Author Archives: James

APSAD 2013 Conference – Call for Symposia

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Call for Symposia is now open! Deadline is 1 April 2013!

www.apsadconference.com.au

The 2013 Scientific Program Committee invites the submission of abstracts for original work in consideration for symposia.

Click here to read the symposia submission guidelines and submit your abstract now

Please note the general call for abstracts will open on 11 March 2013.

Mark these key dates in your diary!

Call for symposia:
Now open!
Call for symposia closes:
1 April 2013
Call for abstracts opens:
11 March 2013
Call for abstracts close:
3 July 2013
Registration opens:
22 May 2013
Early bird registration deadline:
4 September 2013

Express your interest

Click here to express your interest in attending the Conference.

Address for communications

APSAD 2013 Conference Managers
arinex pty ltd
Address: S3, The Precinct, 12 Browning St
West End, Queensland 4101
Ph: (07) 3226 2800
Email: apsadconference
Website: www.apsadconference.com.au

Hep C Treatments listed on PBS

A bit late on this but worth posting anyway:

> THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
> Minister for Health
> MEDIA RELEASE
>
> Tuesday, 19 February, 2013
> Subsidy for groundbreaking hepatitis C treatments
>
> More than 130,000 patients will benefit from new and extended subsidies of important medicines each year through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
> Among the listings, announced today by Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek, are two groundbreaking new treatments for chronic hepatitis C.
> These breakthrough medicines represent new hope for patients with hepatitis C, Ms Plibersek said.
> In many cases, this virus can progress into life-threatening conditions such as liver failure and liver cancer.
> The Gillard government will provide more than $220 million over five years to subsidise boceprevir (Victrelis®) and telaprevir (Incivo®), for people at least 18 years old with a certain type of chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1).
> These medicines could double the cure rate and shorten the treatment duration by six months, Ms Plibersek said.
> As one of the most commonly reported notifiable diseases in Australia, hepatitis C represents a significant public health problem. It was estimated in 2011 that more than 300,000 Australians had been exposed to the hepatitis C virus and at least 220,000 were living with chronic hepatitis C.
> Unlike other types of hepatitis, there is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C and medication is the only way to manage the disease.
> Ms Plibersek said: Our decision to list boceprevir and telaprevir reflects the governments continuing commitment to patients and industry to consider and decide on high-cost listings within the timeframes agreed with Medicines Australia.
> Patients would have to pay up to $78,000 a year for these medicines without subsidised access through the PBS.
> In addition to the new treatments for hepatitis C, the government has also agreed to list an oral contraceptive, as well as treatments for Parkinson disease, for type 2 diabetes and for high cholesterol.
> The Government has also agreed to extend the PBS listing for an osteoporosis treatment, and to increase the price of nine other medicines for conditions including high blood pressure and inflammatory bowel disease.
> All PBS listings and price changes are subject to final arrangements being met by the suppliers of the medicines. >
> Further information:
>
> New listings in full:
> boceprevir (Victrelis®) and telaprevir (Incivo®) — for people at least 18 years old with a certain type of chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1).
> levonorgestrel with 20 mg ethinyloestradiol (Femme-Tab ED®) — for use as an oral contraceptive.
> rotigotine (Neupro®) — for the treatment of Parkinson disease as additional therapy for patients being treated with other medicine for this condition.
> sitagliptin with simvastatin (Juvicor®) — for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. > Extended listing in full:
> strontium ranelate (Protos®) – for the treatment of osteoporosis – the listing will be extended to include male patients at least 70 years of age with a certain bone mineral density. > Price increases in full:
> aciclovir (Zovirax®) – for the treatment of herpes simplex virus infections of the eye.
> benzylpenicillin (BenPen®) – for the treatment of serious bacterial infections.
> carmellose (Aquae®) and hypromellose (Aquae Gel®) – for the treatment of dry mouth in the palliative care setting.
> erythromycin (E‒Mycin®) – for the treatment of respiratory tract infections. > hydralazine (Alphapress®) – for the treatment of high blood pressure.
> hydrocortisone (Colifoam®) – for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
> nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin®) – for the treatment of urinary tract infections. > sucralfate (Ulcyte®) – for the treatment of stomach ulcers. >
> For media enquiries, please call the Minister’s office on 02 62 777220 >

Alcohol issues on The Conversation website.

