On 3 August 2017 the Commission released AURA 2017: Second Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health. This report provides a comprehensive of the picture of antimicrobial use, resistance and the appropriateness of prescribing in Australia across all healthcare settings. The report contains a range of important findings on antimicrobial resistance and highlights a number of areas for action to help reduce antimicrobial resistance, including reducing unnecessary prescribing in the community, actions to control carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, monitoring […]

The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (second edition) have been endorsed by Health Ministers and will be launched in November 2017. Assessment to the NSQHS Standards (second edition) will commence from 1 January 2019. Health service organisations will be informed of the transition arrangements for accreditation well in advance of implementation. Fact sheets are now available on the Commission’s website. In addition the Commission is also developing electronic monitoring tools for the 2nd edition Standards similar to those developed […]

A study recently published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control found that the failure to change gloves is common among certified nursing assistants, and may be a significant cause of the spread of dangerous pathogens in residential care facilities. The study found: Inappropriate glove use was frequently observed in this long-term care study. Certified nursing assistants failed to change gloves when indicated 66% of the time. Of the touch points, 44% of the gloved touch […]

Join your healthcare professionals in celebrating International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), October 15-21, 2017. IIPW, which takes place the third week of October each year, raises awareness of the role infection prevention plays to improve patient safety. This year’s theme is “Antibiotic Resistance.” Details can be found at http://professionals.site.apic.org/iipw/

ACORN recently announced the release of the recently revised ACORN Standard Preoperative patient skin antisepsis.

The Communicable Diseases Network of Australia’s revised Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Public Health Management of Influenza Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities in Australia is now available at CDNA Influenza Guidelines These guidelines provide best practice information for: public health authorities residential care services carers. The guidelines are not intended to substitute advice from other relevant sources and experts.

Endoscopic procedures have been linked to serious infections, in particular Carbapenamase-producing Enterocacteriaceae (CPE). Industry guidelines are currently being reviewed to address these potentially catastrophic infections. A specialist Infection Control working party was established by GESA and developed Draft guidelines addressing CPE which were circulated widely but not adopted by the GESA Board. A second working party has been established by GESA to review the ICE Guidelines in totality. This GENCA Position Statement is to assist all endoscope users in making informed […]

The Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) and the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) have released their joint ‘Guidelines for Reprocessing of Ultrasound Transducers’.  They detail the minimum standards of practice for reprocessing ultrasound transducers and reflect the available evidence based on best practice. 2017.2.24 Guidelines Media Release ASUM and ACIPC

Current techniques used to clean endoscopes for reuse are not consistently effective, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). The findings of this study support the need for careful visual inspection and cleaning verification tests to ensure that all endoscopes are free of damage and debris before they are high-level disinfected or sterilized and used on another […]

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare has updated the National Infection Guidance on Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium Associated with Heater-Cooler Devices.  A key change to the National Guidance is the stratification of risk based on date of device manufacture (i.e. before September 2014). This updated advice is consistent with advice provided by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. The Commission’s updated National Infection Control Guidance is available online here: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications/national-infection-control-guidance-for-non-tuberculous-mycobacterium-associated-with-heater-cooler-devices/