| Victorian Refugee Health Network E-bulletin January 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 of a refugee background. News and Events 1. Submissions to the Australian Government's Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy are due by 27 February 2009. The Refugee Health Program of the Dandenong Casey General Practice Association is coordinating a regional submission. Contact Program Coordinator: Dr. I-Hao Cheng at i.cheng@dcgpa.com.au or 03 8792 1900. To download the discussion paper or for further information on the consultation process click here. 2. An independent panel is leading public consultations on the current review of the Victorian Mental Health Act 1986. Click here for details of the public forums being held in late January and February or to access the December 2008 Consultation Paper and information on the review process. Closing date for submissions is 27 February, 2009. 3. FGM forum: organised by the FGM Working Group and facilitated by Nelly Thomas will be held on Friday 27 February from 10 – 4pm at the Kulin Room, Level 10, 225 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Cost: $50, concession available. For information or to register contact Emily/Sue on 03 9928 8741 by Monday 23rd February. 4. Seminar: traditional practices affecting young immigrant and refugee women’s health and wellbeing organised by the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health is on Thursday 26 February in Collingwood. RSVP by 20 February to Ozana Bozic 03 9418 0999 or reception@mcwh.com.au. Click here for the seminar flyer and 2009 training calendar. 5. The next meeting of the Occupational Opportunities for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (OOFRAS) Victorian group is 7pm, Tuesday 3 February at Nyala African Restaurant, 131 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Any OTs working with refugees or interested in finding out more are welcome. Call Natalie Smith on 0425 728 771. Resources 6. The Dandenong Casey General Practice Association has updated the refugee health information on its website at www.dcgpa.com.au. Refugee Health Program and regional refugee health services information can be found under Programs/ Refugee Health. Resources can be found under Resources/Health Programs/ Refugee Health. Contact: Dr. I-Hao Cheng, Refugee Health Program Coordinator on 03 8792 1900 or i.cheng@dcgpa.com.au 7. A High Dose vitamin D Fact Sheet for authorised prescribers of high dose vitamin D and selected partner pharmacies (October 2008) is now available. It is part of an initiative between the Department of Human Services, Western Hospital and GPs in the inner north and west of Melbourne. The partnership is enabling people with moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency to access high dose monthly vitamin D tablets. For more information contact Sally Richardson: sally.richardson@dhs.vic.gov.au or 03 9096 7371. 8. Healthy Eating in Latrobe Valley is a new nutrition resource addressing the nutritional needs of Latrobe Valley’s local Sudanese community. Adapted from the Healthy Eating in Brimbank resource, it includes 5 fact sheets translated into Nuer and Dinka. For enquiries or copies of the resource contact Angela Fredericks at Latrobe Community Health Service on 03 5171 1450 or angela.fredericks@lchs.com.au Research 9. The International and Immigrant Health Group of the University of Melbourne Department of Medicine and Royal Melbourne Hospital has interests in immigrant and refugee health, infectious diseases, nutritional disorders, maternal and child health and the impact of climate change on health. Check their website at www.internationalhealth.unimelb.edu.au Professional Development 10. An information session and assessment for the NMIT English for Bilingual Health Workers course will be held on Wednesday January 28th from 10am-12pm at NMIT Collingwood, 20 Otter St Collingwood, Room A213. Contact Rachel Wilson on 03 9269 1081 or rachelwilson@nmit.vic.edu.au 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 |