• Nursing and Midwifery Council to require interprofessional learning in preregistration nursing programmes
• The Sydney Interprofessional Declaration
• 2011-12 Harkness Fellowships Open to Applicants
• News Alert! Take part in the Health Professions Global Network discussion on Health Sciences Online- A new online learning tool
• CAIPE Annual General Meeting June 24th 2010
• WORLD FIRST IN INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION
• Message to all CAIPE members
• Places still available for the Joint HEA / CAIPE Workshop: Quality in Interprofessional education and collaborative practice. The PROSE model: May 7th 2010
• All Together Better Health 5: Student Discussion Board
• Professor Mike Pittilo
• WHO: Framework for Action on Interprofesssional Education and Collaborative Practice
• University of East Anglia - Education in Health Studentship Projects
• The National Evaluation of Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPS)
• The Royal Society for Public Health Launches New Commissioning Guide for Promoting Health and Well-Being
• The Social Work Task Force: Final Report
• Virtual Global Discussion Forum February 1- 12 2010

Interprofessional Networks in Australia

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News from the Health and Social care Interprofessional Network, Victoria, Australia: by Mollie Burley

 The Health & Social care Interprofessional Network (HSIN) developed initially as a result of support from the Monash University Department of Rural & Indigenous Health (MUDRIH) and subsequent support from the Department of Human Services Victoria (DHSV). In 2008 our focus was on increasing awareness of Interprofessional Learning (IPL) in the rural regions of Victoria, Australia. Our goal was to address the IPL knowledge gap between practicing health professionals and students/graduates through arranging local discussions and speakers explaining IPL developments around the world and relevant activities. We attracted a wide range of health professionals across medicine, nursing, health and social care and developed the HSIN newsletter  ‘VicNews’ as a summary of our activities and our report to the DHSV.

HSIN developed a model for ‘Building Capacity’ in local rural Victorian regional towns that was again funded by DHSV. This new model aims to build ‘Local IPL hubs’ in 10 rural Victorian towns in partnership with local organizations and the development of the Voluntary IPL Facilitator (VIPLF) role..  The VIPLF’s work in collaboration with the HSIN convener is to identify suitable dates, local venues and local speakers on the specific topic being addressed. In mid-May to June we looked at Students Placements and Interprofessional Learning; the July/August focus has been on Chronic Disease Management and the Interprofessional Team. We are arranging the September/October topic focusing on Palliative Care and Interprofessional Collaboration and will complete the year in November/December with a Schizophrenia Case Study – the benefits of Interprofessional Collaboration.:       

In February 2009 HSIN and MUDRIH hosted a visit by Helena Low & Dawn Foreman in two regional sites with a special Monash University workshop also being conducted by Helena Low. As a result of these workshops the interest in IPL has grown and we have subsequently formed an Australasian Community of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (ACoICP) which is a peer support network for people new to IPL roles involving placements and practice.

For further information contact Mollie Burley
Senior Lecturer & HSIN Convenor
Monash University Department of Rural & Indigenous Health (MUDRIH

mollie.burleyatmed.monash.edu.au