The project has been funded by the Department of Health and was initiated in April 2003. A project officer was employed and a steering committee established with the involvement of two Vietnamese General Practitioners (GPs), Director of Community & Allied Health Service, Service Manager of Fairfield Multicultural Health Service, a representative from Fairfield GP Division, the Vietnamese Community of NSW, the Vietnamese Friendship Elderly Association, a community health nurse and a consumer.

The Vietnamese Primary Health Care Network (VPHCN) Project aims to develop and implement a primary health care network model to effectively link Vietnamese GPs and other health professionals in order to provide more accessible and comprehensive health care for the Vietnamese community in the Fairfield Local Government Area (FLGA).

Objectives

• To ensure that the Vietnamese people in Fairfield LGA have access to a comprehensive range of high quality primary health care services that are integrated with other community and hospital based services.
• To provide opportunities for individuals, their families and the community to have an active involvement in their own and their families’ care and in the development of local primary health care services.
• To provide holistic multidisciplinary primary care services that are based on need at minimal cost and are culturally appropriate.
• To ensure that primary health care and community based health services are a core function of SWSAHS, through the development of a suitable structure.

Proposed Outcomes

• The client will be better informed of available services at the first point of contact with PHCN;
• Access to services beyond the first point of contact will be improved through increased and more complex referrals;
• More opportunities for clients to address their health needs at the preventative stage;
• Timely referrals will provide better health outcomes for clients;
• As a result of networking, case planning and case conferencing, clients will receive a comprehensive health care;
• Clients will be able to participate in decision making for their primary health care and prevention.

Profiles

• Presentations about the project have been delivered to the Vietnamese GPs based in the FLGA, Fairfield Multicultural Health Committee, Vietnamese Worker Interagency, Fairfield Migrant Interagency, Fairfield GP Division, Fairfield Health Forum, NSW Peak Forum/ Directors of Community and Allied Health. Immigrant Women’s Health Service, and Vietnamese Elderly Association.
• Media release in Vietnamese was sent to four popular Vietnamese newspapers, Medicine and Modern Life Magazine.
• Brochures in English and Vietnamese were developed and distributed to Vietnamese GPs and the Vietnamese community in Fairfield.
• SBS radio interviews were conducted with the Project Officer, Consumer Representative, Chair person and a Vietnamese GP- steering committee members of the project- and broadcasted on SBS radio to promote the project
• SBS radio interviews were conducted to promote the speech and hearing services to the wide Vietnamese community
• Article about the project was sent to Primary Health Care Research Network Newsletter and Heat Sheet Newsletter.
• Four editions of VPHCN Newsletter distributed to all Vietnamese GPs in the Fairfield LGA.
• A website and poster of the VPHCNP have been developed.

Network Development

• Six identified Fairfield Health services include Hearing, Speech, Community Health Nurse, Ambulatory Care, Counselling, and Nutrition/ Dietetics.

• 20 Vietnamese GPs.

• Fairfield GP Division.

• Respiratory Specialist Liaise Nurse; and Diabetes Educator/Specialist Liaison Nurse-Chronic & Complex Care Team.

• Non- Government Organisations: Immigrant Women’ s Health Service, Vietnamese Community in NSW; Vietnamese Elderly Friendship Association; and Vietnamese Women’s Association.

Information Sessions and Health Forums for the Vietnamese GPs

• A health forum to promote the VPHCN project, consult and identify their clients’ needs was organised to introduce the VPHCN project and discuss a range of health issues affecting the Vietnamese community in the FGA. From the evaluation of questionnaires received, Vietnamese GPs expressed their concerns with the long waiting lists and services not available when they make referrals to other health services. Many Vietnamese GPs indicated that they have referred their patients mostly to community nursing, speech pathology, hearing clinic, and counselling service. As a result, these services were chosen to be included in the Vietnamese Primary Health Care Network. The participants in the health forum also found that the main benefits of the project are better networking among health services and providers, improved integration and coordination of health care, and the availability of a Vietnamese worker.  It was a very successful health forum, with 14 Vietnamese GPs attending and all of them indicating that they wish to be involved in the project.

• An Information session was held with six participating primary health services, which included the hearing, speech, community nursing, ambulatory care, nutrition and counselling services, was organised on the 6^th August 2003. Vietnamese General Practitioners gave a very positive feedback on the usefulness of information provided. Four more Vietnamese GPs have expressed interest in being involved with the project.

• An Information session on the non-government organisations (NGOs) and services was organised to raise awareness among Vietnamese GPs about services provided by Vietnamese Community in Australia/ NSW Chapter; Vietnamese Australian Welfare Association; Vietnamese Women’s Association; Vietnamese Elderly Association and Karitane service.

• A health forum to discuss issues of Travel Health focus in Vietnam, Drug and Alcohol Services and Treatment; and Diabetes Education Program was organised on 4/02/04

The Vietnamese GPs participated in the forum by exchanging ideas, experiences and raising many questions with the guest speakers. From the evaluation forms received, the participants indicated that the information provided is very useful with excellent guest speakers.

Information sessions and Health Forums for the Vietnamese community

Information sessions were organised at:

• The Vietnamese Elderly Association with 150 participants

• The Immigrant Women Health Services whereby 24 women participated

• The Vietnamese Women’s Association for the Carer Support Group with 10 participants.

• Vietnamese Day Care Group at Fairfield Community Health Centre with 22 participants.

• The promotion of the VPHVN project and 6 identified services was also organised by distributing about 2,000 pamphlets to the Vietnamese community at the Vietnamese New Year Festival.

Referral System Development

Data Collections

Data on referrals to the VPHCN project has been collected and updated regularly.

For more information about the VPHCN project, please contact:
Hien Le, Project Officer on 87174000 or email hien.le@swsahs.nsw.gov.au

Website of the Vietnamese Primary Health Care Network

A website for Vietnamese Primary Health Care Network (VPHCN) has been developed as part of the communication strategies of the VPHCN Project. This website is intended to promote the VPHCN Project and provide information to the Vietnamese General Practitioners on primary health care services available in Fairfield Local Government Area for their referrals. For further health information, it is also linked to other websites such as Fairfield GP Division, South Western Sydney Area Health Services (SWSAHS) Home Page, and other useful health information websites.

This website needs regularly updating, therefore any feedback received is very much appreciated. Access to the VPHCN Website is available at:
* http://medlife.faithweb.com or 
* http://www.fairdiv.org.au with link to the home page to the Vietnamese Primary Health Care Network website

For help with Referrals to Primary Health Care Services, please contact:
Hien Le, Project Officer on Tel: 8717 4000 - Fax: 8717 4030