Public Health

Public Health Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Mandatory requirements for health promotion, injury prevention, chronic disease prevention and cultural diversity include:

• Healthy Options WA: Food and Nutrition Policy for WA Health Services and Facilities - OD - 0627/15
• Smoke Free WA Health System Policy - OD - 0414/13
• Western Australian Health Promotion Strategic Framework 2012–2016

Communicable Disease Control

Management of Communicable Diseases
Mandatory requirements for prevention, identification, notification and control of communicable disease outbreaks include:

• Adoption by WA Health of 'Series of National Guidelines' (SoNGS) produced by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia for public health management of communicable diseases - OD - 0660/16
• Guidelines for exclusion of people with enteric infections and their contacts from work, school and child care settings - OD - 0645/16
• Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Gastroenteritis Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities - OD - 0465/13
• Public Health Follow-up of Sporadic Enteric Disease Notifications - OD - 0490/14
• Viral haemorrhagic fever response plan for Western Australia. 21 July 2015
• Westplan Human Epidemic

Infection Prevention and Control

Mandatory requirements for infection control include:

• Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Policy - MP - 0120/19
• Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance in Western Australia Policy - MP - 0108/19
• Infection Prevention and Control of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - OD - 0399/12
• Infection Prevention and Control of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) - OD - 0478/13
• Infection Prevention and Control of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - OD - 0646/16
• Insertion and Management of Peripheral Intravenous Cannulae in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - MP - 0038/16
• Microbiological Air Sampling of Operating Rooms in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - OD - 0610/15
• Prevention of Cross Infection in Diagnostic Ultrasound - OD - 0404/12
• Reprocessing of Infant Feeding Equipment in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - OD - 0369/12

Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus

Mandatory requirements for the prevention, identification, notification and control of sexually transmitted and blood-borne virus infections include:

• Interagency Management of Children Under 14 Who are Diagnosed With a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) - OD - 0296/10
• Management of Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids in the Healthcare Setting - OD - 0641/15
• Mandatory Testing of a Suspected Transferor for an Infectious Disease - OD - 0632/15
• Policy for Health Care Workers known to be Infected with Blood-borne Viruses - OD - 0394/12
• Protocol For Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (NPEP) To Prevent HIV In Western Australia - OD - 0077/07
• Provision of Sterile Needles and Syringes from Rural and Regional Hospitals to People Who Inject Drugs - OD - 0553/14
• The Operation and Maintenance of Needle and Syringe Vending Machines (NSVMS) - OD - 0554/14

Immunisation

Mandatory requirements for immunisation include:

• Guidelines for Department of Health Vaccination Programs – School and Community Health Immunisation - OD - 0415/13
• Health Care Worker Immunisation Policy - OD - 0388/12
• Influenza and Pertussis Vaccinations for Pregnant Women - OD - 0600/15
• Vaccine Cold Chain Guidelines - OD - 0355/11

Tuberculosis

Mandatory requirements for the prevention, identification, notification and control of tuberculosis include:

• Tuberculosis and Health Care Workers - OD - 0342/11

Environmental Health Management

Mandatory requirements for environmental health matters such as radiation safety, food and water safety, waste management, toxic hazards and legislative compliance include:

• Clinical and Related Waste Management Policy - OD - 0651/16

Disaster Preparedness and Management

Mandatory requirements for the prevention, preparedness, response to and recovery aspects of a health response to a major incident include:

• Emergency Management Policy - MP - 0073/17
• Radiation Safety - OD - 0453/13
• Westplan Heatwave

Medicines and Poisons Management

• Administration of Schedule 8 medicines to patients attending for emergencies - OD - 0142/08
• Cannabis-based Products for Medicinal Use - MP - 0039/16
• Code of practice for the handling of Schedule 8 medicines (drugs of addiction) in hospitals and nursing posts - OD - 0141/08
• Management of Community Program for Opioid Pharmacotherapy (CPOP) patients in a hospital setting - OD - 0598/15
• Management of Schedule 8 and Restricted Schedule 4 oral liquid medicines - OD - 0492/14
• Reporting of Schedule 4 Restricted and Schedule 8 Medicines Discrepancies Policy - MP - 0103/19
• Storage and recording of propofol - OD - 0529/14
• Storage and recording of Restricted Schedule 4 (S4R) medicines - OD - 0528/14

Regulatory

Mandatory requirements for all aspects of public health regulations such as reporting and legislative compliance include:

• Release of Human Tissue and Explanted Medical Devices - OD - 0398/12

Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

• About the Healthy Options WA Policy
• National strategy: National Tobacco Strategy 2012-2018
• Smoke Free WA Health System Policy and Guidelines
• Research and Evaluation Framework and Implementation Guide

Communicable Disease Control

• A practical guide to assist in the management of influenza outbreaks in residential care facilities in Australia, May 2009
• Roles and responsibilities in the control of communicable disease and health care associated infections
• Series of National Guidelines’ (SoNGs) produced by the Communicable Diseases Control Network of Australia for public health management of communicable diseases, including, but not limited to: Measles, Hepatitis A, Rabies and ABL, Pertussis, Avian Influenza, Dengue fever, Ebolavirus disease, Invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b infection, Hendra virus, Hepatitis C, HIV infection, Invasive meningococcal disease, Legionellosis, MERS- Coronavirus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Psittacosis, Syphilis, Trachoma and Tuberculosis
• Surveillance Case Definitions for Notifiable Infectious Diseases and Related Conditions in Western Australia, July 2013
• Fit testing and fit checking of particulate filter respirators (masks) in Western Australian Healthcare Facilities - IC 0142/13
• Case Management Program guidelines, 2012. A Program for individuals with HIV who knowingly expose others to the risk of infection
• The Australian Immunisation Handbook, 10th edition. 2013

Environmental Health Management

• Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
• Code of Practice for Radiation Protection in the Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiation
• Guidelines for Legionella control in the operation and maintenance of water distribution systems in health and aged care facilities
• Guidelines for the Environmental Health Investigation of a Food-borne Disease Outbreak
• The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
• The Skin Penetrations Code of Practice

Disaster Preparedness and Management

• Guidelines for Working in Heat - IC 0136/13
• Training requirements for hospital response teams and emergency management personnel - IC 0170/13
• Guidelines for concerts, events and organised gatherings

Genomics and Screening

• Western Australian Rare Diseases Strategic Framework 2015-2018

Medications and Poisons Management

• Clinical policies and procedures for the use of methadone and buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid dependence – 3rd Edition
• Schedule 8 prescribing Code
• Stimulant Prescribing Code

Public Health Regulatory

• Direct Transfer of the Body of a Deceased Person into the Hands of Relatives - no longer applicable, abolished on the 27 February 2019
• Notifications of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease - IC 0236/15 - No longer applicable, abolished on the 18 December 2018