Pot-pourri eBulletin - 21 February 2025
It’s my great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to 2025 to all our PCHD members, especially those new trainees and Fellows joining our professional family. I hope this year brings success, satisfaction, and peace for all of us.
I’d like to start this first message by highlighting and congratulating a PCHD Fellow who was honoured in this year’s Australia Day Honours list. Professor Robert Gideon Weintraub FRACP (VIC) became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division “for significant service to paediatric medicine, and to medical research”. Professor Weintraub is an Honorary Fellow Manager of MCRI’s Heart Research Group and a paediatric cardiologist at The Royal Children’s Hospital. Well done and thank you for your ongoing and extraordinary commitment.
Advocacy activities are already well underway this year. As PCHD President, I’ve been involved in several media interviews so far, including one with ABC Radio National on safe screen time for kids, and also a Sydney Morning Herald story about investigations into a colic treatment. I look forward to more opportunities to use the advocacy power of the RACP to help promote our paediatric views and expertise.
If you are interested in becoming more involved with the College particularly the work of this Division, two important opportunities are currently available. Nominations are currently open for the next President-elect of the Paediatrics & Child Health Division. The successful nominee will have the privilege and pleasure of working with incoming President, Dr Niroshini Kennedy and will become PCHD President in May 2028. For more information see the College website. Nominations for the President-elect position close on Friday, 28 February.
An expression of interest is currently open for the Chair of the Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine Committee (AYAMC). AYAM is a branch of medicine focused on the unique health needs and medical care of adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24 years. The AYAMC has ties to both the PCHD and AMD Councils and has expertise from both Divisions to best represent this transitional and very important demographic. Find out more about the AYAMC Chair expression of interest here.
In my current role as PCHD President, I will be attending the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health (RCPCH) Conference 2025 next month, held from 26 to 28 March in Glasgow, Scotland. I have the honour of attending as a keynote speaker on the topic of “Patient-centric care: reflections on Ryan’s rule and beyond”. The RCPCH and the RACP/PCHD have particularly close ties over many years and I’m excited to be attending both in my role as keynote speaker and as your PCHD President. I’ll report back via this newsletter in due course.
Professor Nitin Kapur
PCHD President
Several positions are available on PCHD committees. Please consider applying for suitable positions and/or encouraging your colleagues. If you have any questions about any of the PCHD committee positions, please contact Paed@racp.edu.au.
All Expressions of Interest
RACP Fellows honoured for outstanding contributions to medicine
Congratulations to the 15 RACP Fellows recognised in the 2025 Australia Day and Aotearoa New Zealand New Year honour lists. These awards highlight the outstanding work RACP members do and the importance of that work in local, national and international communities.
Find out more
The National Immunisation Program: 2025 maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccination
From 3 February 2025, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Abrysvo®, will be listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Eligible women who are at 28 to 36 weeks pregnancy will be able to receive the maternal RSV vaccine for free through the NIP, to protect their infant against RSV from birth and in their first few months of life.
RSV, a highly infectious virus, is the most common cause of respiratory infections in children and poses a significant risk to infants in their first six months of life. Infants with medical risk factors, such as being born very preterm at under 32 weeks gestation, have an increased risk of severe RSV disease. However, up to 80 per cent of infants and children who are hospitalised are otherwise healthy children with no predisposing conditions.
To prepare for the NIP maternal RSV vaccine program commencement, Professor Anthony Lawler, the Chief Medical Officer asks you to:
- order the RSV maternal vaccine, Abrysvo®, through the usual channels in your state or territory
- promote the free vaccine to eligible pregnant women, emphasising your recommendation as a trusted health professional
- consider opportunities to co-administer the RSV vaccine with the recommended whooping cough and influenza vaccines where appropriate
- ensure vaccine safety by verifying you are correctly administering the Abrysvo® RSV vaccine to your patient
- report all RSV and NIP vaccines you administer to the Australian Immunisation Register
- stay informed by subscribing to the NIP mailing list for the latest NIP updates.
More information:
2025 Influenza vaccine ordering: Key updates
Prepare for the upcoming influenza season by taking action now:
Vaccine supply and ordering:
- 2024 influenza vaccines are no longer available.
- Supply updates expected late February 2025.
- Orders will open via Onelink Online with weekly limits in place.
- Report all vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Ordering Reminders:
- Keep your Onelink account number handy.
- Assess storage space and patient needs before ordering.
- Do not book vaccinations until stock is received.
Further details on the Healthcare Worker Influenza Program will be provided in March 2025. For ATAGI recommendations and eligibility criteria, visit the Department of Health Seasonal Influenza Vaccine webpage.
Co-claiming MBS items 132 and 133 with initial, subsequent and minor physician attendance telehealth items
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) has advised that as of 1 July 2025, co-claiming rules for MBS items 132 and 133 will change for consultant physicians. These items are:
- 132: Initial assessment, patient with at least comorbidities, prepare treatment and management plan, at least 45 mins, and subsequent assessment, patient with at least two morbidities, review a treatment and management plan, at least 20 minutes.