From ADCA:

The Conversation websites recent postings from experts in the Australian AOD sector

Rob Moodie / A brief history of alcohol consumption in Australiahttps://theconversation.edu.au/a-brief-history-of-alcohol-consumption-in-australia-10580

Steve Allsop / Social acceptance of alcohol allows us to ignore its harms https://theconversation.edu.au/social-acceptance-of-alcohol-allows-us-to-ignore-its-harms-10045

Robin Room / My drinking, your problem : alcohol hurts non-drinkers too https://theconversation.edu.au/my-drinking-your-problem-alcohol-hurts-non-drinkers-too-12424

AOD Clearinghouse

National Drugs Sector Information Service

Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia

PO Box 269 WODEN ACT 2606

Ph: 02 6215 9899 or 02 6215 9800

Fax: 02 6282 7364

http://ndsis.adca.org.au

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD Worker Survey

To Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers

Currently, there are no professional bodies specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers.

At both the inaugural and second National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conferences, a large proportion of delegates expressed the view that there was the need for a professional body to be established. Accordingly, NIDAC undertook at the most recent Conference to explore this further with the sector via a consultation survey.

NIDAC is therefore running a survey on the establishment of a professional body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD workers. Please tell us your views by accessing the survey here.

The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete and will be open until April 1, 2013.

Further information about NIDAC is available here.

Jobs: Registered Nurse Positions in Sydney and Newcastle

Are you a Registered Nurse experienced in the AOD field and looking to expand your career? Do you want to be part of exciting new initiatives for individuals on opioid substitution treatment (OST)?

WHOS (We Help Ourselves) based in NSW and QLD, caters for individuals who are experiencing difficulties with Alcohol and other drug dependence.

We are looking for experienced, enthusiastic and motivated Registered Nurses to join WHOS multidisciplinary teams in Sydney and Newcastle to be part of new and exciting initiatives

WHOS is recruiting to the following new full time positions for Registered Nurses;

Registered Nurse for WHOS Opioid Treatment Program – WHOS Sydney

  • Registered Nurse experienced in dispensing opioid substitution treatment (OST) in a clinic environment and liaising with OTP providers in the community
  • An opportunity to be part of the setting up of WHOS OTP Dispensing Service onsite at WHOS Sydney site in Rozelle

Multidisciplinary Care Coordination Nurse (RN) – WHOS Newcastle

  • Registered Nurse experienced working with OST clients and supervisory roles to have an integral role in the establishment of the new WHOS Day Program to be based in Newcastle and to strengthen links with local stakeholders to increase continuity of care for OST clients in the Hunter New England Local Health District

Remuneration negotiable based on experience and qualifications conditions as per Nurses Award 2010.

An application package can be obtained from:

Carolyn Stubley – WHOS RTOD Nurse Manager

02 85747471 or by email request to carolyns\

Sport Stars ‘Say Enough’ To Binge Drinking In New Video

SPORT STARS ‘SAY ENOUGH’ TO BINGE DRINKING IN NEW VIDEO (FED)

The Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking initiative has today launched a new video featuring some of Australia’s leading sporting stars who are ‘strong enough to say enough’ to binge drinking. The Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking initiative, part of the National Binge Drinking Strategy, is a sponsorship partnership between the Australian Government and 14 national sporting organisations, including Netball Australia, the Football Federation of Australia and Swimming Australia, that aims to address binge drinking and the influence of alcohol promotion on young Australians. These partnerships provide an alternative to alcohol sponsorship that enables sporting organisations to provide environments, from national to community level, that are free of alcohol promotion and messaging.

Alcohol Producers’ Influence On Public Health: Statement of Concern

APPEAL TO GLOBAL HEALTH COMMUNITY

 

“STATEMENT OF CONCERN” ABOUT THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY IN PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

 

On October 8, 2012, thirteen of world’s largest alcohol producers issued a set of commitments to reduce the harmful use of alcohol worldwide.  The commitments were issued in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

 

An independent coalition of public health professionals, health scientists and NGO representatives has written a public “Statement of Concern” that is addressed to the WHO Director General in response to the recent initiatives of the global alcohol producers. The Statement documents the alcohol industry’s lack of support for effective alcohol policies, their misinterpretation of the Global Strategy’s provisions, and their lobbying against effective public health measures.  The coalition is seeking 500 endorsements from the global health community.

 

Qualified professionals throughout the world are being asked to review the Statement of Concern (http://www.globalgapa.org/) and indicate their endorsement by sending an email to the office of the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) at gapa@ias.org.uk.

 

Consultation on Drug and Alcohol Issues in Sydney

Associate Professor Ted Wilkes, Chair of the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee (NIDAC), extends an invitation to people working within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drugs sector to attend a:

 

Consultation on

Drug and Alcohol Issues

in Sydney

 

On Thursday 7 March, 2013

9.00am – 11.00am

(Arrival tea and coffee from 8.30am, morning tea provided at 10.00am)

 

To be held at Rydges World Square,

389 Pitt Street, Sydney.

NIDAC is seeking views from non-government, community based, government, education, health and law enforcement staff on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drugs issues in New South Wales.

