Category HNE LHD
World Antibiotic Awareness Week at HNE Local Health District 18/11/25
Please join us! Tuesday zoom link Wednesday zoom link Thursday zoom link Friday afternoon registration link
Can I safely delabel a patient with a penicillin “allergy” history? The HNE PEN-fast scoring approach
Further to Professor Jason Trubiano’s instructive post last year concerning penicillin allergy and its risks of recurrence, here is the HNE approach to using the PEN_fast score (that his team developed and validated). This approach is increasingly used across Australia and the world to screen patients and determine whether an allergy alert can be safely […]
Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic (eTG) update from March 2025 – my practice-changing take homes
Guess posting from Dr Catherine Berry, Antimicrobial Stewardship Physician, Hunter New England Health, Staff Specialist, Infectious Diseases, John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer, School of Medicine & Public Health, University of Newcastle . This update has been a big one – the first substantial update since 2019. There is a lot to take in and a comprehensive […]
Preoperative nasal screening for Staph. aureus carriage and load reduction (HNE LHD) 2024 update
Indications for preoperative screening for Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA or MRSA) nasal carriage and preoperative staphylococcal load reduction (HNE LHD): Open cardiac and valve procedures Shoulder, hip or knee joint total arthroplasties: primary or revision procedures Aortic work (stent and open) and all lower limb open surgery for vascular reconstructions (bypass, endarterectomy). Iliac stents (as they […]
2023: Essential clinical care of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (SAB)
HNELHD_CG_23_44_Staphylococcus_aureus_bacteraemia_Mgmt Key clinical care required for all patients with SAB 1. Commence intravenous (IV) high dose flucloxacillin AND vancomycin (unless allergies) immediately, pending results of S.aureus PCR testing or susceptibilities. 2. Remove any removable foci of infection (change IV lines, drain abscesses). 3. Evaluate for complicated SAB using the criteria defined below (section 2.3). 4. […]
Antibiograms for HNELHD 2022
Collated antibiograms compiled by Dr Rob George, Pathology NSW are now available via the HNE intranet at this location . This is the summary report : Antibiograms_2022_-_HNE_LHD
Antimicrobial resistance awareness week 2023 – short presentations
Presented between November 18-24th : Oral is the New IV presented by Professor Josh Davis and Ms Kristi Kozierowski (AMS pharmacist, John Hunter Hospital): Oral is the New IV_JHH Davis 2023 Oral is the new IV – 2023 – KK Antibiograms presented by Dr Rob George (Microbiologist, Pathology NSW) Are we looking after our antibiotics in Hunter […]
Preoperative nasal screening for Staph. aureus carriage and load reduction (HNE LHD)
Indications for preoperative screening for Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA or MRSA) nasal carriage and preoperative staphylococcal load reduction (HNE LHD): Open cardiac and valve procedures Shoulder, hip or knee joint total arthroplasties: primary or revision procedures Aortic work (stent and open) and all lower limb open surgery for vascular reconstructions (bypass, endarterectomy). Iliac stents (as they […]
Piperacillin+tazobactam shortage – recommended alternatives – HNELHD
SITUATION Due to a global shortage, many Hunter New England Local Health District sites have low supplies of piperacillin+tazobactam with shortages likely until after September. It is essential that further use of this agent is conserved as below. Amoxycillin+clavulanate is now available in a parenteral form and is a suitable option in many circumstances, contingent on local […]
Sparing fluoroquinolones – alternative safe and effective options by syndrome and bug
Fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and moxifloxacin) have serious potential side effects, and are best used only for directed therapy of serious multi-resistant Gram negative infections where no other safer alternatives are available. 14 of our 32 hospital facilities in HNELHD overuse these agents with 2016 average FQ usage above our current benchmark of 30 defined daily doses per 1000 patient-days. […]
AIMED - Let's talk about antibiotics 