The Medical journal of Australia
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Standard and Droplet Precautions are considered adequate to control the transmission of influenza in most health care situations. Vaccination of health care staff, carers and vulnerable patients against seasonal and, eventually, pandemic influenza strains is an essential protective strategy. Management principles include: performance of hand hygiene before and after every patient contact or contact with the patient environment, in accord with the national 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene Standard; disinfection of the patient environment; early identification and isolation of patients with suspected or proven influenza; adoption of a greater minimum distance of patient separation (2 metres) than previously recommended; use of a surgical mask and eye protection for personal protection on entry to infectious areas or within 2 metres of an infectious patient; contact tracing for patient and health care staff and restriction of prophylactic antivirals mainly to those at high risk of severe disease; in high aerosol-risk settings, use of particulate mask, eye protection, impervious long-sleeved gown, and gloves donned in that sequence and removed in reverse sequence, avoiding self-contamination; exclusion of symptomatic staff from the workplace until criteria for non-infectious status are met; reserving negative-pressure ventilation rooms (if available) for intensive care patients, especially those receiving non-invasive ventilation; ensuring that infectious postpartum women wear surgical masks when caring for their newborn infants and practise strict hand hygiene; and implementation of special arrangements for potentially infected newborns who require nursery or intensive care.
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To describe the planning and execution of a statewide campaign aimed at improving compliance with hand hygiene practices in New South Wales public hospitals. ⋯ The CEC was successful in systematising the placement of AHR in all NSW public hospitals at the point of patient care. Although the use of AHR increased substantially, some staff were resistant to changing their hand hygiene practices.
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The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission report has a focus on building on "the vital role of general practice", to strengthen primary health care as the "cornerstone of our future health system". The report proposes Comprehensive Primary Health Care Centres and Services that will deliver "one-stop" primary health care; but in health care, bigger is not always better. ⋯ There is a clear need for action now on the report's most urgent recommendations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, mental health, dental health and services for rural and remote communities. Diversity is a great strength of Australian general practice, and we must not lose it in the rush to reform.