Palliative Approach Remains Lacking in Terminal Hospital Admissions for Chronic Disease Across Rural Settings: Multisite Retrospective Medical Record Audit.

Introduction/aim: Despite clear benefit from palliative care in end-stage chronic diseases, access is often limited, and rural access largely undescribed. This study sought to determine if a palliative approach is provided to people with chronic disease in their terminal hospital admission.

Methods: Multisite, retrospective medical record audit, of decedents with a primary diagnosis of chronic lung, heart, or renal failure, or multimorbidity of these conditions over 2019.

Service Level Characteristics of Rural Palliative Care for People with Chronic Disease.

Context: Despite clear benefit from palliative care in end-stage chronic, non-malignant disease, access for rural patients is often limited due to workforce gaps and geographical barriers.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand existing rural service structures regarding the availability and provision of palliative care for people with chronic conditions.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed by email to rural health service leaders.

Mandatory bulk billing policies may have differential rural effects: an exploration of Australian data.

Introduction: Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian general practices have rapidly pivoted to telephone and video call consultations for infection control and prevention. Initially these telehealth consultations were required to be bulk billed (doctors could only charge fees equivalent to the national Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)). The potential impact of this policy on general practices − and particularly rural general practices - has been difficult to assess because there is limited published data about which practices are less likely to bulk bill and therefore more impacted by mandatory bulk billing policies.

Exploring attributes of high-quality clinical supervision in general practice through interviews with peer-recognised GP supervisors.

Background: Clinical supervision in general practice is critical for enabling registrars (GP trainees) to provide safe medical care, develop skills and enjoy primary care careers. However, this largely depends on the quality of supervision provided. There has been limited research describing what encompasses quality within GP clinical supervision, making it difficult to promote best practice.

A Framework to Guide the Implementation of Best Practice Clinical Learning Environments in Community General Practice: Australia.

Clinical education/training is increasingly being expanded to community general practice settings (primary care clinics led by doctors). This plays an important role in developing a skilled "primary-care ready" workforce. However, there is limited information to guide the implementation of high-quality learning environments suitable for the range of general practices and clinical learners they oversee.

A national survey of COVID-19 challenges, responses and effects in Australian general practice.

Method: A national cross-sectional online survey of Australian general practitioners was conducted in April and May 2020, with 572 respondents.

Results: The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia has resulted in major changes to general practice business models. Most practices have experienced increased workload and reduced income.

Paramedicine students' perception of preparedness for clinical placement in Australia and New Zealand.

Background: Clinical placement is an essential element of paramedicine education and training as the profession completes the transition from vocational training to a pre-employment, university based model. The objective of this study was to survey pre-employment paramedicine students at Universities in Victoria, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand to measure their self-assessed preparedness for clinical placement.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving paper-based questionnaires employing a convenience sample of 682 undergraduate paramedicine students (years 1-4) who had completed at least one clinical placement.

Paramedic instructor perspectives on the quality of clinical and field placements for university educated paramedicine students.

Objective: To determine the elements of quality clinical and field placements through the eyes of paramedic instructors.

Design: Qualitative study.

Settings: Two large paramedic services in two countries where the entry to practice qualification for paramedics has been set at the Bachelors degree level.