News
WA Abortion Legislation
Hi all on 27 March 2024, the Abortion Legislation Reform Act 2023 (WA) will come into effect in Western Australia (WA). Health practitioners should familiarise themselves with detailed information about the changes to ensure they know their responsibilities should a patient request an abortion or information about an abortion.
A range of resources have been developed and endorsed by the Chief Health Officer available here.
Links to relevant factsheets are below:
- Abortion reform: Frequently asked questions.
- Abortion reform: Information for conscientious objectors.
- Abortion reform: Information for nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives.
- Abortion reform: Information for pharmacists.
- Abortion reform: Summary of key changes.
- Abortion reform: Summary of notification requirements.
- Abortion CHO approved information for patients.
- Abortion Legislation Reform Act 2023: Information for health practitioners.
- Abortion Legislation Reform Act 2023: Information for health practitioners video presentation.
- Guide for use: Abortion notification e-form to notify the Chief Health Officer.
Immunisation
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
WA is the first state or territory in Australia to offer the RSV vaccine to babies born after October 2023 & is ready for ordering from April 2nd 2024.
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a highly contagious respiratory virus that usually causes seasonal outbreaks in the colder months & is the leading cause of infant hospitalisation in Australia.
RSV infection early in life is associated with an increased risk of asthma, wheezing and allergies.
Aboriginal infants are hospitalised with RSV at a rate 2-3 times that of non-Aboriginal infants. Approximately 1 in 20 Aboriginal infants are hospitalised with RSV in the first six months of life.
Following approval of the vaccine, Nirsevimab by the TGA in November 2023, the WA Department of Health is providing free RSV immunisation to eligible groups in 2024.
In clinical trials nirsevimab reduced infant hospitalisations due to RSV by about 80%; similar effectiveness has been observed following roll-out of universal nirsevimab infant immunisation programs in Europe in 2023.
If you have not received an email regarding pre-allocation of nirsevimab, please email [email protected] as soon as possible.
Any nurses, midwives or Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHPs) that plan to provide RSV immunisation under the WA Health SASA must meet qualifications and education requirements in the SASA. This includes completing the online WA Health RSV module
More information is available from AHCWA or by following the links below:
WA Health – Nirsevimab: What parents need to know.
Immunisation Foundation of Australia – RSV Antibody Therapy (Nirsevimab) for Infants.
AHP SASA
WA Health has developed and now published the first Structured Administration Supply Arrangement (SASA) to support Aboriginal Health Practitioners to immunise independently.
If you are or have an AHP at your service who requires training to administer vaccines and immunisations, please get in contact with our immunisation co-ordinator, Charlie Mutch [email protected]. Please also feel free to contact us if you would like further information on the SASA or the AHCWA immunisation training program.
Course overview is available at our website.
Eye Health
WA Aboriginal Eye Health Forum – SAVE THE DATE!
The Rural Health West Regional Services team is delighted to be hosting the inaugural WA Aboriginal Eye Health Forum on 18 June 2024. This one-day, pilot education and upskilling event will provide health professionals working in the Western Australian Aboriginal eye health and associated fields, with the opportunity to connect with peers and learn about current initiatives and service delivery models working to improve Aboriginal eye health outcomes across the nation and State.
Who should attend?
- Aboriginal health workers and practitioners
- Nurses • Optometrists
- Medical specialists
- Administrators and coordinators
- Researchers
This Forum has been developed in partnership with the WA Aboriginal Health Advisory Forum and made possible with funding by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care VOS program. To register your interest to attend or present at the Forum, please contact the Regional Services team at [email protected]