Pot-pourri eBulletin - 3 June 2022
A message from your President
Fellows and trainees, it is an honour to write my first message to you as the Paediatrics & Child Health Division (PCHD) President. It was an immense pleasure to meet some of you at Congress - thank you for your warm welcome.
I am delighted to be joined by Dr Niroshini Kennedy as President-elect of the Division. Dr Kennedy and I are committed to the advancement of paediatric training and research, and will be advocates for the improvement of child health and development here in Australasia and in collaboration with our international colleagues.
To Professor Catherine Choong, the outgoing President, I express my sincere thanks for skilfully steering the Council through some of the most challenging periods of recent times. I am grateful for her mentorship and the tremendous work and significant contribution she has made to the advancement of paediatric medicine. Thank you, Cathy!
I also take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Jacqueline Small on her election as RACP President and Dr Davina Buntsma as Trainee Director on the RACP Board. Both are paediatricians and I look forward to working in close collaboration with them.
PCHD Council
Introducing your Council members for May 2022 to May 2025:
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Position
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Name
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President
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Associate Professor Nitin Kapur
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President-elect
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Dr Niroshini Kennedy
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Elected Fellow
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Dr Daryl Cheng
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Elected Fellow
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Dr Jye Gard
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Elected Fellow
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Dr Elizabeth Pickford
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Elected Fellow
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Professor Julie McGaughran
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Elected Fellow
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Dr Divyesh Mehta
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Elected Fellow
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Dr Sadasivam Suresh
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Aotearoa New Zealand Elected Fellow
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Dr David Newman
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Aotearoa New Zealand Elected Fellow
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Dr Pat Tuohy
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Chair, Aotearoa New Zealand PCHD Committee
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Dr Hamish McCay
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Chair, PCHD Policy & Advocacy Committee
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Professor Graham Vimpani
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Chair, Chapter of Community Child Health
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Dr Paul Hotton
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Chair, Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine Committee
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Dr Simon Denny
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Chair, PCHD Research Committee
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Vacant
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Chair, PCHD Education Committee
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Vacant
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Trainee representative
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Dr Hannah Bills
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Trainee representative
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Vacant
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Continuing Professional Development representative
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Dr Janaka Tennakoon
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The PCHD Council will hold its first meeting on Thursday, 23 June.
Congress - A Climate for Change and PCHD Dinner
This year’s Congress provided the opportunity for us to meet in person and it was an immense pleasure to meet those who attended both the PCHD dinner and Congress. The dinner, held at Pure South Dining on Wednesday 11 May was low on numbers but warm and welcoming regardless. Dr Jacqueline Small, RACP President, inducted me into the PCHD Presidency, ably assisted by past PCHD Presidents Associate Professor Jill Sewell and Dr Jenny Proimos.
Throughout Congress the paediatric stream was excellent with sessions on Indigenous health and the early detection of cerebral palsy, Children and COVID, and the Paediatric Research Network which all generated robust and enthusiastic discussions.
The Chapter Satellite Day was also a success with approximately 30 attendees joining in a program of sessions ranging from responses to COVID-19 in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, to the emergence of technology-facilitated sexual assault in children. A panel discussion on the history of community childcare provided great input from members on how to take this specialty successfully into the future.
Welcome to all the new paediatric Fellows. I enjoyed being part of the celebrations for many of you and your families at the Convocation Ceremony on 14 May in Melbourne. I would encourage you all to continue your involvement with the College in whatever capacity you deem suitable. The RACP Online Community (ROC) is a forum for engagement with the wider paediatric community and to see what opportunities are available within the Division, your regions, and amongst the wider community.
I would like to thank the following people for their contribution to the successful delivery of the PCHD and the satellite day streams:
- Dr Divyesh Mehta and Dr Mohan Swaminathan for their work as the PCHD co-representatives on the RACP Congress Program Committee.
- Dr Julia Clark, Professor Nadia Badawi, Associate Professor Margie Danchin, Dr Niroshini Kennedy, and Dr Paul Hotton for chairing the sessions.
