Staff

Chief Executive Officer

John Torpy
Chief Executive Officer
B.COM, MBA, CA

As CEO of the Alliance it is my responsibility to ensure that the strategic directions of the Board are translated into actions, as well as advising the Board to inform their strategy. One of my key roles is to make sure that our activities are focused on fulfilling our mission and vision of "delivering innovative local health solutions through General Practice" and "optimising the health of the community".

As CEO I am also responsible for examining ways to grow the business while maintaining the key directions and fulfilling the mission and vision.

 Medical Advisor

Dr Peter Adkins
Medical Advisor
MBBS, FRACGP

My main role is to assist the SEA-GP (Brisbane) Board with strategic planning (vision, mission, goals and objectives), governance and policy development. I am also one of the SEA-GP (Brisbane) representatives on the Bayside District Health Service-SEA-GP (Brisbane) Partnering Committee, one of the editors for the SEA-GP (Brisbane) newsletter, and involved in providing GP input for a number of Alliance project areas eg. aged care. I plan to continue work on improving the interface between general practice and hospital OPD clinics.

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 Program Staff

Alan Rettke
IM/IT Program Manager
B. App. Science (Computing)

My responsibilities are to provide information management and technology support both internally to the Alliance and also to general practice. This involves the evaluation, development, implementation and maintenance of our computer systems, website and databases. I provide advice, support and training for GPs and their practices with respect to their IM/IT systems.
I also assist in the planning and implementation of the business plan and participate in those programs and panels that require IM/IT input.


John Bennett
IM/IT Officer

 Provide IM/IT support internally and also currently assisting with the rollout of iHealth and Medical Objects, which is helping to enable practices to communicate with each other, allied health, specialists, and others, electronically and securely.


Sarah Wyman
Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI) Program Officer
B.A. (Psych & Politics)

As the ABHI Program Officer I coordinated a communication enhancement project which aims to:

The project will provide general practices with support in the implementation of secure messaging, implementation of real time appointment and referral system in one maternity facility, possible participation in the SEHR, data management (including registers) to inform practices of their patient profile and assist those practices who wish to develop a practice profile to inform development of appropriate care and business models.
The governance of the project includes a reference group and working group who are looking at change management, use of technology, databases and profiles. I am secretariat to all of these groups and chair of the working group.


Vicki McGowan
Mental Health Program Officer/Chronic Disease Management Program Officer
B.Sc. (Microbiology), Cert IV (AWT)

I coordinate the Mental Health Program for the Alliance, including  the Access to Psychological Services Project and the Mental Health and Substance Use Co-morbidity Project.  The Access to Psychological Services Project enables GPs under the Better Access to Mental Health Care Program to refer patients to allied health professionals, who deliver focused psychological strategies. The Co-morbidity Project aims to enhance the skills of GPs and local allied health providers to promote best practice care for people with co-morbidities.
I am also responsible for associate membership of the Alliance and would encourage all practices to refer to our Associate Membership Referral List when looking for allied health providers. I am also part of the team ensuring that the Alliance meets its ISO accreditation responsibilities.


Amber Scott
Quality Improvement Program / Collaboratives Program Manager
BHlthSc (Hlth Serv Mgt), CertIV (AWT)      

I provide support, training and guidance to practices to improve their systems, processes, and patient outcomes - specifically in relation to data cleaning and quality improvement activities to manage their patient population.  The Alliance encourages practices to develop accurate disease registers to identify risk factors for illnesses that are particularly relevant in the practices local community.  This quality improvement process is applicable to any practice wanting to improve their operational systems and provide better quality of healthcare to their patients. 


Belinda Bricker
Quality Improvement Program
CertIV (AWT) Dip Proj Mgt

I provide support, training and guidance to practices to improve their systems, processes, and patient outcomes - specifically in relation to data cleaning and quality improvement activities to manage their patient population.  The Alliance encourages practices to develop accurate disease registers to identify risk factors for illnesses that are particularly relevant in the practices local community.  This quality improvement process is applicable to any practice wanting to improve their operational systems and provide better quality of healthcare to their patients. 


Helen Elliott
Southside District Partnership Council Co-ordinator (CHIC)
BSc, Dip Nutr Diet, MMedSc – Health Promotion

I have just taken up the position of the Southside District Partnership Council Co-ordinator (CHIC). The primary purpose of this position is to coordinate and support the implementation of the Connecting Healthcare in Communities Initiative (CHIC). The Queensland Health CHIC  initiative supports local collaborations in the primary health care sector known as Partnership Councils, with the aim of enhancing service coordination, integration and innovation in service delivery in the primary health care sector. The scope of this initiative is chronic and complex care, integrated health promotion and illness prevention, early childhood health, community mental health and drug and alcohol services.


Jennifer Pethoe
Practice Support, Practice Accreditation & Immunisation
Cert III (Business), Dip Prac Mgt

As the Practice Support Officer, I offer assistance and training to help you through your accreditation (or re-accreditation) process.
The South East Alliance of General Practice runs a program to support general practice in achieving childhood immunisation targets and additionally provides practical support and education for staff (particularly nursing staff) in effective Immunisation practice.