- 133: Subsequent assessment, patient with at least two morbidities, review a treatment and management plan, at least 20 minutes.
The change will mean that where items 132 and 133 are claimed, telehealth items claim 91824 (initial attendance), 91825 (subsequent attendance), 91826 and 91836 (minor attendance) cannot be co-claimed. The current legislation for these items includes they cannot be co-claimed with general attendance items at the same time.
A further reminder will be issued closer to the change. For any queries, please contact policy@racp.edu.au.
Access to Intravenous Immunoglobulin or Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin products
To prescribe Intravenous Immunoglobulin or Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (IvIg/SCGIg) for a patient in Australia you need to register with BLOODPortal and request access to the BloodSTAR system overseen by the National Blood Authority.
The National Blood Authority also recommends that all Australian-based Trainees register for access to BloodSTAR ahead of starting in a rotation in any speciality where they are likely to treat patients who require immunoglobulin.
This flowchart provides an introduction on how to access government-funded IvIg/SCGIg. The portal also has tipsheets and eLearning modules to help understand the process.
To register with BLOODportal please ensure your details match those on your Ahpra registration.
Links to include/hyperlink to copy:
Website: www.blood.gov.au
Document: My patient requires IVIg-SCIg_V9d
Portal: Authenticate.blood.gov.au - Sign In
Help shape the future: NSW inquiry into disability supports for children and young people
The New South Wales Parliament has launched an inquiry into foundational and disability supports for children and young people. This provides an opportunity to influence critical improvements in early intervention, diagnostics, workforce capacity, and cross-sector collaboration.
The Inquiry focuses on:
- closing service gaps in New South Wales
- embedding cultural safety and best practices
- implementing NDIS Review and Disability Royal Commission recommendations
Supporting children with disabilities is an RACP priority. We've already provided detailed recommendations to the Department of Social Services on foundational supports for people with disability including children and their families and now need your insights to advocate for meaningful change at the state level.
Your voice matters! Share your feedback by Sunday, 9 March 2025 – and help build a fairer, more inclusive system for families in New South Wales.
Find out more
The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) seeks your input
You are invited to provide input on an application to the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC), which appraises new medical services/technologies and advises the government on whether they should be publicly funded. The closing date is Friday, 14 March 2025.
Find out more
New Ahpra operating system and online application and concern forms are coming soon
What's changing?
- a new Ahpra portal for practitioners
- digital smart forms for all new applicants and registration renewals, making it easier, faster and more secure to apply for registration
- this includes using online biometric identity verification for applicants, which will replace the current intensive, paper-based process
- an improved and easier-to-use online 'Raise a Concern' form
- two-step verification for enhanced security
- a new model for a better and more targeted data collection system
What's not changing?
Access to the Register of Practitioners and Practice Information Exchange (PIE)
- the way you use and access the PIE won't change
- there may be some temporary downtime when Ahpra switches to the new system, but they will let you know in advance of the key dates and timeframe so you are prepared for any impacts
Preparing a safe transition
A transition from one system to another is complex and not without risk. Ahpra is preparing for a safe transition with minimal impact to their performance, staff and stakeholders. This includes:
- anticipating delays and downtime when their team won't have access to a system and while they are getting used to operating a new system
- in the interest of patient safety, prioritising high risk and immediate action matters
- to mitigate any impact on workforce, Ahpra will work to minimise the impact on domestic (graduates) and international applications
The launch date of the new system is yet to be confirmed. Once we receive confirmation of the launch, we will share with members on this webpage.
International Women's Day 2025
In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, the RACP has partnered with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) to host an online webinar for all members. Join us for this collective initiative, themed ‘March Forward - Together’ on Friday, 7 March to commemorate this important day.
Register now
2024 Medical Training Survey interactive dashboard now available
The Medical Training Survey (MTS) 2024 Interactive Dashboard is now live. The survey was completed by 41 per cent of RACP trainees, including Overseas Trained Physicians who are currently undertaking supervised practice in Australia (n=3,069). The reporting dashboard enables users to apply filters and create tailored reports based on their results of interest.
The RACP uses the results of the MTS to:
- strengthen RACP training programs and activities
- drive improvements in training settings by identifying settings with results that indicate potential concerns, and work with local leaders to explore and leverage the data to advocate for support with training
- acknowledge high performing training settings by identifying those with results that point towards excellence in areas such as quality of clinical supervision, overall satisfaction, or support for trainee wellbeing
- inform systemic change by using the results in the development of strategic approaches to improve physician training, our service offerings and the overall culture of medicine.
Find out more
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings
New and amended Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings are available here. This information relates to the administration of these listings by Services Australia.
