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From left: Medical graduate Florence Huynh and Miss Jodie Douglas, Head of Professional Staff (holding Charlie Caldwell’s ‘Goanna’ painting), Medical graduate Aiasha Saikal and Associate Dean, Professor Ian Wilson.

Med students’ artistic farewell to uni

Final year medical students at the University of Wollongong have presented a painting by well-known Bundjalung artist Noel ‘Charlie’ Caldwell to their alma mater as a token of their appreciation.

Farewelling the university by presenting a gift has become a UOW tradition. Having thought long and hard about the most appropriate item, the students, many of whom had undertaken practicum training in the Northern Rivers, settled on an original creation from Bundjalung Country.

‘Goanna’ will be hung in a prominent place at the University to ensure maximum viewing of this wonderful work.

Charlie Caldwell, who comes from Casino, has been painting since he was 15 and draws his inspiration from his Aboriginal heritage. He has also been a mural artist for local schools. In his artist profile at Jambama Arts Centre in Casino he is quoted as saying “painting is a big part of my life and I’ll never stop painting till I die”.

Details: Published: 04 December 2017

Chairman's Report 2017 - Whither the NRGPN?

Nathan Kesteven became Chair of the Northern RIvers General Practice Network in 2017. This Chairman’s report outlines the current focus of the Network and his vision for the organisation in the coming year.

The Board meets every couple of months to further the aims of the Northern RIvers General Practice Network (NRGPN) and comprises myself, David Guest, Chris Mitchell, Lynn Davies and Katie Evans. We have been working and thinking about ways to improve our reach and offer something to the wider medical community, especially in this leaner world of primary health networks.

We see our primary aims as:

facilitating communication within the GP community, as well as with the hospital, our specialist colleagues, allied health and our local communities,
facilitating education and
advocating for our members and general practice.

Details: Written by: Dr Nathan Kesteven; Published: 02 December 2017

NRGPN AGM 2017 and Future Directions

General practitioners residing on the North Coast are invited to attend the Northern Rivers General Practice Network (NRGPN) Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 14 December 2017 at 6.30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the St Vincent's Education Centre, Dalley Street, Lismore. Those unable to attend may vote by completing the Proxy Form and returning it to the NRGPN prior to 8 December.

There are three Director positions to be filled on the Board for the 2018-2019 period and members are invited to nominate for these positions. The Nomination Form should reach the NRGPN via email or fax before close of business on 7 December 2017. A NRGPN Board position currently carries a stipend set at $2,000.

The AGM Agenda includes acceptance of the Minutes of the 2016 AGM and Financial Statements and presentation of the Chairman's Report.

The meeting will conclude at 7.00 p.m. and be followed by a one hour discussion on the future direction for the NRGPN.

Speakers John Langill of North Coast General Practice Training, Dr Louise Imlay-Gillespie, haematologist Northern NSW Local Health District, and local GP, Dr Arthur Proudfoot, will present their ideas for improving medical communication and education on the North Coast.

The Future Directions discussion is open to both members and non-members.

Details: Written by: Announcements; Published: 02 December 2017

Editorial - Summer 2017

Dr David Guest

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

...

Do not go gentle into that good night
Dylan Thomas, 1914 - 1953

The Pap smear is gone. Welcome the CST (Cervical Screening Test). December 1 marks the change over to the new system. General practitioners have been inundated with information about the new test but on page 23 Dr Ruth Tinker gives the one page guide for the busy GP.

Change in medical practice happens slowly but the understanding of the biology of human papilloma virus and the advent of early virus detection together with a nationwide vaccination program will further reduce the mortality from this deadly disease. The management of positive results will be addressed in a subsequent article.

Details: Written by: David Guest; Published: 01 December 2017

The new cervical screening protocol

A new cervical screening began nationally on 1 December 2017. It will use an HPV DNA test rather than examining cervical cells on a microscope slide (Papanicolaou test). The sample is still collected from the cervix using a vaginal speculum to ensure accurate collection.

So from the point of view of the woman being screened, the process is the same. However because of greater accuracy, if negative, the screening interval will extend to five years. Practices will need to review their recall protocols to conform to the new program.

The program is based on an understanding that more than 99 per cent of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. This includes squamous cell and adenocarcinoma. A third type of cervical cancer, neuroendocrine or small cell cervical cancer, is often more aggressive, but accounts for less than 1 per cent of cervical cancers. Neither the Pap test nor the new Cervical Screening Test effectively detects neuroendocrine cancers.

All women who have symptoms still need investigation, regardless of when they were screened last.