An innovative trial will train staff at two Brimbank health centres in an effort to reduce the prevalence of hepatitis B and C in Melbourne’s west.
Brimbank, along with the cities of Maribyrnong, Hume and Melbourne, has some of the highest rates of viral hepatitis in Australia, according to the North Western Melbourne private health network (PHN).
The hepatitis virus leads to swelling of the liver and if left untreated, it can cause severe health problems and possibly death. PHN has committed $250,000 to six projects that will be rolled out this year in Melbourne’s north and west to try to combat the spread of the disease.
In Brimbank, a $46,000 project will be piloted at ICP Health’s (formerly ISIS Primary Care) St Albans and Deer Park centres that will train staff involved in needle and syringe programs to engage with drug users about preventing the spread of blood-borne diseases and what new hepatitis treatments are available.
The two centres offer a free needle exchange service.
PHN chief executive Christopher Carter said 41 per cent of all needles and syringes staff handed out were to people who inject drugs.
He said these staff were a “critical point of contact” between drug users and health providers.
“The project will help them to communicate effectively with people who inject drugs around safe injecting practices and disease transmission, and to raise awareness of new treatments that have up to a 95 per cent cure rate for most people living with hepatitis C,” adjunct associate professor Carter said.
The project will be steered by the Pennington Institute, a not-for-profit organisation that works with people and families affected by drug use.
Policy and research officer Tom Lyons, said often people tasked with giving out syringes were receptionists.
“This is a pretty innovative project, it hasn’t been attempted before,” he said. “Currently it’s a bit of a missed opportunity.”
