WORKING IN PRACTICES WITH CONTRASTING POPULATION NEEDS AND ALTERNATIVE FUNDING MODELS GP runs population relay between practices
People In Health Care Series
Dr Jaspreet Saini, GP
Clinic Director, Healthicare &
Practice Owner and Principal GP, Rosedale Medical Practice
Filmed in Rooty Hill, New South Wales | October 2024
Dr Jaspreet Saini is a GP with a decade of experience, practicing in West Pennant Hills and Rooty Hill, New South Wales. He began his medical journey at Monash University, followed by internships and residency at Blacktown Hospital, in Western Sydney. Instead of confining himself to a single specialty, he pursued general practice to explore various facets of medicine.
His career philosophy centres around addressing frustrations within the healthcare system and advocating for multidisciplinary care. This commitment led him to travel to the United States, where he studied diverse healthcare models, particularly in underserved areas. Recognising the potential for improving primary care in Australia, he and his wife purchased a practice in West Pennant Hills in 2019, which has since received multiple awards for its innovative care approach.
However, Dr Saini felt a strong urge to work in a more underserved community to tackle health equity issues. He has been actively involved in a clinic in Rooty Hill since February 2024, focusing on redesigning healthcare delivery in an area characterised by socio-economic challenges and high rates of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes.
His typical workweek has evolved to blend clinical practice with leadership and management. Three days a week, he coaches healthcare teams, guiding GPs, nurses, and medical assistants to enhance their clinical skills. Additionally, he engages in research related to health equity and models of care, seeking grants and writing papers.
Collaborative partnerships are pivotal to his approach. In Rooty Hill, his practice works closely with organisations like the Western Sydney Diabetes team, adopting proactive strategies to manage patients’ chronic conditions effectively. Through teamwork, they aim to provide holistic and efficient care, recognising that silos within healthcare hinder optimal outcomes.
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Sense of service and pride in uniform
This ANZAC Day 2023, Australian Health Journal releases an interview with Group Captain Kath Stein MACN, Director of Defence Force Nursing with the Royal Australian Air Force.
She talks about many masks, aside from PPE, that leadership and all nurses need to wear. Currently there is work underway on a new capability description on what a nurse brings to every level in the nursing defence structure. The advice Group Captain Stein, imparts for new recruits and those interested in joining Defence Force Nursing is to take every opportunity that arises. This is evident in her progression through her career.
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Australasian College of Paramedicine makes case for multi-disciplinary care
Despite being seen primarily as emergency responders, paramedics have long been providing care in the primary care space. As such, their increased involvement in primary and urgent care is a natural progression that can lead to improved health outcomes for communities. Urgent care clinics, which treat non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, have been a recent introduction. However, when these clinics were initially proposed, paramedics were left out of the opportunity, despite being experts in urgent, acute, unplanned, and unscheduled care. They work in these types of situations every day in the ambulance service and should be utilised in these clinics to improve patient outcomes. Working as part of multidisciplinary teams with doctors and nurses can further enhance the outcomes for local communities.
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Handling modern day diets and misinformation as a HCP
Laureate Professor Clare Collins AO in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, emphasises the need for accurate and reliable nutrition information to reach the public. Prof Collins believes that it is vital for clinicians to stay up-to-date with cutting-edge nutrition science and work with communication organisations to disseminate information to the general public. This is particularly important as social media is full of both reliable and unreliable information on dietary patterns, such as veganism.
