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Since 2002, the National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) has offered best-practice asthma and respiratory management education for GPs, practice nurses and allied health professionals, supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
With confirmation of funding under the Department's new Asthma Management Program, we are pleased to advise our Primary Care Asthma and Respiratory Update (also known as A-Team®) workshops will continue until 2013.
Our workshops are not being held at the moment while we review the course content to ensure it remains up-to-date and appropriate. We anticipate recommencing the workshops in the second half of 2010.
For more information, please contact:
Melissa Bell, Senior Program Coordinator
National Asthma Council Australia
Background
The National Asthma Council Australia‘s A-Team® - a group of trained asthma experts - regularly runs asthma education workshops across Australia for GPs, practice nurses, asthma educators, pharmacists and other allied health professionals.
The NAC established the A-Team Asthma Education Program in 2002 to reinforce and increase levels of awareness in best-practice asthma management.
Funded by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, the program involves the training and support of expert asthma presenters (A-Team) to deliver education workshops with Divisions of General Practice across Australia.
A-Team workshops are evaluated regularly and the responses have been overwhelmingly positive.
Workshop format
Each workshop is run as a single stand-alone session, hosted by a Division of General Practice in consultation with the NAC.
In addition to a foundation component covering basic principles of diagnosis and management, each 2-hour session covers 2–3 optional topics chosen by the particular Division from the A-Team education modules. The modules include spirometry, medications, allergy, paediatric asthma, older adult asthma, device technique and COPD.
Attendees include GPs, practice nurses, asthma educators, pharmacists and other allied health professionals.
The A-Team usually presents as a team of one doctor (GP or respiratory physician) and one asthma educator. There is often the opportunity to tailor the presenters to best suit the participants, depending on availability of A-Team members.
Resource kits are provided for attendees by the NAC.
Professional development recognition
Participants who attended workshops held in 2006-2009 may be eligible for continuing professional development (CPD) points from the following organisations:
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Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP): Approved by the RACGP QA&CPD program for 2 points per hour. Total CPD points: 4 (Category 2). Activity no.: 733983
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Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA): Accredited by the PSA for 2 points (Group 1). Accreditation no.: CX090006
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Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM): Accredited by ACRRM as an educational event for 2 PDP points. Activity code: EEACR-0001-NASC
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Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA): This workshop has been endorsed by RCNA according to approved criteria for 2 CNE points
Interested in attending a workshop?
The host Division of General Practice coordinates attendance and scheduling of workshops. If you are interested in attending a workshop, please contact your local Division.
Interested in hosting a workshop?
Hosting a workshop is usually quite straightforward, as the NAC will coordinate the presenters and resource materials (including associated costs).
The Division will need to:
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Schedule and organise one or more sessions
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Arrange the venue, audiovisual equipment and catering
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Promote the workshop to health professionals in the area, including GPs, asthma educators, practice nurses and pharmacists
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Receive registrations and confirm attendee participation
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Be on-hand to coordinate the running of the workshop.
Funding is available to assist Divisions with the costs.
Interested in joining the A-Team?
The NAC is keen to involve health professionals from all areas of Australia in the A-Team. Members generally present workshops in their local region, although volunteers for travel are occasionally sought.
A-Team members are usually health professionals with asthma management expertise and adult education experience. Preference is given to respiratory physicians, GPs or asthma educators (RN Div 1), although applications from other allied health professionals will be considered.
All presentation material is provided by the NAC to ensure the information is consistent, complete and up-to-date, and to reduce the burden on presenters.
Training on the presentation material is provided to A-Team members as requested.
The Department of Health and Ageing has granted funds to the NAC for A-Team member sitting fees. The per-day fee will be paid for workshop presentations and any in-person training sessions.
In addition, the NAC has limited funds for A-Team travel expenses to rural workshops (arrangements will be confirmed prior to travel).
More information
For more information on the Primary Care Asthma and Respiratory Update program, including hosting a workshop or joining the A-Team, please contact:
Melissa Bell, Senior Program Coordinator
National Asthma Council Australia
A-Team® is a registered trademark of National Asthma Council of Australia Ltd
Content Updated 5 February, 2010
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