June 2017: A range of policy submissions during the quarter, including to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Healthcare Delivery; the NSW Education Standards Authority consultation on the draft PDHPE Syllabus; the Commonwealth Department of Health consultation on the Social & Cultural Determinants of Indigenous Health; to the PBAC re the consideration of Glecaprevir + Pibrentasvir for the treatment of hep C; and to the Commonwealth Health Minister re the urgent need to approve Epclusa for the treatment of hep C.

March 2017: A quieter quarter, with the two main policy submissions relating the PBAC consideration of Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide) for the treatment of hep B, and comments on the WSLHD Viral Hepatitis Implementation Plan. (NB the June quarter is already expected to be busier, with at least 3 submissions planned for April alone).

December 2016: All four policy submissions during the quarter were important, with a PBAC submission in support of Epclusa and Technivie, a joint letter regarding proposed new spitting laws, contribution to the Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD Viral Hepatitis Plan, and a briefing for the Commonwealth Health Minister regarding the issue of access to hep C DAAs for people in forensic and other mental health facilities.

September 2016: A quiet quarter, with no PBAC submissions, no PBS campaigns and no state or Commonwealth consultations. However, there was background work in the lead-up to future hep C drug approval advocacy, as well as finalisation of the Hep Matters document, which is expected to be launched in the final quarter of calendar year 2016.

June 2016: A busier quarter for policy submissions, including a major submission to the review into the Public Health Act 2010, as well as other submissions in relation to the PBAC's consideration of Zepatier (grazoprevir+elbasvir) and the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act (regarding the conditions of operation for the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre). There was also ongoing work on access to new hep C treatments at both GPs and pharmacies across NSW.

March 2016: As with media, much of the policy work in the 1st quarter of calendar year 2016 focused on the roll-out of the new DAAs through the PBS on 1 March. This included provided input to the Agency for Clinical Innovation's HCV Model of Care, as well as liaisng with individuals LHDs on their own treatment roll-outs. HNSW also contributed to the Hepatitis Australia submission on Pharmacy Remuneration, and engaged in direct liaison with the Pharmacy Guild to address issues in the availability of the new DAAs to patients via community pharmacies.

December 2015: There were a large number of submissions and consultations during the final quarter of calendar year 2015. This included the National Drug Strategy and the NSW Cancer Plan, preliminary input into the review of the NSW Public Health Act, a key letter to the NSW Health Minister regarding new hepatitis C treatments and s100 issues, as well as working with specific LHDs on the development of their action plans to implement the NSW Hepatitis B and C Strategies 2014-2020.

September 2015: The third quarter of calendra year 2015 has been quieter in terms of policy submissions or position papers, with the focus on media for NSW Hepatitis Awareness Week (27 July to 2 August), the first World Hepatitis Summit held in Glasgow in early September and the ongoing campaign for PBS listing of new hepatitis C drugs.

June 2015: The second quarter of calendar year 2015 saw a diversity of submissions from HNSW, including submissions to the PBAC re Viekira Pak and simeprevir+sofosbuvir, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Inquiry into Crystal Methamphetamine, and on the draft NSW Aboriginal Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Framework 2015-2020 (all during June), as well as earlier submissions on TGA approval for naloxone, and the ACI consultation on models of care for hepatitis C in NSW.

March 2015: Ongoing policy work and submissions continue while we maintain a major focus on our Equal Treatment Access campaign, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Inquiry into Hepatitis C and NSW state election. January 2015 saw HNSW provide a state election advocacy paper to Lib-Nat, ALP & Greens Health spokespeople, focusing on: Hepatitis C models of care; Funding for the Hepatitis B Strategy; and Prison NSPs. February 2015 saw a submission to the PBAC hearings for four new hepatitis C drugs, while the Cth Parliamentary Inquiry submission was lodged in early March. March 2015 also saw a short submission to the consultation on MBS consideration for Fibroscans, as well as the release of the 2015 NSW State Election Survey of Viral Hepatitis Policies.

Hepatitis Australia is key partner, including co-ordinating input to implementation plans for national Hepatitis B & C Strategies. Hepatitis NSW also worked closely with Hepatitis Australia, Hepatitis Victoria and Hepatitis ACT on the hearings of and submissions into the Commonwealth Parliamentary Inquiry into Hepatitis C. Hepatitis NSW has also recently strengthened its partnerships within the NSW BBV sector, including writing letters of support for submissions by NUAA, and receiving letters of support for our submissions to the PBAC calling for the approval of new hepatitis C drugs. Hepatitis NSW has also been working much closer in partnerships with individual LHDs on implementation of the NSW Hepatitis B and C Strategies 2014-2020, and was pleased to support HALC's work on blood borne viruses and theAustralian Defence Force.

Key part of work in this area is prioritising which consultations to make submissions to/are closely related to Hepatitis NSW work, versus those inquiries which may be only of indirect relevant (and therefore lower priority).