This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
GP Aware
Project overview
Crohn’s & Colitis Australia (CCA) has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care to conduct a one-year project focused on training health professionals to better support people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
This work will build on the 2020-2023 GP Aware project, which focused on improving GPs’ capacity to support IBD patients through awareness, education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD), in line with the priority areas put forward in the 2019 IBD National Action Plan.
The 2024-2025 project will further expand these efforts by training health professionals, such as GPs and gastroenterologists, on how to best manage IBD. The project activities will also involve promoting the use of Management Plans for IBD, developing PDF materials for health professionals and people living with IBD, and developing a PDF resource directory on the GutSmart platform. These resources will be used by GPs, generalist physicians, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, pharmacists, and people living with IBD.
CCA is collaborating with consortium partners, the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) and Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL), to carry out this project.
IBD for GPs and Physicians
IBD for GPs and Physicians is an eLearning platform designed to provide general practitioners, general physicians, gastroenterologists and surgeons with IBD-specific foundational and advanced knowledge that you can apply in your practice.
In this course you will learn about early detection of IBD, early intervention, therapies, referral and triage, management of IBD and preventative health care, multidisciplinary team-based care, and managing complex IBD issues.
Learning materials include:
- Online self-directed modules
- Workshops
- Podcasts
- Webinars
- Resources
Self-directed modules and workshops have CPD points allocated.
Management Plans for people living with IBD
CCA worked with consumers and healthcare professionals to co-design Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Management Plans.
These are now available to use with your healthcare professional team, please visit Management Plans.
A management plan is a tool that can be used to improve communication between people living with IBD and the health professionals who support them. The tool aims to encourage a shared understanding of a patient’s disease status between a multidisciplinary team and the best management plan specific to the person living with IBD.
GP and other healthcare professional resources
To assist healthcare professionals in the management of IBD, CCA have developed a centralised webpage that aims to provide GPs, general gastroenterologists, general physicians and allied healthcare professionals with high quality guidelines and tools.
Poo & A Podcast
Featuring expert advice from GPs and Gastroenterologists, Poo & A is here to guide health professionals on how to provide better care for Australians living with inflammatory bowel disease.
Please help us by sending our Crohn’s & colitis education flyer to GPs and physicians.
If you would like us to send you a printed copy, please contact [email protected].
Download
Project documents 2020-2023
In Phase 1 of the 2020-2023 project, a literature review identified the most commonly used high quality Australian and international IBD management guidelines, and determined their access and utilisation. The literature review was used to co-design and develop tailored education and training resources on IBD management protocols.
The IBD management protocols identified were used in consultations with GPs and gastroenterologists in the first phase of the 2020-2023 project to identify barriers and enablers to the use of existing referral protocols, management guidelines and IBD education.
The 2020-2023 Phase 1 report concludes the literature review and stakeholder engagement activity whereby the review team sought to gather direct feedback from GPs and generalist gastroenterologists to help inform and shape the development of an IBD guideline communication and marketing campaign and the development of tailored CPD and associated educational materials, tools and resources.
Project Advisory Committee
The 2024-2025 project is overseen by the Crohn’s & Colitis Australia Scientific, Medical and Quality of Care Advisory Committee.
Thank you to the 2020-2023 Project Advisory Committee for their dedication and expertise to guide this project:
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Prof Jane Andrews (Chair) | Director, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia |
| Dr Eva Zhang | Gastroenterologist |
| Dr Yoon-Kyo An | Gastroenterologist |
| A/Prof Jane Smith | GP, RACGP representative |
| A/Prof Simon Knowles | Psychologist |
| Nick Catton | CEO, Gastroenterological Society of Australia |
| Bronwyn Lebrasse | Gastroenterological Society of Australia |
| Stacy Kambouris | Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited |
| Cynthia Tait | Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited |
| Christine Buttigieg | Consumer, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia |
| Leanne Raven | CEO, Crohn’s & Colitis Australia |
| Wayne Massager | Crohn’s & Colitis Australia |
| Hailey Fisher | Crohn’s & Colitis Australia |
