Designated Smoking Cessation Services

The Centre has a list of the 43 smoking cessation services set up in Victoria by health professionals who have attended the Smoking Cessation Facilitator's Coruse.  For information on these services or to find out more about the course please contact the Centre.

Oceania Tobacco Control Conference Brisbane 2011

Adrienne James received a travel grant to present the Centre's poster at the Oceania Tobacco Conference in October.  The poster showed the results of a survey of participants of the Smoking Cessation Facilitator's Course from 2005 to 2011. 

PBS listing of Indacaterol Onbrez© 1 December 2011

The medication is listed only for patients with appropriately diagnosed COPD.  Indacaterol comes in a capsule containing powder for oral inhalation, 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms and is used in the Breezehaler device.  The submission to the PBAC proposed that the place in therapy of indacaterol is as an alternative, long-acting bronchodilator maintenance therapy for patients with COPD.

PBS listing of Symbicort (Pulmicort & E Formoterole) 1 December 2011

The medication is now listed for patients with moderate to severe COPD with lung function <50%.  The dosage is 400mcg budesonide and 12mcg eformoterole.

Victoria's First Chronic Respiratory Disease Nurse Practitioner

Congratulations to Toni Hall!  Toni has worked for Bendigo Health Hospital Admission Risk Program for the past 6 years as a chronic respiratory disease care coordinator.  In July 2008 Toni started the Masters of Nursing - Nurse Practitioner course at La Trobe University and successfully completed this program in December 2010.  She has recently been endorsed as a Chronic Respiratory Disease Nurse Practitioner.  In collaboration with Bendigo Health respiratory consultants, Toni's increased scope of practice includes comprehensive holistic assessment of patients with chronic respiratory disease for short term oxygen therapy, reassessment for long term oxygen therapy and development of COPD Action Plans including prescription of antibiotics and oral steroids.  Patients are assessed for eligibility for home oxygen, titration of oxygen and weaning of oxygen therapy.  Patients are reveiwed by Toni in their home and at the Outpatients Department Respiratory/Oxygen Clinic.  We are thrilled to have our first Victorian Respiratory Nurse Practitioner and hope that Toni is the first of many.