General Practitioners hub
Children’s Health Queensland is committed to working in partnership with the general practice community, to ensure the safest, most effective and efficient integrated care for children, young people and their families.
Note: For the latest available information to assist Queensland clinicians to diagnose and/or treat patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) refer to the Queensland Health’s COVID-19 information for Queensland clinicians.
Latest updates
Family Based Management of COVID-19: Webinar for GPs | 20 January 2022
RACGP Queensland in collaboration with Queensland Children’s Hospital present a webinar for Queensland based GPs. As cases of COVID-19 increase across the state, close contacts and real-life spread are often within household groups.
In this webinar, you will hear from a joint panel of GPs and specialists. Three GPs from across the state will share case studies of families they are managing with COVID, backed by best practice insights from specialists working in COVID virtual wards, including a paediatrician, obstetrician, infectious disease specialist and general practitioner. There will also be time for Q&A at the end of the session. Watch the recording.
Live Q&A: COVID-19 Vaccination and children 12+ | 16 Sep 2021
Children’s Health Queensland hosted a live Q&A for GPs and Practice Nurses to answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Watch the recording
Toolkit: Vaccinating children and young people
- Tips for immunising children 12 and over
- Distraction tools
- Identifying and removing barriers to access to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccine and children information for healthcare workers
Clinical Excellence Queensland and Children’s Health Queensland have partnered to develop an online information hub on vaccinating children and young people for healthcare professionals.
HealthPathways COVID-19 response
GPs can access up-to-date information about assessing, managing and caring for patients with COVID-19, specific to their local area via the HealthPathways Community site. Clinicians practicing in the Gold Coast or other areas without HealthPathways can access management advice here.
Transmission of COVID-19 by children
The Children’s Health Queensland Infection Management and Prevention Service has produced a position statement on the risk of COVID-19 and transmission by children.
Service changes at Children’s Health Queensland
For the latest information on COVID-19-related service impacts and changes at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and across Children’s Health Queensland’s statewide services, visit the dedicated COVID-19 page.
Providing ‘up close’ examinations safely
Appropriate PPE should be worn when conducting a physical examination of a patient’s mouth or throat (by close inspection or other instrument such as nasendoscope). The examination should only be performed if absolutely required to inform clinical management.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has released a practical guideline for general practitioners performing eye examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Use of nebulisers for children
General practice guidelines for the use of nebulisers for children during the COVID-19 response should be followed where available. Clinical advice should be provided in context with the service and the patient’s needs. Unnecessary use of nebulisers should be avoided for children with asthma and croup, however, they should not be withheld if clinically required. To learn more, download the use of nebulisers for children during a COVID-19 outbreak simulation package, designed by Children’s Health Queensland’s Simulation Training Optimising Resuscitation for Kids (STORK) team.
Transmission of respiratory viruses
Respiratory viruses are predominantly spread by droplet, and sometimes local aerosol. Secondarily, respiratory viruses spread may be spready by contact and fomite mediated transmission. Read the Children’s Health Queensland’s infectious diseases position statement on respiratory virus transmission for more information.
Useful links and resources
- COVID-19 and children
- RACGP COVID‑19 information for GPs
- ACRRM COVID-19 support
- CDNA National guidelines for public health units
- Department of Health COVID-19 resources
- HealthPathways (COVID-19)
- NDIS COVID-19 information and support
- Refugee Health Network Queensland COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Information
- Ethnolink COVID-19 translated resource library
- Queensland Health resources and information for clinicians
- Don’t Forget the Bubbles, a rapid review of literature on COVID-19 epidemiology, transmission and clinical features in paediatrics
- NACCHO COVID-19 primary healthcare guidance to support healthcare teams in prevention and management of COVID-19 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Australian Department of Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and remote communities
- Australian Department of Health resource for supporting people with an intellectual or developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic
Useful links
Project ECHO
Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network
Queensland Specialist Immunisation Service
Children’s health fact sheets
Key contacts
Queensland Children’s Hospital
General enquiries
t: 3068 1111 (switch)
Children’s Advice and Transport Coordination Hub
t: 13 CATCH (13 22 82)
f: 07 3068 2089
Health Information Access
f: 07 3068 4809
e: CHQ_HIA@health.qld.gov.au
Outpatient Call Centre
t: 1300 762 831
(Select option 2 for GP priority line for advice on referrals)
Pharmacy
t: 07 3068 1900
Child and Youth Community Health Service
Child Health Service
t: 1300 366 039 (Greater Brisbane Metropolitan area) or
13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)