I would like to congratulate the PCHD Award recipients:
Congress and the Chapter Satellite Day could not happen without the work of the RACP Event Team, and I particularly want to thank Alisha Smith and Skye Williams who worked tirelessly to put the sessions and programs together, as well as Kerri Clarke, PCHD Executive Officer, who helped at both events.
Divisional Clinical Examinations
I want to wish all candidates sitting the Divisional Clinical Exam (DCE) the very best of luck and I am happy that we have been able to deliver the clinical exam in the traditional format once again.
Looking ahead
My key mission over the next three years in this position is to improve engagement between the College and the wider paediatric community and through PCHD, continue to support, contribute, and undertake work that ensures the College excels as a training and education provider.
The pandemic has changed the shape of the medical landscape and highlighted the importance of ensuring we have sustainable delivery of high-quality healthcare. Paramount to this is matching the medical workforce with community needs, especially in rural settings, and rising to the challenge for those delivering medical care and services.
Expressions of Interest for PCHD Committees
I would like to draw your attention to Expressions of Interest for a number of PCHD Committees.
Interested members can view the details further on in this eBulletin.
Associate Professor Nitin Kapur
PCHD President
Expressions of Interest (EOIs)
Please keep an eye on the EOIs page on the College website for vacant positions on PCHD Committees.
All Expressions of Interest
There’s still time to apply for an RACP Foundation Research Award
Applications are open for the 2023 RACP Foundation Research Awards, and PCHD Fellows and Advanced Trainees are eligible to apply for many of the awards in the following categories:
Applications for Education Development (Study) Grants – Round Two will open on Monday, 20 June 2022, including the following grants:
Closing dates and full details for all these opportunities are available on the RACP Foundation Research Awards webpage.
National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce: new consensus recommendations for paediatric treatment
The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has reviewed their recommendations for a number of paediatric treatments. Summarised updates are below.
Consider using baricitinib for the treatment of COVID-19 in children and adolescents who require non-invasive or invasive ventilation.
Read more
Consider using, in exceptional circumstances, nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid) for the treatment of COVID-19 within five days of symptom onset in children and adolescents aged 12 years and over and weighing at least 40kg who do not require oxygen and who are at high risk of deterioration. This should only be considered for children who are not up-to-date with vaccinations or who are immunocompromised.
Read more
RACP supports Cancer Council Victoria’s campaign on unhealthy food advertising to children
The RACP has endorsed Cancer Council Victoria’s state-wide advocacy campaign which aims to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food and drink advertising as they commute, learn and play.
The campaign calls on the Victorian Government to restrict unhealthy food advertising on public transport assets, public transport infrastructure and within five hundred metres of schools. It supports the Victorian Cancer Plan and is aligned with the Victorian Government’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures action plan which includes a priority action of “exploring legislative options to create healthier environments for children and young people”.
The campaign is in line with the College obesity statement’s recommendation to “introduce regulations to restrict the marketing of unhealthy diets to children and young people”, which is also one of the key asks in our ongoing Kids Covid Catch Up (KCCU) campaign. In related news, the KCCU campaign has been endorsed by the Obesity Policy Coalition, signalling the strong synergies between these advocacy activities.
RACP members who are interested in backing this campaign are welcome to sign up in an individual capacity via the campaign website. We will be doing more advocacy in this space in the run-up to the Victorian election in November 2022.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health: June 2022 edition
The Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health publishes original research articles of scientific excellence in paediatrics and child health. The June 2022 edition is now live and available to view online.
Articles in this edition include:
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Towards a national pre-school vision screen programme.
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It is human to like to be praised.
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Comparison of ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter insertion with landmark technique in paediatric patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
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Home-hospital care for children with acute illness: A 2-year follow-up study.
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Increased prevalence of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia during social distancing.
Read the journal
New TaskForceTV Episode – COVID-19 and Paediatric Care
Paediatric Care Panel co-chairs Associate Professor Asha Bowen and Dr Brendan McMullan join host Associate Professor Tari Turner to discuss the care and treatment of children and adolescents with COVID-19.
Topics include:
- the complexities of care with minimal clinical trial data including children
- considerations when using drug treatments
- pulse oximeters
- PIMS-TS
- ongoing impact of the pandemic on children's mental health.
