Respiratory Network
Purpose and Background
In addition it was agreed that rural clinicians would be invited to participate in the Network with the view to establishing a seventh working group dedicated to addressing rural issues. Following later advice from rural area health services that clinicians practising in rural NSW should be invited to participate in GMCT Networks, a substantive rural respiratory working group was convened.
| Groups | Focus Issues |
| 1 | Airways Diseases (including Asthma & COPD) & Smoking Cessation |
| 2 | Oxygen & Related Products / Equipment & Chronic Ventilatory Support |
| 2b | Domiciliary Non-Invasive Ventilation |
| 3 | Respiratory Infection / Acute Respiratory Failure |
| 4 | Workforce, Education & Training |
| 5 | Highly Specialised Diseases & Treatments (+ Cystic Fibrosis, Non-CF Bronchiectasis) |
| 6 | Sleep Disorders |
| 7 | Rural Services |
Since its establishment the GMCT Respiratory Network has developed collaborative relationships with many government and non-government organisations including NSW Health, The Chronic Care Program, The Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand, The Australian Lung Foundation, the Clinical Excellence Commission, Cystic Fibrosis Australia (NSW Branch), the Institute for Medical Education and Training and the NSW Institute for Rural Clinical Services and Teaching.
The Network compises approximately 190 members (over 100 'active') including clinicians, academics and consumers, with roughly equivalent representation across medical, nursing, and allied health disciplines.