SOP Bulletin No. 74

4 — th Floor AMP Place, 10 Eagle St Brisbane  3 — rd Floor Blackburn House, 199 Grenfell St Adelaide

Intranet site:  http://intranet/nat/comp/dp/Nop/dsu/dsudefault.htm

14 July 2003

THE FOLLOWING RMA SOPS ARE TO BE GAZETTED ON 16 JULY, 2003

IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL FEATURES

• The SOP covers age-related macular degeneration (both wet/neovascular and dry/geographic atrophy types), as before.  Early age-related maculopathy with visual impairment is now also included.  The rare hereditary types of macular degeneration are not covered.  The definition no longer includes cystoid macular degeneration.
• The smoking dose and cessation requirements are unchanged.
• There are new causal and worsening factors for cataract surgery, with different time requirements in the RH and BOP SOPs.

• There is a new definition that includes the new scientific name for the causative bacterium.  This has no operational effect.
• There is a new expanded list of areas where the infection can be contracted.
• There is a new factor, in the RH SOP only, for unprotected sexual intercourse with a person with proven infection.
• There are several new causal factors covering circumstances that predispose to the development of clinically evident infection (the infection can be clinically silent, in which case the SOP does not apply).  These factors cover: being in an immuno-compromised state; a range of medical conditions; and heavy alcohol consumption (with different male and female doses and bigger doses in the BOP SOP than in the RH).
• There are also new worsening factors for the same series of circumstances.  Previously alcohol and medical conditions other than diabetes were not covered.

• This amendment corrects a wording error in the definition that accompanies the factors covering carotid artery aneurysm due to trauma.  This has no operational effect.

Remember! If you are having any problems with SOPs, or SOPs in CCPS, talk to us!