The aim of communicable disease control is to prevent onward transmission of infection from the patient (the ‘case’) to others.
The public health process will vary depending on the infection characteristics such as speed and mode of transmission, severity of illness, and opportunities available to prevent onward transmission.
For Healthcare Professionals
If you suspect or diagnose a patient with a notifiable condition, you are required to:
- Notify the health department/local public health unit (LPHU) that the patient is suspected or confirmed to have a notifiable condition (Notifiable infectious diseases, conditions and micro-organisms). This allows the LPHU to initiate the public health response.
- For urgent notifiable conditions: there is usually a time-crucial element to the public health response, and notification should be made immediately by telephone on suspicion to 1300 651 160 (24/7).
- For routine notifiable conditions: notification should be via the electronic form for the relevant condition within 5 business days of diagnosis.
- Provide information about your patient/case (via the notification process) such as their contact details, clinical presentation, and relevant medial history which informs the public health response and surveillance activities.
- Treat your patient/case, and where relevant, provide advice on isolation/quarantine and clearance to return to normal activities.
- Depending on the infection, assist with contact tracing of the case, to assess infection spread and advise to monitor for symptoms,
- Prescribe post-exposure prophylaxis such as vaccination or clearance antibiotics to relevant contacts.
Without the support of healthcare professionals, it is impossible to undertake an effective public health response, which requires close collaboration between clinicians, the LPHU, primary care providers, health services, hospitals, the health department and laboratories.
Relevant legislation
Notification is a vital step in preventing or controlling the spread of infection caused by prescribed conditions and micro-organisms to prevent further harmful exposures. This process is required by law under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and penalties exist for failing to notify as it compromises protection of the public’s health and safety.
The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 permits the disclosure of relevant clinical and risk factor information, and information about the suspected modes of transmission.
For information about patient privacy, see: Protecting Patient Privacy in Victoria.
For community members
NEPHU may contact you regarding notifiable conditions to ensure prompt public health responses.
- If you are a patient who is diagnosed with a communicable disease, a public health officer from NEPHU may contact you to collect information about when you became unwell, who you may have come in contact with while infectious, and to ensure that you understand isolation requirements to prevent spreading the condition to others. Please note that NEPHU does not provide medical treatment advice about your condition, which remains the responsibility of your treating doctor.
- If you have been identified as someone who may have come in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with a communicable disease, NEPHU might contact you if you even if you aren’t sick yourself. This will be to let you know you may have been exposed so you can monitor for symptoms, take any recommended treatments (for example vaccination or antibiotics), know when to get tested, and advise how you can take steps to protect others you come into contact with including those within your household.
Learn more about how we protect data privacy here.
Contact details
If you have any questions regarding communicable diseases within the NEPHU region, please email [email protected]
