Australian Family Physician audio

General practice in Australia is expected to play a major role in responding to an influenza pandemic. This study investigated the experience of frontline general practice during the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009.

Dr Jenny Bocquet talks to Dr Deepa Daniel about her qualitative research project exploring the early experience of selected frontline general practices in managing the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak.

Dr Aris Siafarikas talks about how to approach the assessment and management of a child presenting in diabetic ketoacidosis due to Type 1 diabetes. Dr Siafarikas discusses diabetic ketoacidosis, including how children might present, which Type 1 diabetic patients are prone to developing DKA, and how general practitioners can diagnose a patient presenting in DKA. Dr Siafarikas then goes on to explore the appropriate management of a patient in DKA, including resuscitation, monitoring, rehydration and electrolyte replacement, insulin therapy, and managing recovery and follow-up. He also discusses the most important complication of severe DKA, that being cerebral oedema.

Dr Mike Starr talks about three childhood emergency presentations: meningococcal sepsis, croup, and minor head injuries, all of which are of significant importance in general practice. For each presentation, Dr Starr discusses which children are at risk, possible presentations, what to watch out for in history and examination, necessary investigations, and important management considerations in a general practice and a hospital setting.

Dr Jenny Bocquet talks about her qualitative research project exploring the early experience of selected frontline general practices in managing the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak. Dr Bocquet discusses the context of why she decided to perform this study, how her research was carried out, and the type of general practices involved. She discusses her how the general practices fared, including the strategies they used to manage, and whether they coped or were supported by government services. Dr Bocquet goes on to discuss how we can approach things differently in future flu seasons, and where we go from here to ensure greater preparation and support from government health services.

The physical and psychosocial effects of trauma in refugees are wide ranging and long lasting. They can affect symptom presentation, the patient-doctor relationship and management of refugee victims of trauma.

Dr Joanne Gardiner is a GP counsellor at Foundation House Refugee Mental Health Clinic and a GP at Doutta Galla Community Health Centre Medical Centre in Melbourne. In this podcast she talks to Dr Rachel Lee about compassionate listening and managing psychological trauma in refugees.

Dr John Furler is a senior research fellow from the Primary Care Research Unit at the Department of General Practice at Melbourne University and a practicing GP at a community health centre. In this podcast he talks to Dr Rachel Lee about mental health and cultural competence. Dr Furler discusses concepts of depression and anxiety and why cultural and socioeconomic factors are important in mental health work in general practice. He stresses the need to have a flexible approach to this area rather than overly generalising about how different cultural groups may present. Dr Furler discusses the important influence that interpreters can have on consultations and how GPs can go about negotiating a shared understanding with their patients.

Depression, and its associated anxiety, is very common in the community and frequently managed in general practice. Yet it remains a problematic concept. Differing views of depression influence both clinical practice and research.

Associate professor Katherine Clark talks to Dr Rachel Lee about the importance of culture and ethnicity in end of life care, the importance of recognising each patient and family as unique and sensitively asking them what is important to them and what sort of care and support they need.

Australia is a culturally and ethnically diverse country. Within such diversity there will be differing beliefs systems about death and dying. This may be a challenging prospect for health professionals.

Associate Professor Christine Phillips talks to Dr Rachel Lee about how GPs and practices can most effectively use interpreter services.

Australia is one of the most multilingual countries in the world. In their working lives, all doctors will need to communicate with patients whose languages they do not speak.

Associate Professor Christine Phillips talks about how GPs and practices can most effectively use interpreter services. Associate Professor Phillips outlines the excellent free interpreting services available in Australia and how and when to efficiently access these services. She provides excellent tips for clinicians working with interpreters, particularly around controlling the consultation and making use of the interpreting time to enhance the consultation. She dispels several common myths about interpreter use and talks about what to do when things don’t go well. As all GPs and primary care clinicians will need to use interpreters for at least a proportion of their practice this podcast and the accompanying article are an excellent reference and resource guide.

Associate professor Katherine Clark talks about the importance of culture and ethnicity in end of life care. Associate Prof Clark discusses the importance of recognising each patient and family as unique and sensitively asking them what is important to them and what sort of care and support they need. Rather than providing a checklist of different beliefs and practices around death, this podcast and the accompanying article explain how to sensitively approach death and dying with different groups. Important and relevant to any GP involved in palliative care for patients of any cultural group, the podcast and article also touches on useful resources and the key role GPs have in improving access to palliative care services.