Identifying and managing Buruli ulcer educational activity
The RACGP has produced targeted information and a professional educational activity aimed to assist GPs identify and manage the Buruli ulcer.
‘Identifying and managing Buruli ulcer’ is designed to help GPs with the diagnostic challenge of distinguishing the rare Buruli ulcer from far more common skin ulcers.
The most important risk factor for acquiring Buruli ulcer is having lived in or visited an endemic region. These regions include the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas near Melbourne, where it is also known as the Bairnsdale Ulcer, and along parts of the Queensland coastline, where it is also known as the Daintree Ulcer.
Visit the RACGP gplearning website for further information.
National Cervical Screening Program correspondence rescreen reminders
During November and early December 2018, the National Cancer Screening Register sent correspondence in priority order for women who had not undertaken the expected follow-up of an abnormal result. This correspondence was sent using a staged approach, prioritising letters to women who are most overdue.
The volume of these letters will increase until early-February in order to address a backlog, after which time normal mail distribution volumes will resume.
During this time GPs may experience an increase in patient enquiries and requests for cervical screening tests.
GPs are encouraged to reassure women that while it is recommended asymptomatic women aged 25–74 years undergoing routine screening have their first HPV-based screening test two years after their last Pap test, the risk from delaying their test for a few months is extremely low.
If you are unsure of your patient’s cervical screening history or status, or have any questions relating to participant and healthcare provider correspondence, contact the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701.
Submission to Safe Work Australia on National Return to Work Strategy Discussion Paper
In December 2018, the RACGP made a submission to Safe Work Australia (SWA) on its discussion paper regarding the development of a National Return to Work Strategy.
SWA’s strategy intends to provide a framework to pull together current activity at the national and jurisdictional levels and guide future work. It also intends to facilitate the sharing of outcomes and learnings, reducing siloed activity and duplication in effort between jurisdictions.
The RACGP response outlined member feedback on the discussion paper, including:
- the need for greater recognition of the GP’s role in the strategy
- barriers faced by GPs and their patients in return-to-work planning that can be addressed by the strategy
- the need for greater collaboration between stakeholders involved in return-to-work.
The RACGP will keep members informed regarding future developments in this area.
Visit the RACGP website to view the submission.
Australian guidelines for the management of healthcare workers living with a blood-borne virus
The Department of Health (DoH) has updated the Australian National Guidelines for the Management of Healthcare Workers Living with Blood Borne Viruses and Healthcare Workers who Perform Exposure Prone Procedures at Risk of Exposure to Blood Borne Viruses (the Guidelines).
The Guidelines have been updated to reflect new evidence and are consistent with changes made by other countries. They provide information and recommendations for:
- all healthcare workers who perform exposure-prone procedures (EPPs)
- healthcare workers who live with a (blood-borne virus) BBV and perform EPPs
- treating doctors of healthcare workers with a BBV who perform EPPs
- public health authorities.
The new Guidelines allow healthcare workers living with a BBV to perform EPPs, provided they abide by these Guidelines. They also provide guidance for all healthcare workers who perform EPPs.
The DoH website also has a number of information sheets for healthcare workers, employers of healthcare workers who preform EPPs or live with a BBV, and healthcare students.
Visit the DoH website to download the update guidelines for the management of healthcare workers living with a BBV and information sheets.