Public Health

Public Health

H1N1 Information & Updates

Listeria

Whooping Cough

H1N1 Vaccination Information

News Articles

• 14 December 2009 - Registration of Panvax H1N1 for Children
• 06 August 2009 - Swine Flu Alerts and Updates
• 30 June 2009 - PROTECT Phase
• 18 June 2009 - H1N1 Update
• 21 May 2009 - Swine Flu Update

Below is the information that was provided at the H1N1 Vaccine Education Event on Monday 21st September.

• Power Point from the evening
• Guidelines for the administration of H1N1 Influenza vaccine from muli-dose vials
• Communique for all Queensland GPs - Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Vaccination Program
• Letter from Chief Medical Officer (DoHA) to all General Practitioners

Information on Influenza and Pandemic Planning for General Practice

Please access the following links to provide your practice with the latest updates on the current Australian phase alert H1N1 influenza. Quick links to the recommendations for testing and prescribing, resources and guides on correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), infection control in General Practice and much more...

Resources

Information for General Practice

• Communication Fax - Practice service change due to Influenza A H1N1
• New Pandemic phase 'PROTECT'
• 'PROTECT' Questions and Answers
• TAMIFLU dosing and administration update: Information for Medical Practitioners
• TAMIFLU information for prescribers
• While Staying at Home - Information for patients in home quarantine
• Queensland Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guide for General Practice - June 2009
  (GPpartners)
• Specimen Collection for Respiratory Viruses (Queensland Health)
• Accessing Supply of Paediatric Antiviral Medication
• SHECC Advice on length of infectious period - 27 July 2009

Practice Posters

The following posters can all be found on the RACGP website:

• Patient Alert Poster
• Bug ALert Flu Symptoms Poster
• Infection Control in Pandemics
• Correct Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Putting on a Mask
• Removing a Mask

Travel Health & Personal Hygiene Posters

• Travel Health - Have you recently arrived or returned from overseas?
• Hygiene (Queensland Health)
• Cough Etiquette and respiratory Hygiene (DoHA)
• How to clean hands using an alcohol-based liquid or hand rub (DoHA)
• How to wash and dry hands with soap and water (DoHA)

Fact Sheets

• Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza (DoHA)
• Transmission of Respiratory Disease (DoHA)
• Infection Control Precautions for Severe Respiratory Disease

Business Continuity

• Department of Health and Ageing - Pandemic Influenza, Preparing your Practice
• Business Continuity Guide for Australian Businesses (DoHA)
• Business Planning Fact Sheets (Queensland Health)

Links

• RACGP Website - access the most current updates on Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu
• Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing Health Emergency page for Health Professionals
• Queensland Health - Queensland Swine Flu Response
• Queensland Health - Swine Flu Questions and Answers

Useful Websites

• Queensland Health
• Department of Health and Ageing
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• World Health Organization
• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• Communicable Disease Newtork Australia (CDNA)
• Influenza Specialist Group (ISG)

Listeria

Queensland Health is alerting general practitioners to an increased number of notifications of Listeriosis this year in both Queensland and Australia. There have been 56 notifications in Australia in the first half of 2009, which is about the number usually expected in an entire year.

General practitioners are encouraged to advise people at risk of serious illness of appropriate precautions such as avioding foods at risk of contamination with listeria and good food preparation, storage and handling practice.

Please see inforamtion flyers below:

Public Health Alert to all GPs

Listeriosis Queensland Fact Sheet

Listeria and Food - Advice for people at risk

Queensland Health Funds Whooping Cough Vaccine for New Parents

From 1 August 2009 parents of babies born from 1 May 2009 will be able to access funded whooping cough vaccine through their general practice. Infants who are yet to be vaccinated are at increased risk of contracting whooping cough and research shows that they are more likely to contract it from those living in close proximity to them.

Due to the increasing numbers of pertussis (whooping cough) notifications and the need to protect infacts from this disease Queensland Health will fund whooping cough vaccine for new parents in Queensland.

Queensland Health letter to VSP's explaining the process

Queensland Health Data Collection template for VSP's to complete