ACORN invites you to provide feedback on drafts of Visitors to the perioperative environment and Perioperative team communication (formerly Surgical safety). Perioperative professionals, stakeholders, and interested contributors are invited to review the drafts and share their feedback during the designated consultation periods. Consultation open: 7 April – 18 May 2025 This draft standard outlines recommended practices and considerations for managing visitors – such as students, observers and medical company representatives – in perioperative areas, ensuring safety and minimising disruptions. https://www.acorn.org.au/the-oak-may-2025

A Hamilton, Ontario dental clinic is under scrutiny after Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) discovered that patients may have been exposed to improperly sterilised instruments over a period spanning nearly six years, from 25 July 2019 to 20 February 2025 . The investigation launched on 20 February, prompted by a patient complaint, revealed inadequate reprocessing practices and insufficient documentation to confirm proper sterilisation procedures. Although the clinic has since implemented corrective measures and as of 24 February 2025, complies with […]

GESA and GENCA are encouraging you to provide feedback on the revised Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy (IPCE) clinical resource draft 2025. The IPCE Steering Committee has revised the current version (last updated in 2021). Please review the draft and provide feedback in the form below: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=HcEJNqQhmU-6CKGnli8H70Xp37uT2PtChJPUOK6Mw9hURTQ4RExSUVpIRzhZVU9LN1VWTE81NEpEOC4u Consultation will close 3pm Thursday 24 April.  All feedback will be considered by the Steering Committee.

The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) is calling for the consistent use of particulate filter respirators (PFRs), not surgical masks, in healthcare environments where COVID-19 is suspected or confirmed. In its latest position statement, the use of particulate filter respirators (PFR) masks for the management of COVID-19 in healthcare settings, ACIPC challenges current Australian IPC guidelines, which recommend surgical masks as standard PPE. Evidence confirms that COVID-19 is transmitted through both droplets and airborne particles, especially in […]

An updated revision of Part D – Infection Prevention and Control (Revision 8.0, April 2025) has been uploaded to the AusHFG website. The revised version has been informed by following a comprehensive review of infection prevention and control (IPC) literature and an extensive consultation process with IPC specialists, clinical, operational, and technical experts, as well as the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) and the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC). Key changes to the document […]

The WA Department of Health Director of Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Paul Armstrong has issued a measles alert for the Perth metropolitan and South West regions. As of 31 March, 10 cases of measles have been confirmed in WA.  There have been increasing measles outbreaks globally. Cases of measles in returned overseas travellers have increased across Australia, particularly among those returning from South and Southeast Asian countries. WA Health advises to: Be alert for measles in any individual with fever […]

WA Health has published a Measles Alert for Clinicians today. There have been increasing measles outbreaks globally. Cases of measles in returned overseas travellers have increased across Australia, particularly among those returning from South and Southeast Asian countries. Six cases of measles have been confirmed in WA this year, with five cases notified within the last week. Four of these cases acquired their infection in WA. The Department is advising clinicians to: Be alert for measles in any patient with […]

The 2025 WA Influenza Immunisation program has commenced today. Key messages from WA Health: Annual vaccination is the most important way to prevent influenza and its complications. Influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months. All vaccinations must be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). The ‘vaccine type’ field should be used to record specific details of the vaccine administered, e.g., National Immunisation Program (NIP) or state funded. If a person had a 2024 formulation influenza vaccine […]

The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) has released a new position statement titled “Terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air”. ACIPC’s position statement recommends terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air to be standardised as follows: ✅ Introduction of the term “infectious respiratory particles” (IRPs) to describe respiratory particles containing pathogens that travel through the air. ✅ Recognition of the spectrum of IRP particle sizes and moving away from using aerosols and droplets to define […]

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) has a developed a gap analysis tool to help health service organisations (HSO) in assessing compliance with the Australian Standard AS 5369:2023 Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices and Other Devices in Health and Non-Health Related Facilities. This tool should be used by stakeholders within a health service organisation that use, reprocess or have oversight of reusable medical devices. The tool is not suitable for risk assessing the reprocessing of […]