For further information on broader PBS changes, please visit the PBS website
A temporary Continued Dispensing Emergency Measure is in place until 31 March 2025 to help those affected by flooding in Far North Queensland access PBS-subsidised medicines. It covers a broader range of PBS medicines than standard Continued Dispensing arrangements.
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS): The importance of accurate data
Having access to PBS-subsidised medicines can be critical to patient care. That's why it's important to ensure you are providing accurate and up to date information when completing an authority request via the Online PBS Authorities system (the system).
The system uses the prescription details entered to calculate how long the requested quantity and repeats will last. This calculation is important for the current and future authority requests. Failure to enter the dose correctly may result in your authority request being assessed incorrectly and possibly rejected.
To ensure you enter the dose correctly, enter the number of tablets, capsules, injections etc, not the strength of the medication. For example, if your patient takes 1 x 150 mg tablet daily, enter the Dose as 1, not 150. You can select the "?" icon next to the Prescription details label to see examples of how to enter the dose correctly.
Visit here for more information about the Online PBS Authorities system.
Services Australia has a broad range of educational resources on the Health Professional Education Resources website. This includes simulations, podcast and an infographic on the Online PBS Authorities system.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
The Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health publishes original research articles of scientific excellence in paediatrics and child health. The latest edition is now live and available to view online.
Some topics include:
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Effect of Pro-, Pre- and Synbiotic Supplementation on the Growth of Infants and Children: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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Accidental Trisodium Phosphate [Na3PO4] (TSP) Ingestion in a Child
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A Study of Body Composition in Children Suffering From Infantile Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Read the journal
This case report describes a 42-year-old male from Arizona with a complex course characterised by fever following an orthotopic liver transplant. A general approach to fever in the post-transplant patient is discussed, along with specific considerations regarding travel in post-transplant patients or those on immunosuppressants for other indications. Associate Professor Camille Kotton and Dr Simran Gupta from the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital take listeners through the case and related issues in a step-by-step manner at a level targeted for trainees and generalists.
Guests
Associate Professor Camille Kotton (Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University)
Dr Simran Gupta (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard University)
Hosts
Associate Professor Stephen Bacchi FRACP (Fulbright Fellow, Mass General Brigham; University of Adelaide)
Christina Gao (University of Adelaide)
Please visit the Pomegranate Health web page for a transcript and supporting references. Login to MyCPD to record listening and reading as a prefilled learning activity. Subscribe to new episode email alerts or search for ‘Pomegranate Health’ in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox or any podcasting app.
https://www.racp.edu.au/pomegranate/view/case-report-42yo-male-with-fever-following-liver-transplant
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Member Support Centre (MSC), which will replace our current contact centre. The MSC aims to deliver more responsive, efficient, and timely support, acting as your central point of contact for all your enquiries.
In addition to general support, the MSC will broaden its services to manage all RACP-related questions, including your training enquiries, complaints, booking call-backs, Training Management Platform (TMP), and other technical support, plus more.
By submitting your enquiry through the MSC, you’ll receive regular updates on the status of your case, as well as a streamlined follow-up process. We are committed to these improvements and will keep enhancing our service to better serve your needs.
Contact us
Did you know that you can update your address details online? Simply Login to MyRACP and go to “Edit my details”.
RACP Benefits: Exclusive savings on your lifestyle needs
Did you know that RACP Benefits gives you access to a range of discounts and offers from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading brands and retailers? Simply log in to the portal to start shopping and saving today. These special deals are exclusive to the College and made possible by our benefits partner, Member Benefits Australia.
Log in or find out more.
Pomegranate Health podcast: Your contributions welcome
The RACP podcast, Pomegranate Health, has published over 100 episodes since starting out eight years ago.
To provide more frequent and focused content we’re seeking contributions from our speciality societies, committees and affiliated professional organisations.
To hear what this would sound like, listen to the episodes tagged [IMJ On-Air]
These episodes feature authors published in the Internal Medicine Journal being interviewed by the relevant section editor.
They have covered themes as varied as asthma management, hospital-acquired complications, causes of readmission and the JEV outbreak.
You already spend considerable time preparing lectures and webinars for your colleagues.
Audio podcasts provide an easy way to reach thousands more around the world.
Each episode gets downloaded around 6500 times over the first 12 months from publication, with 21 per cent of listeners located outside of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
All you need to do is to organise one or more presenters and an interviewer familiar with the material. The podcast producer will coordinate an online recording lasting about one hour and then edit it down before publication. The intention would be to ‘brand’ regular episodes from your specialty society or organisation in the same way that we’ve done with [IMJ On-Air].
Please send any questions or ideas to podcast@racp.edu.au
View all career opportunities on the RACP website.
To submit an article for publishing in Pot-pourri, please email paed@racp.edu.au. The article should be no more than 350 words. If you would like to submit an image with your article, it would be assumed that you have received appropriate permission to use the photo and it needs to be of high resolution, above 300 dpi. Please note that articles may need to be edited by the RACP Communications Team.