panel. Additionally, she practices as a GP at Turn the Corner Medical Clinic in Northcote.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Describe the causes of long COVID, its symptoms, and how best to manage it.
- Describe the general practice role in managing long COVID.
- Identify whether a long COVID patient can be managed in general practice or needs to be referred according to the new state referral criteria.
