Infection Prevention Helpline
- GP Respiratory Clinics
- Priority Primary Care Centres
- Victorian HIV and Hepatitis Integrated Training and Learning (VHHITAL)
- Infection Prevention Helpline
- Carer Awareness in General Practice
- Accelerated uptake of Hepatitis C medicines
- Community led cancer screening
- Lymphoedema Primary Care Capacity Building
- Optimal Care Pathways
- Optimal Care Pathways – Oesophagogastric Cancer OCP
- Optimal Care Pathways – Prostate Cancer
- Place-based Suicide Prevention
- Statewide Paediatric HealthPathways Project
To access the service, call 1800 312 968 or 03 9956 1046 between 9am – 5pm weekdays, or click here for help.
Update - Infection Prevention Helpline will cease on 30 September 2023
The Infection Prevention and Control Helpline (the Helpline), funded by the Victorian Department of Health, was made available in June 2021, to ensure patient and staff safety was maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since launch, the Helpline, delivered by the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), has assisted 630 health professionals, with guidance, tips and strategies to improve their infection prevention and control (IPC) processes. Now that COVID infections no longer warrant an emergency response and primary care providers are proficient in IPC processes, the dedicated Helpline will cease on 30 September 2023.
Victorian pharmacies, general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations can continue to access the dedicated Helpline for free until then, by calling 1800 312 968 or 03 9956 1046 between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
From 01 October 2023, members of APNA can continue to seek support directly via the APNA Nurse Support Line: https://www.apna.asn.au/membership/member-benefits/nurse-support. Non members should reach out to their local PHN if in need of further IPC support. The following resources are also available:
- RACGP Infection prevention and control guidelines for general practices and other office-based and community-based practices (the IPC guidelines)
https://www.racgp.org.au/running-a-practice/practice-standards/racgp-infection-prevention-and-control-guidelines.
This resource draws upon RACGP standards for general practices. Fifth edition. - Victorian Department of Health COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/covid-19-infection-prevention-control-guidelines
- VICNISS eLearning modules
https://www.vicniss.org.au/department-of-health-resources/infection-prevention-control-elearning-modules/ - Victorian HealthPathways – infection prevention and control sites (requires registration)
- Murray Infection Prevention and Control – Community HealthPathways Murray: https://murray.communityhealthpathways.org/
- Melbourne Infection Prevention and Control – Community HealthPathways Melbourne: https://melbourne.communityhealthpathways.org/
- Western Victoria Infection Prevention and Control – Community HealthPathways Western Victoria
https://westvic.communityhealthpathways.org/
Unsure/still can’t find what you are looking for? Further resources including fact sheets and webinar content are available here: https://www.apna.asn.au/nursing-tools/clinical-resource-information/infection-prevention-helpline. Note this weblink will be updated after 30 September 2023.
The service aims to:
- Provide an infection prevention and control advisory service for primary care services wishing to review or upgrade infection control practices – or simply ask a question
- Help practices reassure patients and their communities of the safety and importance of regular health screening, which is significantly down due to COVID-19
- Facilitate increased primary care access and keep our health workforce safe.
Some examples of services provided:
- Guidance with sterilisation processes
- Strategies for reducing patient wait-times indoors and reducing inside contact
- Cleaning tips for high-touch areas and washing of scrubs
- Improvements in infection control processes
- Infection prevention and vaccinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Helpline team members will answer questions from callers and include those answers in the FAQ. Over time, as more people call the helpline, the list of FAQs will grow. To access the FAQ click here.
Webinars and resources
Infection prevention information and support for community pharmacies
Infection prevention when spirometry testing
Murray PHN has collaborated with the National Asthma Council to provide the following educational clip which promotes the latest guidelines in relation to infection prevention when spirometry testing. Spirometry testing is not advised if there are community cases and during times of peak COVID risk. Please refer to nationalasthma.org.au for the latest advice.
ACCHO infection prevention advice
Murray PHN worked with the First Nations’ owned production company, Little Rocket, to create a new video that focuses on information and support specifically for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) to help keep their workforces safe. It outlines everyday actions that staff can take for reception areas, home visits and car travel.
More videos
Infection control videos by Margaret Jennings
For a range of recorded educational webinars and a comprehensive toolbox series click here.
Topics include protocols for administration staff in general practice and pharmacy, alternatives to staff tea rooms, cleaning tips and personal safety checks and measures for staff and patients.
As part of this series, a car cleaning protocol as also been developed. Click here to download.
Videos for all staff
- Hand rub
- How to get the most out of your surgical mask
- Wearing and cleaning your face shield
- About air flow
- Patients handing paper over
- Cleaning high touch surfaces
Videos for clinical staff
APNA infection prevention webinar series
COVID Safe Vaccination Clinics Webinar
This webinar was held on Thursday, 22 July 2021.
Resources
Top 10 Principles of Environmental Cleaning
This webinar was held on Wednesday, 28 July 2021.
Resources
Top Tips in the Principles of Sterilisation
This webinar was held on Thursday, 26 August 2021.
Resources
Top Tips on Understanding the Tier System
This webinar was held on Thursday, 23 September 2021.
Resources
The Principles of Infection Prevention and Control in Wound Care
This webinar was held on Thursday, 28 October 2021.
Resources
COVID-19: What Now?
This webinar was held on Wednesday, 8 December 2021.
Resources
APNA infection prevention podcasts
Hear about the Infection Prevention Helpline on APNA’s Nursing Australia podcast.
Resources
Online resources
- Infection prevention control resources – Victorian Department of Health
- COVID-19 infection control guidelines – Victorian Department of Health
- COVIDSafe workplaces – Victorian Government
- Australian Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines – Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare – Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Training resources
Infection Prevention – Spirometry testing – National Asthma Council
Victorian HealthPathways
HealthPathways aims to guide best-practice assessment and management of common medical conditions, including when and where to refer patients, with guidance on what information is needed. It also includes helpful information and advice on other clinical areas of concern such as infection prevention and control. It’s free for health professionals to use. Contact your local HealthPathways team for more information.
HealthPathways Melbourne
HealthPathways Western Victoria
Murray HealthPathways
Gippsland HealthPathways
South Eastern Melbourne Pathways
Project Contacts
Murray PHN
Donna Dullard
Infection Prevention and Control Project Coordinator
Ph: 03 4408 5602
Gippsland PHN
Bernadette Heaton-Harris
Coordination Regional Services (Bass Coast/South Gippsland)
Ph: 03 5175 5444
South Eastern Melbourne PHN
Campbell Rule
Manager – Provider Support
Ph: 1300 331 981
Eastern Melbourne PHN
Kathy Tepper
Lead – Sector Capacity and Workforce
Ph: 03 9046 0300
Western Victoria PHN
Clair McDonald
Senior Manager Wimmera Grampians
Ph: 03 4310 5105
North Western Melbourne PHN
Christine Ferlazzo
Project Manager, Vaccine Preventable Conditions
Ph: 03 9347 1188