Dear friend
I am very proud to announce the launch our new website at www.alsnswact.org.au.
Last year the ALS Board and staff agreed our website required a makeover. It needed to be more user friendly, easier to navigate, and with more information that is relevant and current. The result is a brand new website which now meets the needs of ALS staff and our community.
Some of the features on the new website include:
there is a news panel on the front page for up-to-date information on the ALS and our community;
we now have a job vacancy page;
we have a page inviting the broader community to donate to the ALS as a Public Benevolent Institution;
our office details are easily located;
our ALS history is on the site;
we have Community Legal Education resources and films on our site for viewing;
plus many more features!
The website displays photos of our wonderful staff and volunteers as we feel it is important for people using our service to know who will be assisting them.
The new website reflects who we are, our strength and our survival. I am pleased with the new website as I hope you will be when visiting www.alsnswact.org.au.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the new website, have some news you want to put on the site, or have seen something that should really not be there, please don’t hesitate to contact Kate Finlayson on 8303 6699 or 0418 254 237. All of your comments are invited and welcome!
Regards,
Gerry Moore
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE
(NSW/ACT) LIMITED
WAMS will be closing from Thursday 22 December and returning Tuesday 3 January.
New processes for Aboriginal people in NSW seeking financial support
for funeral services
As of July 1 2011, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) and Aboriginal Affairs NSW (AANSW) have pooled funeral assistance funding, which will now be administered by the NSWALC. Aboriginal people will now be able to make a single application for financial assistance, depending on eligibility and available funds. All applications must be approved by NSWALC in order to receive final payment. NSWALC will process all applications using the existing NSWALC application form, which may be downloaded at www.alc.org.au.
For further information, please contact the NSWALC Funeral Grants
Hotline on (02) 9689 4470 or Free-call 1800 647 487.
Funeral Grant NSWALC Claim Form [PDF]
Situation update
• There are signs of increasing influenza activity in parts of NSW and elsewhere in Australia.
• Three influenza virus strains (pandemic A(H1N1), seasonal A(H3N2) and B) circulated during the northern
hemisphere winter and all three are likely to also circulate in Australia during the 2011 winter flu season.
• Influenza viruses characterized to date are well matched to the three viruses in the current vaccine.
Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service’s Healthy for Life team present “Deadly Girls” Exercise classes for women ONLY!
TUESDAYS AT 3.30pm
WALGETT DISTRICT SPORTING CLUB
STARTING 14TH JUNE 2011
ANYONE WANTING TO ATTEND MUST HAVE COMPLETED PRE EXERCISE SCREENING BEFORE STARTING SO DROP INTO WAMS OR CALL 6828 1611 AND ASK FOR SARAH OR ROS FOR MORE INFORMATION
Download Flyer (PDF)
Communications material regarding rotavirus and intussusception from the Department of Health and Aging.
Recently, Professor Jim Bishop, in his capacity as Australia’s Chief Medical Officer wrote to all general practitioners regarding new information about rotavirus vaccination and intussusception. A copy of the letter is enclosed for your information. Read Full Communication (PDF)
Flu Vaccination has shown to be an effective way of preventingthe flu virus and other related illnesses especially those at high risk, this includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 15…Find out more – Download/View PDF.
NSW is currently experiencing a significant measles outbreak and I am seeking your assistance in preventing the spread of measles by checking that all children in your centre are fully vaccinated.
I would be grateful if you could undertake the following actions as soon as possible, consistent with the NSW Public Health Act 1991:
1. Ensure that your childcare centre has a system to rapidly identify children for whom an immunisation history statement has not been provided.
2. Request that parents who have not provided an immunisation history statement do so as soon as possible.
3. Inform parents about the current outbreak and advise that if they have not provided an immunisation history statement, their child may be excluded from the centre if a case of measles is detected.
Parents can obtain an immunisation history statement by contacting Medicare Australia on 1800 653 809 or by visiting their local Medicare office.
Please use the letter attached as the basis of information provided to parents.
In addition, the National Health and Medical Research Council recommends vaccination with MMR for childcare workers and preschool staff who are not immune to measles. Many adults who were born during or after 1966 will not be immune unless they have received two doses of vaccine. I recommend that you encourage your staff who may not be immune to see their GP for vaccination.
Your local public health unit contact details are available on the attached documents.
A measles fact sheet is available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/measles.html
Import Information for childcare centre directors (DOWNLOAD PDF)
Important information for parents of children at childcare (DOWNLOAD PDF)
Key points for GPs
- MEASLES in patients presenting with a febrile rash illness
- Isolate suspected cases
- Call the public health unit and arrange urgent tests
In the past four weeks NSW Health has been notified of 29 cases of measles in metropolitan and regional areas of NSW. Only seven of these of these cases were associated with travellers returning from overseas.
Who is at risk of measles?
- Children or adults born during or since 1966 unless they have received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or had confirmed measles in the past.
- Adults and children planning or returning from overseas travel who have not received two doses
Details: Download (PDF)
AS per the NH&MRC it is recommended that the following people be immunised:
Influenza vaccine is strongly recommended for the following:
- Everyone aged 65 years and older
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and older
- Pregnant women
- Everyone from six months of age with a medical condition that increases the risk of influenza complications such as:
- Heart disease
- Chronic lung and kidney disease
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Diabetes, low immunity and other chronic illnesses requiring regular medical follow-up or hospitalisation
- Residents in nursing homes and long term care facilities
- Staff, volunteers and frequent visitors to a hospital, long term care facility or nursing home
- A person living or caring for someone who has a chronic illness or is aged
- People providing essential services
- Workers in other industries
- Workers in the commercial poultry industry
- Travelers visiting parts of the world where flu is circulating or travelling in a group.
If you would like to have this vaccine – please come in and see me on Tuesdays when I conduct my immunisation clinic – if you are unable to come on a Tuesday, email or come and speak with me and I am more than happy to come to your office at a designated time to vaccinate you.
Please spread the word around to your family and friends so I can immunise as many people as possible before I commence my maternity leave in April.
Regards
Skye Duncan
Health Service Co-ordinator H4L (RN)
Background
Murray valley encephalitis (MVE) has been detected in sentinel chickens in the Macquarie Marshes area in Western NSW. This indicates that the virus is currently circulating in mosquito populations in this region. People most at risk include residents of and recent visitors to this area. The incubation period is between 5 ? 26 days.
Read the full report (PDF)
What are sentinal chickens?
Sentinel chickens are used to help researchers monitor certain viruses in different communities. They place the chickens in several places in a county and test their blood regularly for certain antibodies. This helps public health researchers to determine what types of viruses are present in the environment at that point in time. Source
Guide Dogs of NSW / ACT have advised they offer the following free of charge to visually impaired clients whose vision impacts on their mobility:
- Long cane with ball’s
- Support canes
- Electronic aids eg: GPS, mini guide that can be attached to walking frames
- Dog’s (as long as clients qualify and are suitable)
- Face to face assistance to build up clients confidence
- In-house workshops for clients ie: long cane training
- Tactile mapping workshops, can also provide tactile maps of towns
- GPS workshops
- KMFB workshops – (you can take a photo of a document with a mobile phone and the phone will read the document to you), eg: useful if clients go out to restaurants
Any one can refer clients to this service as long as the client is happy to be referred, name and contact details are all that is required Guide Dogs of NSW / ACT also do in-services for organizations to raise awareness of the services and common eye disease.
Contact number: 02 6362 6625 (Orange)
Gavin: 0488 090 712
www.guidedogs.com.au
