You can listen to information about Cochrane reviews via podcast from the Cochrane Collaboration. To listen to summaries of Cochrane reviews go to the following link:
http://www.cochrane.org/podcasts/

To listen or watch Multimedia from Cochrane Colloquia and Meetings go to the following link:
http://www.cochrane.org/multimedia/index.htm

Australia’s Health 2008 will be released on 24th June and will represent the 11th report in the series. Australia’s Health is an authoritative source of information on patterns of health and illness, determinants of health, the supply and use of health services, and health services expenditure.

http://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/ah08/preorder.cfm

The Library has purchased a subscription to the health communication resource doc.com. This consists of 40 Modules focusing on an aspect of health communication using video and text elements. The modules all have streaming media.

This resource is not accessible in the usual way and requires a personal registration, and confirmation via e-mail.

The sites description: “Each of 40 learning modules presents key principles, evidence-based recommendations, and a skills checklist. Authors demonstrate key skills in video encounters with standardized patients and provide video and text commentary on the interview. The interview challenges help learners develop sensitivity to differing communication styles and difficult situations, and the flexibility to respond respectfully and skillfully.”
Doc.com is available from the catalogue or via the following link:
http://library.uq.edu.au/record=e1001882

The Pandemic Influenza & Workplace Infectious Diseases Summit held in Canberra over the 12-14th of may will discuss:

• Workplace infectious diseases
• Prevalence and costs to organisations of workplace infectious diseases
• The key preventions and preparations measures
• Drawing lessons for the future from last year’s outbreaks - Equine influenza and seasonal influenza outbreak
• The obligations for employers and employees - Views of unions and regulators
• Pandemic preparation work for critical infrastructure
• Lessons from recent Australian pandemic exercises
• The potential for the mutation of H5N1 and other research developments
• The issues that could derail pandemic and infectious disease plans
• Developments in national pandemic planning

For more information go to:
http://www.pandemic.net.au

To see the Pandemic.net.au Newsletter go to:
http://www.pandemic.net.au/newsletter.html

The Department of Health and Aging has released an audit into the current and developing health workforce distribution profile in rural and regional Australia. Key findings include:

• Regional and remote Australia has less access to health professionals than people living in major cities. The medical workforce distribution in these areas being rated low to very poor.
• Overseas trained health professionals make up 41% of doctors in rural and regional Australia, significantly higher than in major cities.
• The supply of health professionals will not meet the developing population trends.
• The significant increase in medical school places help in part to address the issue.
The complete report can be accessed at:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/work-res-ruraud

The Australian Government announced funding to improve the mental health workforce, by providing training to around 24,000 mental health professionals and encouraging mental health nurses to stay in the workforce.

This announcement follows the Government’s release of the National Mental Health Report 2007, which clearly underlines the need to do more in mental health.

More information http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-nr-nr054.htm

National Mental Health Report

This report is a summary of twelve years of reform in Australia’s Mental Health Services under the National Mental Health Strategy 1993-2005. To see the full report go to the following link: National Mental Health Report 2007

The Australian Immunisation Handbook has a new edition for 2008.The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), an advisory committee appointed by the Minister for Health and Ageing, is responsible for the development and revision of the Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition (the Handbook). The Handbook is designed as a general guide to inform a wide target audience of health professionals on the safest and most effective vaccination strategies using the highest quality evidence available. The Handbook is a stand-alone document and, while it has similarities to some overseas guidelines, it is written specifically for Australia.

Australian Immunisation Handbook - 9th Edition 2008 (on Department of Health & Ageing website) http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-home

Changes since 8^th ed.
http://immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/9-whatsnew

The UQ library is purchasing a subscription to the point of care product First CONSULT. To find this product go through the link for MD Consult http://library.uq.edu.au/record=e1000117

After a successful trial of First CONSULT the Library is investigating the purchase of a subscription to this title.
Feedback and comments about this resource are being sought. Please send all comments in regards to this resource to Keryl Michener email: k.michener@library.uq.edu.au

On the 25th of March the 7:30 report ran an expose on the DEM at the Royal.
For those who may have missed it you can download it from the ABC’s website, http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/vodcast.htm the report is called; Inside Australia’s biggest emergency department.