Friday, 1 December 2017 marked the commencement of the renewed National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) supported by the National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR). IMPORTANT INFORMATION – Screening women under 25 years of age Routine cervical screening is not recommended in the renewed program for women under 25 years. Some women under 25 …
Paediatric asthma surge in February
The National Asthma Council Australia is asking doctors to help their young asthma patients have a great start to the school year by ensuring their healthy return to the classroom. Parents and carers need to be prepared so they and their kids with asthma are confident about managing their asthma …
New data breach legislation is on the horizon
The new Mandatory Data Breach reporting scheme requires organisations to conduct assessments of suspected data breaches and notify individuals likely to be at risk. From 22 February 2018, it will be mandatory for organisations to notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Organisations will need to notify any …
Help your patients get access to the NDIS
To allow the NDIA to determine whether a person meets the disability or early intervention access requirements to join the NDIS, evidence of disability may need to be provided to the NDIA. Evidence of disability includes information on what the disability is, how long it will last and its impact …
Are you ready for the changes to codeine?
All health providers should be aware of the changes to codeine scheduling. From next Thursday, 1 February 2018, patients will need a prescription for all medicines containing codeine. The PHN has developed a new resource to help practices prepare for the codeine changes which are just around the corner. You …
Getting kids in Gympie ready for school
Child therapy services in Gympie have receive a $120,000 funding boost to kick off the new school year. Debbie Blumel, CEO for Children’s Therapy Centre said families in Gympie would be able to access free therapy sessions for developmentally vulnerable children. “If parents, child care providers, GPs or specialists have …
Upgrade your skills with the heart foundation ambassador bursary
The Heart Foundation’s Health Professional Ambassador Program (HPAP) is open to health professionals who wish to update their knowledge, skills and develop the confidence to improve cardiovascular health outcomes in their workplace. Applicants must be a registered Practice Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker or Health …
Join the Integrated Care Alliance
The Integrated Care Alliance is currently seeking new representatives. The alliance was formed to ensure integration occurs from an organisational and system level with the patients at the centre of the health system. Members of the alliance meet bi monthly to work collaboratively on projects that consider the entire patient …
Apply security updates and keep sensitive data safe
The new year has kicked off with two new IT Security vulnerabilities being identified called “Meltdown” & “Spectre”. These vulnerabilities exploit critical issues in modern computer processors. These hardware vulnerabilities allow programs to steal data which is currently processed on the computer. While programs are typically not permitted to read …
The costs of over the counter codeine misuse revealed
From 1 February 2018 Australians will only be able to purchase codeine with a prescription. The move is aimed at to protect Australians from the risks of codeine and help build more effective pain management strategies for individuals. The misuse of codeine, while a significant risk to individuals, also places …
Cervical screening not recommended for women under 25
According to the Department of Health, under the renewed program, cervical screening is not recommended for women under 25 years. However, pathology laboratories are reporting that a significant number of samples are being submitted from women under 25 years of age. Health providers are being advised that Medicare does not …