Facilitate collaboration and information exchange across Australian jurisdictions to develop the necessary health infrastructure for HCV testing and treatment in custodial settings nationally.
The Australian Prisons Pharmacy Surveillance (APPs) Project
Facilitate collaboration and information exchange across Australian jurisdictions to develop the necessary health infrastructure for HCV testing and treatment in custodial settings nationally.
OVERVIEW
The Australian Prisons Pharmacy Surveillance (APPs) project aims to establish near real-time data collection and reporting on the dispensing of hepatitis B and C antiviral therapies in Australian prisons, enhancing surveillance of viral hepatitis treatment uptake in prisons. In collaboration with hospital pharmacies which service the ~100 prisons nationwide, a database has been established for quarterly reporting of hepatitis B and C antiviral treatments dispensed to people in prison, which are not currently distinguishable from community-based treatments in the national dataset via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Data will be regularly and displayed on the NPHN Surveillance Dashboard, providing near real-time data on viral hepatitis treatment uptake among people in prison, both nationally and by jurisdiction.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the APPs project were to:
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Conduct scoping interviews with chief pharmacists in the hospital-based pharmacies which dispense antiviral therapies into the prisons (Phase 1).
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Establish a novel, real time surveillance system to estimate the hepatitis C and hepatitis B treatment uptake in Australian prisons, nationally and by jurisdiction (Phase 2).
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Display the data on a publicly accessible web-based dashboard.
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Evaluate the utility of the surveillance system (Phase 3).​​
APPs data will be available on the NPHN Surveillance Dashboard in mid-2025.
PARTNERSHIP & FUNDERS
The APPs project was initiated with funding through strategic research funding provided to the Kirby Institute by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and is now funded through a NHMRC Partnership Project.
CONTACT
For any questions relating to APPs, please contact:
Lana Pasic, APPs Study Coordinator
lpasic@kirby.unsw.edu.au