The Sydney Medical Simulation Centre and the RACP are currently looking for rural paediatricians, emergency medicine physicians, anaesthetists and other specialists who are interested in participating in this SSRS project which aims to improve the quality of care of children presenting with serious acute conditions.

The program comprises a one day simulation course to be held in Sydney, a three-part video conference series and a practical quality assurance activity. 

For further information on this project and course dates, please click on the link below. 

Expression of Interest 

Alternatively you can contact Mary Ilias at the Sydney Medical Simulation Centre on Ph: 02 9926 6758 or email smsc@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au

The Northern Australia Surgeons’ Conference was held at Cairns Base Hospital from 18-20 August 2006. The theme of the meeting was cancer care in regional Australia and the conference attracted medical specialists along with nursing staff, specialist trainees and medical students.

The workshops and lectures delivered by clinical experts, along with the valuable opportunities to socialise and network with colleagues, ensured that this event was a valuable and well received CPD activity for rural specialists.

For a full conference report of the event by Richard Turner, please click here.

In July 2006, the Hunter Institute of Mental Health completed their Evaluation of Round Five of the SSRS. Key findings of this evaluation included the following:

• The SSRS was overall successful in achieving key objectives
• Rural Fellows and Colleges were happy to be involved with the SSRS
• The SSRS contributed to enhanced and improved satisfaction with rural CPD activities and increases in knowledge gain
• There was an increase in inter-professional multidisciplinary collaboration; and in some cases 
• Measurable impact on clinical practice

To read the Executive Summary from this report please click here.

In September 2006, Larisse Green from Health Workforce Queensland will present on an SSRS Project at the 7th Wonca Rural Health Conference ‘Transforming Rural Practice Through Education' in Seattle, USA. 

The Round Five SSRS Project; Crisis Resource Management Workshop for Rural Emergency Department Teams, has provided emergency medicine specialists and their teams the opportunity to put theories of leadership, teamwork and communication into practice by using the principles of Crisis Resource Management as a framework. 

This was a collaborative project between The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Medical Education Solutions and Health Workforce Queensland.

The SSRS encourages all Colleges to consider the publication and communication of project outcomes and education models for rural specialists.

The latest edition of Emergency Medicine Australasia, includes the Paediatric advanced life support: Australian Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2006. 

Training and education for rural specialists and their teams in the treatment and management of paediatric emergencies has been a key element for several SSRS projects. 

While this publication states that many recommendations are based on expert consensus opinion and evidence, the guidelines also state that broader education and training for paediatric emergencies is still crucial.

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine have posted a link the Guidelines on their website.

ACEM Website
Paediatric advanced life support ARC Guidelines