Comorbidity Coordinator Commences at General Practice Victoria

New Comorbidity Coordinator at General Practice Victoria (GPV)
Tung Le has commenced as the Program Consultant Comorbidity at General Practice Victoria (GPV)

The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) funded the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) to implement the Primary Health Care Comorbidity Network Pilot Program. Each State and Territory has a Comorbidity position that is funded until May 2010.

Tung will work closely with the Primary Mental Health Care Liaison Coordinators at GPV (Peter Gartside and Anne Diamond) to support Divisions with Comorbidity issues, especially Drug and Alcohol. The goal is to build partnership with the Alcohol and Other Drugs sector at national and state levels and to encourage multi-disciplinary approaches to the management of people with comorbidity.

The heightened emphasis on mental health and substance use comorbidity, and multidisciplinary approaches to care, has added an additional role to AGPN and Divisions of General Practice. This new arena includes outreach, liaison and negotiation with allied health professionals outside of the general practice setting.

The Divisions of General Practice Program is the key component of the Commonwealth Government's General Practice Strategy to encourage systems change in general practice and between general practice and other health service providers. In Victoria, about 90% of GPs are members of the 29 divisions in the state. All Victorian divisions are members of GPV, the Victorian state-based organisation that provides representation and advocacy, support, advice, information and resources to divisions.

GPV works directly with the Board members and staff of divisions across Victoria, running an extensive annual program of professional development and networking events for CEOs and division staff. GPV is active in policy analysis and representation, and provides statewide co-ordination of national and state initiatives being implemented through the Divisions Network.

Tung's interest and passion lies within the Alcohol and Other Drugs) and Mental Health fields. He is a Registered Nurse who has worked in the Health sector for 14 yrs. 13 of these have been with direct AOD and MH service delivery and research. Tung works as the Program Consultant Comorbidity Monday to Thursday and works as a clinician in Comorbidity on Fridays.

Tung Le can be contacted on telephone number 0393415266 or 0447540683 and by email at t.le@gpv.org.au