Watch now
Online learning and resources: Physician Advocacy Online Course and the Digital Health CPD Primer
The Physician Advocacy online course aims to provide you with the skills to advocate on important health issues and to make a real difference when it comes to broader systemic change. The course will help you develop your working knowledge of government and parliamentary processes, policy and media, stakeholder analysis, and framing messages. Furthermore, its flexible design means you can dip in and out, or just complete the parts that are relevant to you.
Start the Physician Advocacy course now
The Primer of CPD Activities in Digital Health provides a range of digital health activities and CPD requirement examples across the three CPD categories. The Primer has been developed by the RACP Digital Health Advisory Group to help you gain knowledge and CPD credits within digital health and clinical informatics.
Kickstart your digital health CPD activities
Don’t forget to claim CPD credits for time spent on RACP Online Learning.
Launch of the AMACDT x AMSA Mental Health Support Traffic Light Guide
The past few years have been difficult. With the impacts of the pandemic, disruptions to training, and increased workloads on the health and wellbeing of medical students and junior doctors, there is no question about that.
So to help you to navigate support services, the Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors in Training (AMACDT) and the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) have partnered to answer the question: where can I go for mental health support?
Together they have created a traffic light mental health support flyer which provides a list of recommended support services to access depending upon your levels of stress, mental illness, or the acute needs you are facing. Save the flyer to your phone so you can easily access it when you or your colleagues need support.
Read more
'Behind These Doors’ video tour of RACP Macquarie Street, Sydney
The College is pleased to launch the ‘Behind These Doors’ video tour of the RACP building at 145 Macquarie Street Sydney, narrated by Honorary Associate Professor Catherine Storey OAM, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Sydney. We invite you to join us on a virtual journey to explore the College’s Macquarie Street home and discover its fascinating treasures and history.
Watch the ‘Behind These Doors’ video tour
The ROC Member Directory
The ROC is your secure online forum where RACP Fellows and trainees can post topics, questions and start discussions with other members. Did you know that the ROC also features a ‘Member Directory’ designed to help you find and connect with your colleagues? The easy-to-use directory allows you to search by name, location, Division, Faculty, Chapter and/or specialty and is the perfect way to chat directly with other members and expand your network of contacts across the membership.
Access the Member Directory and find your colleagues today.
Log into the ROC
Australian Prescriber - view the latest issue
The June 2022 issue of Australian Prescriber has now been published.
The latest issue includes articles on:
Read the full issue
The Neurodevelopmental and Behavioural Paediatric Society of Australasia (NBPSA) 2022 Annual Conference
The NBPSA invites you to attend the hybrid 2022 Annual Conference at the Sheraton Grand Hyde Park, Sydney, NSW, from 25 to 27 August 2022.
This year’s theme is “a successful journey” and focuses on helping patients and their families strive to be the best they can throughout their lifespan. Understanding intellectual disability, different development, and how to guide families is a core skill of practice for developmental paediatricians.
A range of speakers will present across areas of expertise including disability and education, neurology and genetics, disruptive behaviours, psychopharmacology, cultural humility and professional wellbeing.
Keynote speaker Professor Tony Holland is a clinical and academic psychiatrist specialising in the field of intellectual disabilities. His sessions will include advocating for patients through science and clinical practice, and the transition to adult care. He will also join a session for trainees and early career consultants on setting up a successful consulting career.
To view the conference program and register to attend click here.
Dr Yvette Vella
Chair, 2022 NBPSA Annual Conference
Member Advantage — Your EOFY savings are here!
The end of financial year (EOFY) is fast approaching and so are great deals and discounts on a range of products and services. During the month of June, your Member Advantage program brings you exclusive savings at your favourite retailers, great deals on cars, savings on health insurance, whitegoods, electronics and so much more…
Login today and start saving. Available online 24/7. That’s your Member Advantage!
*Terms and conditions apply.
Australian member access Aotearoa New Zealand member access
Other news and events
News
Events
Australian Capital Territory
Senior Specialist – Paediatrician: Canberra Health Services, The Canberra Hospital, Garran ACT | Position number: P28964, P26039 | Closing date: Tuesday, 21 June 2022
View all career opportunities on the RACP website.
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Update your details with the College
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