- Protecting frontline workers against COVID-19
- Praise for Moree COVID-19 testing rates
- Experiences and impacts of racism on GP training
- Improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQA+ mob
- Save the Date
Protecting frontline workers against COVID
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) today welcomed the release of updated guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect health care workers against aerosol transmission of COVID-19.
The Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG) developed the guidelines in collaboration with the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce Infection Prevention and Control Panel and the Commonwealth Minister for Health in September last year after the AMA expressed its concerns over the lack of protection for health care workers from the risks of aerosol transmission of COVID-19.
AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said the updated guidelines did much to address the concerns of the medical profession and they were much more explicit on the need for health care workers to be provided with N95/P2 masks when managing patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to protect them against the risks of aerosol transmission.
“Too many health care workers in Australia have been placed at risk of COVID-19 because of the lack of adequate PPE and these new guidelines could not have come soon enough, particularly as Australia still remains at significant risk of outbreaks,” said Dr Khorshid
The updated ICEG guidelines follow the release by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care of an update to its Preventing and Controlling .Infections Standard, which were reviewed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Red the media release by AMA here.
Personal Protective Equipment. Image credit: https://infectioncontrol.care/blog/what-is-ppe. Feature image – Dr Glenn Harrison in PPE. Image credit: The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Praise for Moree COVID-19 testing rates
More than 900 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Moree within 12 hours, with Hunter New England Health (HNEH) thanking people for their response. The numbers through the expanded hospital and drive through clinics in Moree is a credit to both the community and the medical staff, HNE LHD Chief Executive Mr Michael DiRienzo said.
It comes after residents were told to hold-off on attending the pop-up COVID-19 testing site on Thursday, due to the high number of vehicles at the Moree Gateway. However Mr Di Lorenzo assured the community that Moree District Hospital and Laverty Moree “have swabbing supplies and are not turning people away”.
“I want to sincerely thank the Moree community for quickly getting behind our call to get tested,” he said.
“High rates of testing are so important because this will help us to detect any cases in the community as early as possible. Please remain vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested for even the mildest of symptoms.”
You can read the full story in Tenterfield Star here.
Moree District Health Service. Image credit: Tenterfield Star.
Experiences and impacts of racism on GP training
Dr Talila Milroy jumped at the chance to undertake the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) Academic Post in 2020. The Western Australian GP was always interested in developing and furthering general practice research, and the post allowed a structured framework to delve into the data.
Now, having undertaken a year as the 2020 AIDA Academic Post holder, Dr Milroy is continuing her part-time research role and furthering her study into the experiences and impacts of racism on general practice training.
“You develop so many skills, not only in research but in teaching as well,” she told newsGP.
‘It’s also the networking; you gain communication skills because you’re teaching medical students, and you get more of a grasp of how to design research and ask questions that are clinically relevant, useful and translatable.’
The AIDA post was first earmarked by the Department of Health as part of the Federal Government’s Closing the Gap strategy. The post is an identified training term open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GPs in training to undertake teaching and research that aims to improve the health and life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Read more about Dr Milroy’s experience in newsGP here.
Applications are now open for the 2022 intake of the RACGP Australian General Practice Training Academic Post with entries closing on 5 July. Find out more here.
Dr Talila Milroy, 2020 AIDA Academic Post holder. Image credit: GP News, RACGP.
Improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQA+ mob
Walkern Katatdjin is looking for people who are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ mob to join the Walkern Katatdjin Governance Committee.
The Walkern Katatdjin (Rainbow Knowledge) project aims to improve the support available to our young mob through research. The Governance Committee will oversee the Walkern Katatdjin project design, procedures, data management, and translation of findings to ensure meaningful impacts from the project.
Find out more about the role of the Governance Committee and the Walkern Katatdjin project here.
Decision Making and Symptom Control in Kidney Failure
Health Professional Webinar
Kidney Health Australia
Presented by Prof Robyn Langham, Nephrologist
Tuesday 22 June, 7.30pm (AEST)
Register here (registration is essential)
For more information contact us via email.
Improved quality aged care
‘Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care’
This webinar will outline how the aged care reforms will improve access to and quality of aged care delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including in remote communities.
Presenters
- The Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care
- Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services
- Michael Lye, Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care Group
- Helen Grinbergs, First Assistant Secretary, Service Delivery Division
- Eliza Strapp, First Assistant Secretary, Market and Workforce Division
Webinar content
Aged care workers and providers who deliver services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to participate in the webinar.
The webinar will outline how the aged care reforms will help to:
- involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in designing their services and care
- ensure services and care are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people no matter where they live
- enhance the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care workforce.
You will have the opportunity to say how we can best work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families, carers and communities, health services, aged care providers and the workforce to make positive changes.
Image source: ORIC website.
Indigenous Wellbeing Conference presenter applications open
Statistics show Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have significantly higher mental health needs than other Australians and experience psychological distress at around 3x the rate of the non-Indigenous population. We see similar numbers across the seas, with Māori and Pasifika populations carrying the highest burden of suicide with higher incidences.
It is time to speak up, be heard and celebrate projects, programs and research contributing to the mission of closing the gap for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori peoples.
The Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association has announced a final call for applicants wishing to share their insight on Indigenous mental health and wellbeing for the inaugural Indigenous Wellbeing Conference. This event is taking place from 7-8 October at Cairns Pullman International.
The conference theme ‘Honouring Indigenous Voices & Wisdom: Balancing the System to Close the Gap’ will be bringing attention to four core areas:
- Promoting Wellbeing
- Social, Political and Cultural Determinants
- Community Care, Cultural Revitalisation & Healing
- Culturally Responsive Care & Community Control
Together we will help to empower Indigenous communities to develop their own solutions to living long healthy lives; strengthen culture; and reconnect with spirit.
Applications close: Friday 18 June 2021.
Submit your presentation brief here.
