SAWMA

News Release No 1 February 2008

Highlights: AWMA Committee Meeting,
2 & 3 February 2008 held in Adelaide South Australia

Wound Awareness Campaign: March 2007- April 2008
The WAC (2) continues with the AWMA President and Vice President meeting with prominent Australian politicians re wound product access. The Community Service Announcement 08 is currently being filmed and will begin to be shown on television during Wound Awareness Week 31st March – 6 April 08.

The CSA 07 is still having wide exposure particularly in country areas. AWMA is very pleased that the author and WCA NSW Patron Mr Bryce Courtenay has agreed to be involved in both the filming of the CSA 08 and in WAW activities for 2008. The support of both Mr Courtenay and all state Wound Care/Management Associations is fantastic.

Posters and give-aways are being produced and state associations will be provided with them before Wound Awareness Week.

Wound Awareness Week 31 March – 6 March 08 Activities
States and Territories have indicated that there is at least one significant wound awareness event planned during wound Awareness Week 31 March -6 April 2008. Events range from public forums, displays in public areas community and /or hospitals to wound association education meetings or similar activity. (Check AWMA website for details soon) The website. www.elephantintheroom.com.au will link to AWMA website and is available for comment from all interested parties including health providers and members of the public during the wound awareness week and month of April 08

AWMA Conference: Evolving Landscapes: Dreams, Diversity & Disasters.
Darwin NT 7-10 May 2008.
This will be a great conference and registrations are coming in fast. The final conference program is being prepared. The organising committee was over-whelmed with the large number of abstracts submitted and therefore have been able to create a very stimulating program. Early-bird registrations close on Friday 29 February 2008. AWMA therefore encourages you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Don’t forget to book airfares and accommodation as early as possible and contact me directly if you are having any difficulties.

Confirmed International and National speakers include Prof Greg Schulz, Prof Mark Ferguson, Dr Keryln Carville, Prof Fiona Wood and Dr Bart Currie.

KCI are the Platinum sponsor for the conference. Trade commitment has been excellent and there will be a wonderful Trade Exhibition.

The Australasian Wound &Tissue Repair Society (an AWMA branch) will also hold their scientific meeting immediately prior to the AWMA conference. For more details see www.awtrs.org or email rachelm@chw.edu.au

WUWHS Conference 4-8 June 2008 Toronto Canada
This will be an exciting International Wound Management Conference. Be sure to visit the website www.wuwhs2008.ca where information on the themes of the conference and the program plan can be found and importantly the registration form. Flyers with information can also be found on the AWMA website www.awma.com.au

AWMA will be hosting a stand during the lunch and tea breaks of this conference so please come by and speak with the AWMA representatives when you are at this Conference.

AWMA Guidelines and Standards
The Venous Leg Ulcer Guideline Development Committee’s Business Plan which was submitted in October 07 to NHMRC has been accepted by them as an NHMRC project for July 08-09. This means NHMRC will guide and support the guideline development. Whilst waiting the submission outcome Corrine Trevitt and Judith Barker begun the systematic literature review and rating according to NHMRC criteria. The NHMRC support is a very important step forward for AWMA and is part of the process to have the Guidelines (when completed) endorsed by NHMRC.

The VLUGDC meanwhile is continuing to seek unconditional financial grants to assist with this project. NHMRC estimate the cost for the development of Guidelines to be approximately $300,000.

A literature review for the AWMA Standards of Wound Management and the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Prediction of Pressure Ulcers is also being conducted using the NHMRC criteria for gauging the level of evidence. A large repository of articles is being stored electronically and the literature is now being rated using NHMRC levels of evidence. International collaboration and review of the future CPG guidelines will occur with NZ and Singapore members. It is hoped that the revised Standards for Wound Management can be published during 2008 and the APUAP Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Predication Prevention &Treatment of Pressure Ulcers be launched at the AWMA Conference in Perth March 2010

AWMA AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the AWMA will be held during the 7th AWMA Conference on Thursday 8 May 2008 at 1615. Drinks will be provided upon entry to the room. All positions at the AGM will be declared vacant. The relevant notices and forms will be available on the website www.awma.org.au and will be inserted into the February edition of the Journal Wound Practice and Research.

With regards

Associate Professor Michael Woodward.
AWMA President