❓ Hon Giz Watson raises concerns about increasing STI rates in WA and questions the government's response, workforce development strategies, and specialist training. The government outlines its comprehensive approach, current staffing levels, and plans for addressing the issue, including potential amendments to the Poisons Act.
AnsweredQoN 1147Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The recent evaluation of the Western Australian Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Action Plans and Aboriginal Sexual Health Strategy 2006 - 2008 (Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health for the Western Australian Department of Health, 2009) (the report) highlighted many issues in sexual health for Western Australians. I ask -
(1) According to the report, Western Australia has an increasing trend for the annual number of diagnosis of HIV infections, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis, how is the Government responding to this?
(2) How many public sector sexual health physician positions are currently funded?
(3) How is the Government responding to the recommendations of the report?
(4) In particular, how is the Government responding to the recommendation to continue to progress workforce development strategies, including an emphasis on -
(a) training and education of general practitioners, nurses, Aboriginal health workers in management of STIs;
(b) expansion of the role of nurses in management of STIs;
(c) amendment of the
Poisons Act 1964
to enable the creation of advanced sexual health nurses positions; and
(d) expanding training positions for specialists in clinical immunology, sexual health and infectious diseases.
(1) According to the report, Western Australia has an increasing trend for the annual number of diagnosis of HIV infections, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis, how is the Government responding to this?
(2) How many public sector sexual health physician positions are currently funded?
(3) How is the Government responding to the recommendations of the report?
(4) In particular, how is the Government responding to the recommendation to continue to progress workforce development strategies, including an emphasis on -
(a) training and education of general practitioners, nurses, Aboriginal health workers in management of STIs;
(b) expansion of the role of nurses in management of STIs;
(c) amendment of the
Poisons Act 1964
to enable the creation of advanced sexual health nurses positions; and
(d) expanding training positions for specialists in clinical immunology, sexual health and infectious diseases.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 September 2009
Responded by
Minister for Transport representing the Minister for Health
Response time
28 days
(1) The WA Department of Health has employed a comprehensive and tailored approach in responding to the increasing rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. This includes:
Universal and targeted health education and promotion;
Re-orientation of clinical services to improve access to testing and treatment of HIV and STI;
Evaluation of interventions and investment;
Regular and timely epidemiology reports circulated to service providers and sector partners to inform service planning and response;
Sustained partnership approach with affected communities, clinical services, non- government organisations and researchers in the development and evaluation of interventions and services;
Multidisciplinary workforce development initiatives; and
Targeted programs for priority populations, such as men who have sex with men, youth, the Aboriginal population, sex workers and injecting drug users.
(2) There are 2.0 FTE sexual health physicians employed by the Department of Health and based in metropolitan Area Health Services. These are supported by one full time training registrar and sessional consultants, resident medical officers and GPs.
(3) The Department of Health, through the WA Committee for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, is currently developing an STI Model of Care implementation plan 2009 - 2014. This process is complemented by a regional service planning approach to:
Assign clear responsibility to lead and partner agencies;
Define key performance indicators and measure of achievement to measure the success of the Plan;
Identify linkages among related National and State Implementation plans; and
Increase community awareness and knowledge of STIs and the capacity to reduce the risk of transmission.
(4) A range of on-going and new workforce development issues are planned for 2009/10 including:
(a) General Practitioners, nurses and Aboriginal health workers:
A chlamydia partner notification training program for General Practitioners;
On-going clinical placement for General Practitioners at Royal Perth Hospital and Fremantle Hospital Sexual Health Clinics;
An on-line contact tracing module for nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers is under development and will be piloted during 2009;
Nurse and GP theory and clinical training is provided by Family Planning WA (FPWA);
An on-line orientation training program for the sexual health services for nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers in rural and remote regions is under development (to complement a self directed, hard copy resource);
Indigenous sexual health educators program at FPWA; and
Clinical placement for rural and remote nurses at the Fremantle Hospital Sexual Health Clinic.
(b) Expansion of the sexual health clinical role of nurses has the support from the sexual health service sector. The creation of an Advanced Sexual Health Nurse role and provision of appropriate training is predicated on amendment of the
Poisons Act 1964
.
(c) The Department is currently examining options to amend the
Poison Act 1964
Regulations to enable registered nurses to give Schedule 4 drugs under a standing medical order.
(d) The Department of Health is not increasing training positions for specialists in clinical immunology, sexual health or infectious diseases.
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Universal and targeted health education and promotion;
Re-orientation of clinical services to improve access to testing and treatment of HIV and STI;
Evaluation of interventions and investment;
Regular and timely epidemiology reports circulated to service providers and sector partners to inform service planning and response;
Sustained partnership approach with affected communities, clinical services, non- government organisations and researchers in the development and evaluation of interventions and services;
Multidisciplinary workforce development initiatives; and
Targeted programs for priority populations, such as men who have sex with men, youth, the Aboriginal population, sex workers and injecting drug users.
(2) There are 2.0 FTE sexual health physicians employed by the Department of Health and based in metropolitan Area Health Services. These are supported by one full time training registrar and sessional consultants, resident medical officers and GPs.
(3) The Department of Health, through the WA Committee for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, is currently developing an STI Model of Care implementation plan 2009 - 2014. This process is complemented by a regional service planning approach to:
Assign clear responsibility to lead and partner agencies;
Define key performance indicators and measure of achievement to measure the success of the Plan;
Identify linkages among related National and State Implementation plans; and
Increase community awareness and knowledge of STIs and the capacity to reduce the risk of transmission.
(4) A range of on-going and new workforce development issues are planned for 2009/10 including:
(a) General Practitioners, nurses and Aboriginal health workers:
A chlamydia partner notification training program for General Practitioners;
On-going clinical placement for General Practitioners at Royal Perth Hospital and Fremantle Hospital Sexual Health Clinics;
An on-line contact tracing module for nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers is under development and will be piloted during 2009;
Nurse and GP theory and clinical training is provided by Family Planning WA (FPWA);
An on-line orientation training program for the sexual health services for nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers in rural and remote regions is under development (to complement a self directed, hard copy resource);
Indigenous sexual health educators program at FPWA; and
Clinical placement for rural and remote nurses at the Fremantle Hospital Sexual Health Clinic.
(b) Expansion of the sexual health clinical role of nurses has the support from the sexual health service sector. The creation of an Advanced Sexual Health Nurse role and provision of appropriate training is predicated on amendment of the
Poisons Act 1964
.
(c) The Department is currently examining options to amend the
Poison Act 1964
Regulations to enable registered nurses to give Schedule 4 drugs under a standing medical order.
(d) The Department of Health is not increasing training positions for specialists in clinical immunology, sexual health or infectious diseases.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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