Australian STI Management Guidelines

The Australian STI Management Guidelines were developed under the aegis of ASRHA and finalised in August 2014.

A Steering Committee chaired by A/Prof Richard Hillman and an Editorial Subcommittee chaired by Dr Chris Bourne oversaw the process, with ASHM staff coordinating the project.

The Steering Committee included representatives from ASHM, ASHA, Royal Australian College of Physicians; Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine (AChSHM), Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia (SH&FPA), Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) and the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID), as well as individuals experienced in the development of STI guidelines.

The Australian STI Management Guidelines are an online resource for primary care health professionals and are strongly connected to all relevant existing local/state based guidelines and resources.

Over 60 clinical experts were involved in the writing and review of the Guidelines and we are particularly grateful for their contributions.

Position Statements

ASRHA seeks to actively contribute and respond to policy decisions within the wider Australasian region. This is done in line with our mission, to reflect best practice standards in sexual health.

Recent submission summaries:

  • In May 2016 ASRHA signed on as official supporters of the work of the Australian Safe Schools Coalition. As a group of partner organisations established to improve national and local responses to sexual health, ASRHA see this program as a key component of promoting healthy, safe relationships. Adverse psychological and physical health outcomes remain a common experience for same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students and teachers need accurate and evidence based resources to help them make schools a safer place for all students. ASRHA strongly encourage the government to continue to support this invaluable program.
  • ASRHA wrote a submission to the Australian Human Right’s commission regarding the ‘Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Intersex Rights Snapshot Report’ Consultation, sent 13th February 2015. Full submission available here.
  • ASRHA responds to the closure of Brisbane Sexual Health and HIV Service (BSHHS) and Reduction in HIV services by Metro North Hospitals and Health Board, in support of the importance of the BSHHS. See the full letter (sent 7 Aug 2013) here.
  • ASRHA supports a change to the recommended gonorrhoea treatment nationally: With increasing rates of gonorrhoea, ASRHA recommends the addition of 1g of Azithromycin to the recommended 500g of Ceftriaxone. This was indicated in a letter to the Communicable Diseases Network Australia, co-signed by the Royal Australian College of Physicians. See the full letter (sent 13 Feb 2013) here.