Availability and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
It is important to note that PPE stockpiled by the Australian Government and state and territory Health Departments is limited. Decisions regarding the use of items stockpiled in the National Medical Stockpile (NMS) will be made on the advice of the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) based on risk of exposure and availability of supply.
PPE will be prioritised to frontline health care workers who:
- work in a service that forms part of the health sector response sanctioned by the state or territory health department, and
- provide direct clinical or personal care to suspect and confirmed cases of pandemic influenza, and
- are considered to be at high risk of exposure to the pandemic influenza virus.
This may include:
- health care professionals working in flu clinics or emergency departments
- a general practitioner who is a designated influenza service
- a general practitioner providing care in areas with no flu clinics.
State and territory health departments will coordinate the distribution of personal protective equipment, using supplies deployed from jurisdictional stockpiles or from the National Medical Stockpile. State and territory pandemic plans will detail the arrangements for this.
Private hospitals should confirm with their respective state or territory health authorities their role in pandemic plans and if they form part of the sanctioned health sector response.
Primary care providers and their staff should practise using personal protective equipment and other infection control measures (such as providing surgical masks to coughing patients during the peak of the seasonal influenza in winter) to get systems up and running before a pandemic.
More information on the use of personal protective equipment in healthcare settings can be found in the
Interim Infection Control Guidelines for Pandemic Influenza in Healthcare and Community Settings.
This information is current for 03 September, 2010
This information was issued on 05 December, 2008
