Victorian Refugee Health Network E-bulletin August 2009

The Victorian Refugee Health Network brings together health, settlement and community services to be more accessible and responsive to the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. The E- bulletin provides a regular forum to share news and information to support practitioners and services in providing health care to people from a refugee background.

News and Events

1. 2009 Victorian GP Refugee Health Forum: organised by the Northern Division of General Practice, the Dandenong Casey General Practice Association, Pivot West and Foundation House. Open to GPs, nurses, practice staff, and other health practitioners working in refugee health. Expert presenters and facilitators will lead workshops and discussion. Topics include transcultural psychiatry, micronutrient deficiencies, women’s health, infectious diseases and immunisation and socio-cultural issues. Category 1 ALM points applied for GPs. Date: Saturday 10 October, 2009 9.00am – 5.00 at Foundation House, 6 Gardiner St, Brunswick (lunch provided). Contact Kay Dufty at (03) 8480 4609 or Kay.Dufty@ndgp.org.au

2. Inaugural Australasian Refugee Health Conference on September 1-2 at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre. The final program is available at www.themhs.org  Keynote speakers include Professor Kim Mulholland, Dr Carmen Lawrence and Dr Jill Benson. Sessions will include Models of Care, Women's Health, Child Health and Partnerships and Research. The Refugee Health Network of Australia (RHeNA) will meet on Wednesday at 9am (Session 140).

3. Health Consequences of Migration: Review of current evidence and implications for policy and service delivery is a one-day symposium to be held on Thursday, 10 September from 9.00 am–5.10 pm at Crowne Plaza, 5 Spencer St, Melbourne, Victoria. To see the program and complete the registration form, click here.  Organised by Deakin University with Department of Education & early Childhood Development and SA Health.  Further information: Dr Andre Renzaho on (03) 9251 7772 or email:  andre.renzaho@deakin.edu.au

Professional Development

4. Negotiating Between Health Beliefs: will now be held as a full day workshop on Wednesday 18 November (formerly planned as 2 half-days in August & November) at the Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health, 81-85 Barry St, Carlton. It will explore different understandings of illness and associated health-seeking practices and behaviours and learn strategies to effectively engage with CALD communities on issues of health and wellbeing. Cost: $200 (lunch provided). Contact: Viv Fox on (03) 9342 9700 or enquiries@ceh.org.au

Resources

5. Medical Observer (5 June, 2009) has published a concise update on how GPs can become involved in the healthcare of refugee-background patients. Written by Dr Mitchell Smith, a public health physician and director of the NSW Refugee Health Service. It provides information on common health problems, management in general practice and tips for GPs. Reproduced with permission from Medical Observer. To access this article Click here.

6. GPs speaking community languages in Melbourne's North – new edition. This is a useful resource for practice staff, patients and the community in general. The resource has recently been updated and information is current at August, 2009. Can also be accessed from the Finding a GP page on NDGP's website: click here.

7. 'Your Pregnancy Your Health' is a new African antenatal DVD available in Somali, Dinka and Arabic. This free resource was developed to inform and encourage women to present early for antenatal care aims to improve antenatal health and subsequent birth outcomes of women and their babies from small and emerging African communities. For further information or a free copy of the DVD, please contact: Gordana Kostadinovska (02) 87593828 or email: Gordana_Kostadinovska@wsahs.nsw.gov.au

8. Raising Kids Together: Information for families from Afghanistan, Iraq or Sudan who have a child or young person with a disability. This DVD (with booklet and poster) was produced by the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA). Available in Arabic, Dari, Dinka, English or Juba Arabic. Contact: (02) 891 6400 or email: mdaa@mdaa.org.au

9. Getting the message across: Professional interpreters in general practice by Nancy Atkin. Based on a study conducted through the Northern Division of General Practice which documented the use of professional and family interpreters in local general practice, together with barriers and possible facilitators in the use of professional interpreters. Reprinted from The Australin Family Physician, Vol. 37, No. 3, March 2008. To access this article, click here.

10. South Australian Refugee Health Network (SARHN) website http://www.sarhn.org.au/ A well organised and accessible website which provides many resources, publications, seminar presentations, links and events. Well worth checking out! Membership of the SA Refugee Health Network is open to all (including other states and territories) with members from the following sectors: health, education, welfare and all levels of government.

Special thanks to Jacinta Craven, a La Trobe University Bachelor of Health Sciences & Bachelor of Development Studies final year student,who prepared this edition of the E-Bulletin.

Subscriptions and contributions to The Victorian Refugee Health Network E-Bulletin are welcome. If you would like to subscribe or send news or information relevant to refugee health please go to the Contact Us page on the Refugee Health Network website at www.refugeehealthnetwork.org.au or email: refugeehealth@foundationhouse.org.au

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