Educating Our Disability Carers

Duke Street self-advocacy group hosted a Carers Well Being Day on 7 November and had an informative session with LiverWELL, IPC and Leadership Plus, to learn more about how to take care of their physical and mental health. The session focused strongly on testing, and treatment pathways for viral hepatitis, as well as general liver health.

Educating our carers on best practices to avoid contracting viral hepatitis is essential, as people who work in any job that involves direct patient care; handling human tissue, blood or body fluids; or handling used needles or syringes are at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis B.

The Australian Department of Health & Aged Care has recognised the following occupations as the most at-risk for contracting hepatitis B:

• Healthcare workers
• Police, members of the armed forces, emergency services staff and staff of correctional facilities, if they are assigned to duties that may involve exposure to human tissue, blood or body fluids
• Funeral workers, embalmers and other workers who have regular contact with human tissue, blood or body fluids, or used needles or syringes
• Staff involved in both residential and non-residential care of people with developmental disabilities
• workers who perform skin penetration procedures, such as tattooists and body-piercers

Therefore, the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for people who work in any occupation that involves any of:

• Direct patient care
• Handling human tissue, blood or body fluids
• Handling used needles or syringes

Carers and people with disabilities attending were interested to learn more about reducing the spread of hepatitis B and found the information very useful. We extend our thanks to all who attended on the day.