8E. Workshop: From Challenge to Opportunity: Practical SRH & HIV Hot Topics for General Practice
Tracks
Track 5
| Tuesday, September 16, 2025 |
| 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Riverbank Room 7&8 (Lower Level) |
Overview
3:00PM Session Start with afternoon tea served in session room.
Details
This interactive two-hour session for GPs covers sexual health hot topics including practical implementation of HIV PrEP, Doxy-PEP, menopause management, BV partner treatment strategies, and sex therapy principals. Gain confidence integrating these into your practice with real-world examples, clinical guidance, and take-home tools to support improved patient care and communication.
Learning objectives:
1. Understand the clinical indications for HIV PrEP and Doxy-PEP and how to effectively incorporate it into general practice.
2. Improve confidence in managing menopause symptoms with up-to-date, patient-centred approaches.
3. Learn practical strategies for BV partner treatment and how to implement them in routine care.
4. Gain knowledge in sex therapy principles to enhance sexual health discussions and referrals.
Speaker
Dr Rachel Burdon
Deputy Director SLHD Department Sexual Health Medicine
SLHD- Department of Sexual Health Medicine
HIV PrEP and Doxy PEP, how to make this a part of your practice
3:00 PM - 3:30 PMBiography
Dr Rachel Burdon is currently a Senior Staff Specialist and is the Deputy Director for the Sydney Local Health District Department of Sexual Health Medicine.
Prior to this she worked as a GP in a high HIV caseload general practice in Darlinghurst and has worked internationally for NGOs and multilateral partners to support the scale up of HIV prevention, care and treatment services in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.
She is passionate about providing client centred, equitable and accessible HIV and Sexual Health Prevention, Care and Treatment services.
Professor Catriona Bradshaw
Staff Specialist
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
BV partner treatment – practical use, how to roll out
3:30 PM - 4:00 PMBiography
Professor Catriona Bradshaw is a clinician researcher and Head of Research Translation and Mentorship and The Genital Microbiota and Mycoplasma Group at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and Alfred Hospital. Her programme focuses on translational research to improve treatment & control of Mycoplasma genitalium.
Dr Sally Sweeney
Specialist GP
Brightwell Health; Conjoint Senior Lecturer University of Newcastle
Menopause in General Practice
4:00 PM - 4:30 PMBiography
Dr Sally Sweeney is a specialist GP working across both general practice, and in a specialist sexual and reproductive health multidisciplinary clinic. She is involved in clinical research and is a CI on several NHMRC funded projects, and has several peer reviewed publications. She is passionate about translating research into best practice clinical care. She is a Senior Medical Officer with FPA Research Centre, and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer with University of Newcastle.
Dr Karen Freilich
GP and Sexual Medicine & Therapy Consultant
Monash Health
Managing sexual difficulties and dysfunctions: A GP's Clinical Toolkit
4:30 PM - 5:00 PMBiography
Dr Karen Freilich (she/her) is a General Practitioner and a consultant at Monash Health's Sexual Medicine & Therapy Clinic. Karen has completed a Masters of Reproductive and Sexual Health Research in London (LSHTM) and completed training through European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM) School in Budapest. In 2022, Karen was awarded the RACGP Australian Registrar of the Year Award. Karen was an Academic GP Registrar at Monash University and currently lectures and tutors Sexual Health through University of Melbourne's Medical School.
Dr Swaminathan Balasubramanian
Sexual Health Physician/Specialist In Sexual Medicine
Sydney Men's Health
Managing sexual difficulties and dysfunctions: A GP's Clinical Toolkit
4:30 PM - 5:00 PMBiography
Dr Sama Balasubramanian is an Australian sexual health physician blending clinical care, psychosexual therapy, and advocacy to make sexual wellbeing accessible, inclusive, and a little less awkward. He works across urban and rural settings, tackling everything from erections to ethics with curiosity and candour. Outside clinic hours, he’s a climate science enthusiast and a firm believer that good sex ed belongs far beyond the classroom.
Session Chair
Swaminathan Balasubramanian
Sexual Health Physician/Specialist In Sexual Medicine
Sydney Men's Health
Karen Freilich
GP and Sexual Medicine & Therapy Consultant
Monash Health