This is your chance to have your voice heard on issues that are important to you, your organisation and your community. The forum aims to be a collage of opinions, ideas and resolutions across a range of areas. The conclusions from the forum will be reported in the NIDAC communiqué which is sent to a number of key decision makers and stakeholders and placed on the NIDAC website.

As the leading voice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and drug policy advice, NIDAC provides advice to the government, based on its collective expertise and knowledge from those working in the field, health professionals and other relevant experts.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to other relevant people.

 

RSVP by COB Friday 1 March, 2013

Tel: (02) 6166 9600  I  Fax: (02) 6162 2611  I  Email: nidac@ancd.org.au

 

ADCA on Indigenous Incarceration

TIME TO END DECADES OF INDECISION OVER INDIGENOUS INCARCERATION

“It’s time for all governments to address more public health focused approaches to handling growth in Indigenous prison populations,” according to the President of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), Dr Mal Washer MP.

“Alternatives have existed for years,” Dr Washer said, “and we need to act on them without any further deliberation by committees, working groups or parliamentary inquiries.”

Dr Washer was speaking after today’s release of the report, An Economic Analysis for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Offenders; Prisons vs Residential Treatment,commissioned by the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) and the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee (NIDAC). The report says greater investment in drug and alcohol treatment will reduce the ever-increasing number of Indigenous people in prisons.

“It’s clearly wrong that the same group that makes up only 2.5 per cent of our people accounts for more than a quarter of Australia’s adult prison population. We need rehabilitation programs to keep Indigenous people out of Australia’s 115 correctional facilities – to prevent their getting caught up in the endless round of recidivism and attendant drug and health problems,” Dr Washer said.

The report by Deloitte Access Economics identifies annual savings in excess of $111,000 per prisoner if they can be diverted to rehabilitation programs rather than being incarcerated. That’s in addition to a more than $92,000 per offender saved in the long term due to lower mortality and a better health regime.

Dr Washer cited the US where prisons in Texas are closing partly due to a shift in policy that favours rehabilitation programs over prison sentences. “Only weeks ago, it was reported that the new approach had led to 10,000 vacancies in Texas prisons.

“We have known this to be the case for years. As the so-called War on Drugs has shown to be an abject failure after more than three decades, so too has the lock-em-upmentality where Indigenous justice is concerned.”

ADCA CEO David Templeman says that with our prisons overflowing – largely with people convicted of non-violent crimes yet suffering from serious drug and alcohol problems – it is surely time to turn against the tide of imprisonment and embrace a meaningful policy of care, treatment and rehabilitation.

 

Jobs: Coordinator Blood Borne Virus Program Prevention – NSW

Position Title  Coordinator Blood Borne Virus Program Prevention

 

Employment Status  Permanent Full Time

 

Entity Western NSW Local Health District

 

Geographical Location  Site negotiable

 

Award Classification  Dependent on qualifications

 

Salary   $1,011.70 – $1,497.80

 

 

Purpose of Position 

The Coordinator, Blood Borne Virus (BBV) prevention program is responsible for planning,  coordinating , implementing and evaluating of the blood borne virus prevention program in Western NSW Local Health District (WNSW LHD) and Far West Local Health District (FW LHD). This includes involvement in harm minimisation, health promotion BBV prevention activities, needle syringe program (NSP), community sharps disposal, hepatitis C, HIV and sexual health.

Selection Criteria

  • Relevant tertiary qualifications (Bachelor degree or equivalent)
  • Demonstrated knowledge of injecting drug use issues, needle syringe program (NSP) and blood borne viruses (BBV) including Hepatitis C treatment
  • Understanding of national strategies and state and Local Health District policies and practices in relation to NSP, harm minimisation and blood borne virus (BBV) prevention
  • Proven ability to work with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders in government and non-government sectors
  • Previous experience in planning, implementation and evaluation of community development and health development programs
  • Highly developed communication skills including computer literacy in Word processing, presentations, data entry, report writing, minutes, e-mail and internet
  • Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively in a team environment.
  • Evidence of a current Class C drivers licence to undertake travel for work purposes.

Contact Person 

Angela Parker

0263707805

angela.parker@gwahs.health.nsw.gov.au

 

for further information, please click here: https://nswhealth.erecruit.com.au/ViewPosition.aspx?Id=120797