Ayurvedic medicine and heavy metal contamination

An Ayurvedic medication ‘Manasmithra Vatika’ (Manasamitram Pills), imported from India, has been found to contain lead and other heavy metals.

Young children, including unborn babies, are at greatest risk of the health effects of lead exposure.

Anyone who is using this product or giving it to a child should be advised to stop immediately, consult a GP and arrange testing. 

The department must be notified of all blood lead levels greater than 5 μg/dL within five days of diagnosis.

Read the full advisory: Ayurvedic medicine and heavy metal contamination 

 TGA safety warning for Zostavax® vaccine in immunocompromised patients

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is advising against giving Zostavax® (shingles vaccine) to people with compromised immune function due to the potential for rare adverse events including death.

This recommendation follows the recent death of a person in Australia who received Zostavax® while on low doses of immunosuppressive medicine.

While TGA’s investigation found that Zostavax® was used in line with existing recommendations, the potential exists for this very rare adverse event. Careful pre-screening and a risk-based assessment prior to Zostavax® administration is therefore essential. 

If uncertain about a person’s level of immunocompromise and whether vaccination is safe, do not vaccinate. Seek expert advice from their treating physician or a medical immunisation expert.

Seek urgent medical advice for people who are immunocompromised and who inadvertently receive Zostavax® vaccine.

Zostavax® is available on the National Immunisation Program for people aged 70 - 79 years.

Read the full advisory: TGA safety warning for Zostavax® vaccine in immunocompromised patients

Is fatigue setting in with your infection control practices?

Reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission requires much more than your staff and patients wearing a mask. Below is the final article in our series on common issues related to COVID-19 transmission in your practice that can be simply avoided.

We’ve enjoyed collaborating with Marg Jennings, Infection Prevention and Control Educator and Consultant to bring you relevant information and practical changes that you can easily apply.

Cleaning

The issue: Coronaviruses can remain infective on some surfaces longer than others e.g. a few hours for porous surfaces like fabric but a day or so for smooth surfaces such as glass, plastic and metal. However, a person touching such a contaminated surface would need to bring an ‘infectious dose’ to the mouth or eyes - the evidence does not support this as a main means of transmission. The material that contains the virus on a contaminated surface is easily removed by cleaning. After cleaning, remaining infectious particles can be inactivated by common household disinfectants as long as the correct concentration and contact time are observed.

Solution: Take care to clean/disinfect surfaces in areas that patients have directly in contact with or have been exposed to respiratory droplets. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces e.g. door handles with detergent and disinfectant wipe/solution and between each episode of patient contact (according to normal infection prevention and control practice).
See the fact sheet Environmental cleaning and disinfection principles for health and residential care facilities for cleaning after a potentially infectious patient.

COVID-19 Temporary MBS
Telehealth Services

Extending until 31 March 2021, temporary MBS telehealth items have been made available to help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 and provide protection for patients and health care providers.

The temporary MBS telehealth items are available to GPs, medical practitioners, specialists, consultant physicians, nurse practitioners, participating midwives, allied health providers and dental practitioners in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

A service may only be provided by telehealth where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so.

The new temporary MBS telehealth items are for out-of-hospital patients.

For all the fact sheets please click here.

Have you met your clinical advisors?

Dr Jenny Devine and Jamie Pike are your trained GP clinical advisors from the  General Practitioner Clinical Advisory Service (GPCAS), a program established as part of SafeScript.

The GP Clinical Advisory Service provides peer-to-peer support in safe prescribing of high-risk medications, particularly opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines. 

To discuss any patient concerns with your local GPCAS peer, please call the Drug and Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS) on 1800 812 804 and ask to speak to a GP Clinical Advisor or email gpclinicaladvisors@turningpoint.org.au. 

For more information click here. 

Practice Nurses, learn about compassionate communication at the next network meeting

Join us for the next practice nurse network meeting via zoom webinar on Thursday 8 October at 7:00pm - 8:00pm where we will be discussing the topic Compassionate Communication.

Guest speaker Kim Poyner will cover the following discussion points:

• How we communicate effectively with our patients as well as in our teams
• How we look after our Psychological Capital
• How we identify our triggers, change fatigue, thought traps
• What self-care strategies can you put into place for yourself
• What strategies can we cultivate to enable organisations to flourish.

You're encouraged to submit any questions you may have prior to the event by emailing events@semphn.org.au, and you can also ask questions on the night.  

Introductory training: Motivational Interviewing

We have limited places available for general practice to attend one of three Motivational Interviewing training events in October.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, person-centred way of guiding conversations about change. The approach provides practical skills to reduce 'stuckness' and resistance and open up more productive conversations about change. The aim is to support the patient to resolve ambivalence and strengthen their motivation for positive behaviour change that is meaningful for them. MI has emerged as a more effective intervention than direct persuasion for promoting change in behaviour.

The trainer is Helen Mentha, a clinical psychologist and one of Australia's leading trainers in Motivational Interviewing. 

Participants will learn:

• core principles of working with change and the change conversation
• how to develop the skill to ask and listen to evoke patient’s values, goals, insights, motivation, and resources for making changes in behaviour.

Only 33 registrations are available across the dates and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please note, only one attendee allowed per general practice.  A further 10 registrants will be placed on a waitlist and offered a registration if a cancellation occurs.

When: 6,13 and 22 October 2020 (same training repeated on each date, you only attend one).
Time:  8-11am
Cost: free
Location: Online
More information: email bee.cochran@semphn.org.au. 
Register: Here

Q Fever Vaccination Training

Only providers trained in Q fever vaccination can provide pre-vaccination testing and administer Q fever vaccine.

• The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine offers the 'Q fever - Early Diagnosis and Vaccination' online learning module for GPs to upskill in acute Q fever diagnosis and vaccination.
• Seqirus, which manufactures Q fever vaccine, also provides online education on Q fever vaccination and skin testing.
• Additional information is also available on the Australian Q fever register website, including initial and follow-up consultation flowcharts.
• All Q fever vaccine encounters should be recorded on the Australian Q fever register as the Australian Immunisation Register does not currently accept Q fever vaccination encounters.

Information about Q fever disease, vaccines and vaccination recommendations is available in the Q fever disease section of the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

PANDA is looking for
clinical champions

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) invites health professionals working in, or passionate about, supporting peoples mental health and well-being to become a PANDA Clinical Champion.

Clinical Champions are health professionals, researchers and clinical leaders who may or may not have their own lived experience of perinatal mental illness, who are interested in helping us shape the service system that provides care to the families who need it.

Through Clinical Champions, PANDA is offering health professionals an opportunity to broaden their impact and help to build a community of passionate clinical leaders who work in or interact with the field of perinatal mental health. 

Clinical Champions may be asked to consult on a range of PANDA outputs, from public health to service design and professional development. This program will also be part of further amplifying and strengthening Community Champion voices!

To get involved read the Call Out or register here.