AT Practitioner news

Due to a fire at Heartway's Taiwan warehouse in April 2018, we have been advised Heartway will not be supplying any parts until after September 2018 which will impact on repairs currently being undertaken or future repairs of consumers' equipment.

SWEP's contracted repairer, Chemtronics, has some parts from equipment held for reissue that can be reused. SWEP and/or Chemtronics will advise clients affected at the time of any likely delays.

Dear Prescribers,

Last year SWEP worked with our Clinical Advisors and Rehabilitation Engineer to review the prescription of bedding systems. This was a significant piece of work which aimed to develop tools and resources to assist clinicians to identify the most suitable bed and mattress for a person with a disability regardless of their size, weight or age.

There were several important outcomes to this project;

1. Changes to the prescription of beds with bedrail guidelines
2.  Introduction of an assessment tool for bed, mattress and bed equipment
3. Clinical considerations for bedrails and bed sticks sheet

SWEP & Ballarat Health Services on 17^th April 2018 released a request for tender for Non Customised Equipment. Details of this tender can be found on the Vic Tenders website.

Please click here for more information

CFA Vic Branch will proudly host the ^7th Annual Regional State Conference "The Scope and Spectrum of Incontience" at the RACV Club Resort in Torquay.

This event will take place across two days from 17 - 18 May 2018 and will include a pre-conference afternoon workshop followed by a full day of exciting presentations and discussions.

Dear Prescribers,

If you can check your SWEP Web portal details to confirm we do have your correct AHPRA number recorded. If not you can update your details or forward your AHPRA number to us.

The revised SWEP Prescriber Registration and Credentialing Framework - The Framework, was launched in July 2017.

At this time we acknowledged that SWEP was leading the way and entering new territory with The Framework and asked for your valued feedback.

Thank you to those who have taken the time to familiarise themselves with The Framework and provide us with really important feedback.

The State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP) has received additional funding from the Victorian Government that has enabled us to review guidelines in relation to the number of voice prostheses that can be supplied per annum. 
As of July 1, 2017, eligible clients will be able to apply for a maximum of 3 voice prostheses over a 12-month period from the date of the first application.  
Additional demand for this item category will be carefully monitored over the next 12 months. 

Please see the attached communique received from Atos Medical advising that they will be discontinuing the supply of the following products:

1. Provox 2 Range of Voice Prosthesis

2. Provox Vega & Vega  XtraSeal Voice Prosthesis (Smart Inserter models)

Dear Prescribers,

As always thank you all for your valuable feedback during the transition to online submission of applications for the Lymphoedema Compression Garment Program (LCGP).

As we previously mentioned in our last communique all applications must be submitted via our website from the 1^st of September 2017. As from today we will no longer accept any applications lodged by mail, email or fax.

I would like to thank everyone who provided feedback following the release of the orthotic quotation template. Some further updates have been made to meet your requirements. The updated version and be found here.

Dear Prescribers,

I am pleased to announce that the revised home modification service is in the final stages of testing and we are on the verge of releasing the model.  We anticipated the release would be this month, however we have decided to postpone the release to next month to finalise adjustments to the online application.  SWEP acknowledges the postponement may be an inconvenience for some Prescribers, however our preference is to deliver the best service possible and we believe a short delay will achieve this.

Following a robust tendering process that commenced in September 2016, SWEP can confirm Air Liquide Healthcare P/L (Air Liquide) as the successful bidder to provide home oxygen under the Domiciliary Oxygen Program.

Ballarat Health Services/SWEP and Air Liquide have entered a new agreement that means that Air Liquide will continue to provide oxygen to eligible clients for the next two years, until 30 June 2019.

Dear Prescribers,

Dear Prescribers,

SWEP is pleased to announce that the new Home Modification model will commence this August. The new model is founded on a framework of Builders and Tradespeople that make up a panel of approved suppliers throughout Victoria. The Panel will provide Prescribers with the opportunity to identify which Builders and Tradespeople operate in the same location as Consumers. Just like the current service, there will be no expectations that Prescribers will have to determine the structural integrity of the home that is being modified as this is the role of Builders, Draftspersons and Architects. The new model will provide greater capacity for Prescribers to address the functional and clinical needs of Consumers in relation to their home environment.