Michael Copestake
Quality Use of Medicines - NPS Facilitator
CertIV (AWT) Dip Proj Mgt

In my role as NPS facilitator for SEA-GP (Brisbane), I visit GPs, practice nurses and other health professionals to discuss evidence based prescribing guidelines, and act as a resource. I do this by providing one on one educational visits and facilitating small group case study discussions on NPS therapeutic topics. In the past 5 years these topics have included:


Jennifer Roberts
Quality Use of Medicines –Program Officer
B.Pharm. Dip. Project Mgt , PGDip Ed., Cert IV (AWT), Asthma Educator

My current position is Program Officer (Quality Use of Medicines) at South East Alliance of General Practice (Brisbane). Program area experience includes Pharmacy Guild Medication Management Review with integration aspects into National Prescribing Service & Practice Support Quality Improvement activities. Have held this position for 7.5 years. Previous work experience has included Consultant Pharmacy within the aged care setting conducting medication reviews, and also experience in the hospital and community pharmacy sector. Qualified Asthma Educator with extensive experience in varied education fields as a workplace trainer and secondary educator.


Kate White
Nursing in General Practice, Aged Care and Palliative Care - Program Officer
MPubHlth, GradDipHlthProm, BAppSc (Nursing).

Responsibilities include:

Sarah Pinter
Partners In Mind Project Officer
B.Nursing (Psychiatric Nursing)

Partners in Mind (PIM) is a statewide initiative which progresses the implementation of The Queensland Framework for Primary Mental Health Care. PIM strives to achieve the ‘ideal’ mental health care sector and the objectives in the Framework by increasing the capacity of general practice to meet consumers’ needs, better integrating public mental health services and general practice including allied health and community services, and improving continuity of care. There are currently 12 PIM implementation sites across Queensland. As the PIM Project Officer at SEAGP I am currently working in partnership with 2 PIM sites, the PA Hospital Mental Health Service and Bayside Mental Health Service.

More information on Partners in Mind can be found at www.partnersinmind.com.au and www.gpqld.com.au


Andrea Vancia
Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes - Program Officer
B.Nursing (Hons)

My responsibilities include:


Colleen Lavelle
Outreach Worker

As the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Outreach Worker my role is to work with the local Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities to encourage & support increased use of local health services, and follow up appointments with GPs, Specialists and/or practice nurses. I help Identify the barriers that the local Indigenous Community faces that impact on their accessing health services. Encourage Indigenous people to self- identify and encourage the Practices to ask identifying question in a culturally appropriate way. I work with Practice staff and doctors to ensure Indigenous patients are signed up for the CTG, feel culturally safe and patients are compliant with medications and follow up visits recommended by their Doctors.

Helen Price-Jones
Closing the Gap Program Officer
RN Grad Dip Nursing - Community Practice

‘Closing the Gap’ program is about improving access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Mainstream Primary Care.  The program aims to contribute to closing the gap in life expectancy that exists between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by increasing the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

John Marchant
Program Officer
B Com., Cert IV Business Facilitation

Hi, I’m John Marchant and I am working with the SEAGP Practice Support Team on the new Collaboratives programs and the Practice Database Health Checks initiative.  We provide support, training and guidance to practices to improve their systems, processes, and patient outcomes - specifically in relation to data cleaning and quality improvement activities to manage their patient population.
I facilitated the collaborative activities of 23 practices in the Logan APCC program and initiated the adoption of the process into other practices in the area.  Any practice wanting to improve their operational systems and provide better quality of healthcare to their patients should embrace the continual improvement process. 
Look forward to seeing you soon in the practice.

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Administration

Vera Pottinger
Administration Officer
Dip. Of Business Admin (overseas); PGrad Cert in Business

Providing a variety of administration support to SEA-GP (Brisbane) staff, general office/secretarial duties and reception. I am responsible for the production and dissemination of weekly and special fax flyers, including public health alerts, to practices and members, and managing the administration of Associate/Affiliate membership program and employment website.


Lesa Black
Program Support Officer

My role is to provide assistance and administration support to program officers in the implementation of the Alliance's programs, in particular the Mental Health program. 


Charlene Van Heerden
Executive Support Officer

My major focus is to provide secretariat and administrative support to the CEO, General Manger and SEA-GP Board.  This includes coordination of Board meetings and other board subcommittee meetings, which involves drafting of board papers, development of other documentation and maintenance of effective communication mechanisms with the Board members. I am also the Quality Assurance Co-ordinator for SEA-GP.


Lucy Hoseck
Finance Officer
 Dip in Bus Admin

I work in Finance and I’m responsible for Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll and HR issues. I undertake financial reconciliations, banking, Superannuation payments, reports, petty cash and staff files as well as management of leases, maintenance of the financial system and journal processing. I process the IAS and BAS Statements. I undertake the financial monthly and year end processing.    

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