As I write, Melbourne is in its 5th Stage 4 lockdown, South Australia has announced a snap seven day lockdown and Sydney is in its 4th week of lockdown. We are all feeling the challenge and our patients are presenting with high levels of anxiety.
The national vaccination program has had its ups and downs as we are all aware and GPs continue to address patient confusion and vaccine hesitancy. We need to remain steadfast that quarantine controls need to be improved, tracing made faster, appropriately fitted masks provided to health professionals, along with hand washing and social distancing in closed spaces. These remain the key forms of disease control. The other main form of morbidity prevention is vaccination, so let’s maintain the clear message that vaccination rates must improve. For those interested in reading the research on how the effects of lockdown compare to the impact of disease, this is an interesting article: Is the cure really worse than the disease? The health impacts of lockdowns during COVID-19 | BMJ Global Health
Let’s send our best wishes to our friends in Indonesia, who are now facing a terrible plight with COVID. The rates among children are concerning, read: Indonesia grapples with high COVID rates among children as health experts urge people to protect their kids – ABC News
Breast Cancer
On July 15th, I presented at the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) webinar, alongside a panel of 3 other experts. The webinar went very well. There were over 8000 registrants – yes, 8000 and the rural group constituted around half of this number which is fantastic.
My session centred around the role of GPs, from the acute to the post 5year mark. The Breast Cancer Australia guidelines recommend transferring care to the GP in a shared care model with the GP providing ongoing holistic care, with 12 monthly follow up. Cancer Australia recommends that care be transferred to the GP and away from the oncologist/ surgeon team, although they need to be included in the updates.
See Cancer Australia website and guidelines on Shared Care.
- www.canceraustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/shared-care-plan/pdf/scbfs_ebc_shared_care_plan_int.pdf
- www.canceraustralia.gov.au/clinical-best-practice/shared-follow-care/early-breast-cancer
- www.canceraustralia.gov.au/clinical-best-practice/shared-follow-care/early-breast-cancer/principles
Reduce Violence against Women and their Children
Developing the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children | engage.dss.gov.au
Many of you have already read my emails and tweets regarding the last opportunity to ‘have your say’ and help shape the future of reducing family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia. Our response to the report has been submitted but the closing date is 31st July and I urge you each as individuals to make your comments and recommendations to inform the report.
Here is the link: https://engage.dss.gov.au/developing-the-next-national-plan-to-reduce-violence-against-women-and-their-children/
COVID-19
Over the next few weeks, we will all be bracing ourselves as we watch the delta variant developments across the states. I encourage you all to wear well fitted masks, PPE and get vaccinated. This is complex next phase of COVID-19 and as we all march on in our intensely busy professional lives, let’s keep our sights on a healthy future for all and reach out for help when we feel the need ourselves.
Stay well and safe,
Magdalena
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is the Immediate Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor. Magda is member of The Australian Health Team contributing monthly articles.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
