Influenza - a guide for general practitioners

GPs have an important role in prompting patients to consider the benefits of influenza vaccination and addressing concerns about efficacy and safety.

The guide for general practitioners provides useful information about influenza and vaccination, along with tips on how to facilitate influenza vaccination programs in general practice.

The guide is available in hard copy from the ISG office, or maybe downloaded in pdf form here: GP Guide

Consumer brochure and posters

The Influenza Specialist Group has published informative consumer brochure, along with accompanying posters about flu prevention and treatment, in preparation for the forthcoming flu season.

Tranlsations of the brochure are also available here.

Go to Brochure & posters

Discussion papers

Vaccination against influenza safely and effectively reduces the risk of infection, and treatments are now available to alleviate the duration and severity of symptoms if infection occurs. Yet while Australia has made excellent progress in targeting those aged 65 and older, the majority of younger at-risk individuals remain unprotected. Publications, from the Influenza Specialist Group, review current issues in the prevention and treatment of influenza.

Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) Influenza Recipe

The CAT recipe is a set of instructions on how to interrogate the patient database in order to identify those patients who should be recalled for the purposes of receiving their annual flu vaccination. The recipe takes in to account the new criteria introduced by the Australian Government (at the beginning of 2010) to enable anyone considered to be at risk of experiencing complications as a result of influenza to receive a free flu shot under the National Immunisation Program.

Go to Clinical Audit Tool Flu Recipe

Economic Report into the Cost of Influenza

Influenza is a largely preventable communicable viral illness. Treatment of influenza and its complications consume considerable resources that could otherwise be used for other essential healthcare resources.

Go to Reports

2006 ISG influenza community service announcement (CSA)

Dr Rod Pearce explains the need for annual influenza vaccination as influenza is a serious disease for everyone.