Program officer

GP Association, 5229 1922

Quicklinks

Barwon_Health_Services.pdf

Practical tips for GPs

Preventive health assessment fact sheet

Program summary

 The Lifescript program is a Department of Health and Ageing initiative that provides a framework and resources for GPs, Practice Nurses and staff in the general practice setting to bring lifestyle risk factors to the fore in their engagement with patients.

The Lifescripts model is based on research studies that consistently show that verbal advice alone is not enough - a GP lifestyle intervention is most effective when backed up by appropriate printed material and/or referrals. Lifescripts covers smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity and weight management.

• There is a range of resources available that allows Practices to choose their level of engagement, from a systems-based approach to an opportunistic approach. The potential is there to allow a comprehensive approach: discussing risk factors with patients, setting lifestyle change goals, providing written lifestyle prescriptions, organising ongoing review of lifestyle risk factors, and referring patients to other services that support healthy lifestyle choices.
•  
• Resources/Templates
• Directory of local lifestyle programs and support services
• Exercise medical consent and referral form
• National Physical Activity Guidelines review form
• Exercise planner
• Quit telephone counseling form
• Alcohol audit and Alcohol decisional balance chart
• Lifescript medical software templates
• MBS Health Assessment for people aged 45 to 49 years of age who are at risk of developing chronic disease

Paper resources available from GPAG:

• Waiting room poster and brochures
• Risk factor checklist
• Medical history stickers
• Practice manual
• CD Rom on motivational interviewing
• Desktop reminder stickers referencing location of electronic resources in Medical Director or Best Practice
• Paper-based Lifescript kits and hard copies of all electronic resources are available from the GP Association by calling 5229 1922.

Links to other websites

Smoking cessation

• Quit
• The Quit Coach

Alcohol and substance abuse

• Australian Drug Foundation
• Turning Points
• Drugs & Alcohol in Victoria

Nutrition and weight management

• Weight Watchers
• Dietitians Association of Australia
• 'If not dieting' Dr Ric Kausman
• National Heart Foundation
• Better Health Channel - Obesity
• Better Health Channel - Healthy eating

Physical activity

• Go For Your Life
• Kinect Australia (contact list for local personal trainers)
• Bicycle Victoria
• Better Health Channel
• Healthy Activity