Management of healthcare workers wil blood-borne viruses

The Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council has endorsed guidelines on the management of healthcare workers (HCWs) with blood-borne viruses (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV) that were developed by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA). The CDNA guidelines contain information to guide HCWs with blood-borne viruses on safe scopes of practice. They define the circumstances when HCWs should not be performing exposure prone procedures. They are also explicit that HCWs infected with blood-borne viruses can continue to practise their profession if they do not perform exposure prone procedures and if they have no other co-morbidities that may affect safe practice.
In light of the CDNA guidelines, the Dental Board of Australia has updated its Guidelines on infection control to reference the CDNA guidelines. The updated versions of the Guidelines on infection control will be available on the Board’s website.
In addition, the Board (with the other National Boards) has agreed to consider further guidelines on the management of dental practitioners with blood-borne viruses, based on the CDNA guidelines but tailored to meet the National Board’s