The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on the 29 September, the recommendations for the viral composition of influenza vaccines for the 2024 influenza season in the southern hemisphere. The announcement was made at an information session at the end of a 4-day meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines, a meeting that is held twice annually. WHO organizes these consultations with an advisory group of experts gathered from WHO Collaborating Centres and WHO Essential Regulatory Laboratories to analyse influenza virus […]

World Rabies Day is celebrated every year on the 28th September – the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur (who developed the first rabies vaccine), to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this disease. This year, the theme focuses on the need for collaboration of animal and human health professionals in eliminating rabies to achieve the global goal of ‘Zero by 30’ – global elimination of dog-mediated rabies deaths by 2030, the most common […]

The national COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program will be closing as of 1 October 2023.  From this date the Department of Health and Aged Care will no longer be producing the new COVID-19 Vaccine Training Modules and the COVID-19 e-learning platform will close. Completion of the national training will remain a mandatory requirements up to and including Saturday 30 September 2023.  The learning platform will continue to be available as module completion and certificate downloads will still be required during this […]

This Sunday is World Patient Safety Day, a global movement to champion safer healthcare practices. This year’s World Patient Safety Day theme, ‘Engaging patients for patient safety’, highlights the vital role patients and consumers play in shaping the safety and quality of our healthcare system. Patient and consumer voices shape our practice, improve outcomes, and contribute to a positive safety culture. Working in partnership with patients, their families, carers and the wider community is critical to achieving a healthcare system […]

On World Sepsis Day, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) recognise efforts across the globe to strive for better sepsis care, and to reduce the impact of this life-threatening illness. Every year 55,000 Australians are diagnosed with sepsis and more than 8,700 lose their lives. The Commission is committed to reducing the devastating impact of sepsis and improving outcomes for survivors. The Commission continues to work in partnership with The George Institute for Global Health and Sepsis […]

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) has developed two eLearning modules to support infection prevention and control in aged care. The Basics of infection prevention and control for aged care module provides a foundation in infection prevention and control for all aged care workers. The module can be used during induction or for refresher training. The Infection prevention and control in aged care – training support resource is designed for registered nurses, infection prevention and control leads and others […]

WorkSafe has commenced a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues in WA aged care and residential care facilities. The inspection program will look at a number of randomly-selected facilities across metropolitan and regional areas of the State throughout the 2023/24 financial year. Inspectors will place a strong emphasis on industry-specific hazards, along with workplace violence and aggression, staff training and other priority issues identified by WorkSafe. Residential aged care has been identified as an industry with significant challenges […]

Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research Issues Brief no: 52 Saha SK, Haddock R Canberra: Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association; 2023. p. 45. https://ahha.asn.au/publication/health-policy-issue-briefs/deeble-issues-brief-no-52-optimising-antimicrobial This issues brief from the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association’s Deeble Institute examines antimicrobial stewardship in primary care. Observing that ‘80% of antibiotics are consumed within primary care’, the notes argue that ‘concept of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in primary care will play an important role in improving the appropriate use of antibiotics and reducing the risk […]

The National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards have actions relating to antimicrobial stewardship. To support these the Commission has developed factsheets for General Practice Community Pharmacy Dental Practice Allied Health including Optometry and Podiatry Community Health services Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services The factsheets have practical examples of how these services can promote antimicrobial stewardship and meet the standards. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/antimicrobial-stewardship/antimicrobial-stewardship-primary-care

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has recently released their new hand hygiene eLearning modules. Hand hygiene for clinical healthcare workers Hand hygiene for non-clinical healthcare workers. The new modules are designed to support the ongoing education of clinical and non-clinical staff in maintaining a safe and hygienic healthcare environment. They are available on the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) Learning Management System (LMS). The two new modules replace the current suite of clinical discipline specific […]