A Laboratory Capability Audit of National Notifiable Diseases

A Laboratory Capability Audit of National Notifiable Diseases, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

The Department of Health and Aged Care engaged HMA to undertake a laboratory capability audit, mapping and scoping project. The project assessed the capability and readiness of Australian laboratories to detect, identify, epidemiologically characterise and conduct additional testing on national notifiable diseases. In addition, the project identified possible opportunities to improve national responsiveness to notifiable diseases, map Australia’s laboratory network, and examine how information is shared and communicated across the network.

Key tasks included:

  • conducting scoping consultations with key stakeholders
  • completing a situation analysis
  • developing a capability survey for Public Health Reference Laboratories, other Public Health Laboratory Network laboratories and private pathology departments
  • conducting national consultations with stakeholders and performing a desktop review of international networks
  • analysing and mapping findings from the capability survey, consultations and desktop review
  • identifying options for improved communication and information sharing between laboratories and compiling these findings in a working paper, and
  • preparing a draft and final report.

This project was completed in August 2016.