Monovalent vs Bivalent Vaccines for COVID-19
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised the Australian Government regarding the use of new monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5 vaccines for eligible recipients. The new monovalent vaccines will be available from 11 December 2023, coinciding with the expected rise in COVID-19 cases over the holiday period. With a relatively large number of people with […]
Elective surgery backlog causing long waiting times
Public sector elective surgery waiting times are at the highest level in 20 years despite an increase in surgeries performed in the past year. Elective surgery waiting times were at the highest level in 20 years during 2022–23 as public hospitals worked to catch up following pandemic-related delays that arose due to disruptions in the […]
‘It’s the old people’: Why enrolled nurses (ENs) belong in aged care
Last year (2022), just two weeks out from Christmas, Tasmanian enrolled nurse Julie Wicks and dozens of her colleagues working across Southern Cross Care’s aged care facilities were asked to front up to a Monday morning meeting over Skype. Shock quickly spread after staff learned about plans to make all ENs redundant, meaning they wouldn’t […]