Adolescent Health & GP's In Schools
Developed initially as an initiative between the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Ryde Division of General Practice, The University of Sydney and GP Synergy (formerly SIGPET), The GP’s in Schools program was developed to bring GPs into contact with young people to promote adolescent health and encourage them to visit their local GP.
Program instigator, Dr Carol Kefford, a GP based in one of GP Synergy's training practices in Pennant Hills, has been doing research into adolescent health through the University of Sydney's Academic Unit (Northern Clinical School) in Hornsby. Carol began to pilot a small program nine years ago in the Pennant Hills area. Her idea was to introduce high school students to their local GPs in order to help the students understand how GPs might be able to help them.
"It was clear to me that young people don't find it very easy to access primary health care," she said. "They often don't understand that consultations are confidential, except in certain circumstances, an extremely important factor if someone is embarrassed about issues such as sexual health or drug and alcohol use. It's also important to let young people know they can see a GP at no cost in a bulk billing practice, even if they do not have their Medicare card with them. We also inform them that they can have their own Medicare card once they are 15."
"I have found through talking to a lot of high school students that they often don't understand that GPs are capable of helping them deal with emotional and mental health issues, relationship problems and factors creating stress in life, such as examinations."
Carol saw the potential of widening the program by involving final year medical students through the University of Sydney and GP registrars through GP Synergy. Many GP Synergy Registrars have enjoyed participating in the program and found it a beneficial learning experience in developing improved ways of communicating with this demographic and understanding their health issues and concerns.
For More Information
For more information, or to express an interest in being involved with the initiative, please contact David Ward on (02) 9818 4433 or davidw@gpsynergy.com.au