Infection Prevention, Policy and Surveillance Unit (IPPSU)

The Infection Prevention, Policy and Surveillance Unit (IPPSU) provides expert advice to IPC staff and stakeholders in both public and private healthcare facilities, including haemodialysis units across WA. Responsibilities include:

• governance and provision of surveillance definitions for the Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance Western Australia (HISWA) program,
• development of IPC policy and guidelines
• governance and management of the WA hand hygiene auditing and respiratory protection program.
• statewide oversight of ICNET - an automated IPC surveillance software, that interfaces with multiple WA Health clinical information systems, providing real-time data for WA public hospital IPC staff.
• enhanced surveillance for multi-resistant organisms, Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections and communicable diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Governance

An overview of the IPPSU governance structure can be viewed here (PDF 115KB).

Committees Terms of Reference

• Healthcare Infection Council of Western Australia (HICWA) Executive Committee (PDF 162KB)
• Western Australia Multi-Resistant Organism Expert Advisory Group (PDF 178KB)
• Infection Prevention and Control Advisory Group (PDF 187KB)
• ICNET Advisory Group (PDF 183KB)
• Micro-Alert Governance Group (PDF 203KB)

ICNET

ICNET is a web-based integrated system designed to provide real time clinical information for WA public hospitals. ICNET assists with infection surveillance and has alert capabilities to identify user defined events, including potential infections, patients requiring isolation and event clusters.  Information on ICNET can be found via the ICNET portal, this includes access and training. All enquiries are be directed to DoH.ICNet@health.wa.gov.au.

IPPSU contact details

Street address:
Department of Health
189 Royal Street
East Perth WA 6004

Phone:
Program Manager – 9222 4342
Senior Policy Officer – 9222 2414
Senior Policy Officer – 9222 6495
Senior Program Officer (ICNET) – 9222 4495
Program Officer (clinical) – 9222 4223
Program Officer (data) – 9222 2270
Email – IPPSU@health.wa.gov.au

Postal address:
Communicable Disease Control Directorate
Department of Health
PO Box 8172
Perth Business Centre
Perth WA 6849