Dr Pesce says the slow uptake of 'healthy kids' checks by the community has nothing to do with the workload of GPs and everything to do with the poor design of the Healthy Kids Check item. He's nearly right. The absurd details of the 4 tear old check item are not worth going through for the pittance offered. In other words, the tidbit is not worth the jump through the hoop.
Posted by Doccymus 17/08/2009 6:41:57 PM
The assumption that Maternal and Child health nurses are insufficiently qualified to independently undertake a Healthy Kids Check is nonsense. These highly skilled and specialised nurses have been providing exactly that service for infants and preschoolers for many years, in fact decades! My own MCH nurse was instrumental in identifying a number of concerns in both my and my friends children's health and development and referred us to appropriate services including the GP. In those states (e.g. Victoria)with a well supported MCH service, 66% of children have already had the equivalent check albeit at 3.5 yrs or similar so don't need the MBS funded check. Practice nurses have been keen to do the checks but need to be upskilled appropriately. The health kids check is an important initiative but is another example of our fractured system duplicating services and/or missing them altogether.
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Posted by Doccymus 17/08/2009 6:41:57 PM
Posted by Belinda Caldwell 18/08/2009 3:00:44 PM
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