AHA History

• August – AHA Competency standards focus test launched
• March AHA / Schering Plough Summit
• Further focus group work on development of Standards.

• First AHA /SP retreat Sydney, Blue Mountains – “the Road We’ll Travel”
• Ratified constitution 2006
• workshops held at Retreat  - attended by 85 Nurses in speciality from across Australia and New Zealand.
• First workshop to develop competency standards.
• Proposal put forward to NNO’s for acceptance as a highly specialised field of Nursing and as an organisation

• AHA participation as a convening body Australasian Viral
• Hepatitis Conference - Sydney, also included an AHA chaired session

• AHA educational seminar at AGW
• First AGM held
• First travel grant allocated
• 1st NZ committee member elected

• Expansion of sponsors to 4 pharmaceutical companies including specific funds for the development of travel grants

• AHA exhibit booth at ASHM conference

• AHA representation at launch of National Hepatitis C Treatment Week

• 1st AHA newsletter produced

• AHA representation at the Hepatitis C Stakeholders meeting held by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch- to discuss the removal of mandatory liver biopsies pre-treatment

• Strategic Plan developed with Ann Porcino Finalised in 2005 / 2006
• AHA representation on the National Hepatitis C Project managed by the NSW Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service
• Sponsorship provided by pharmaceutical companies

• AHA education seminar in Brisbane
• Committee of 4 executive officers – accepted 3 additional ordinary members to complete the committee of management.
• Vince Fragomeli
• Jacqui Richmond
• Mary Fenech

• AHA response to 2nd NSW Hepatitis C Strategy-consultation draft

• AHA Launch as part of the opening ceremony at 4th Australasian Hepatitis C Conference- Canberra

•  AHA presentation at Roche Nurses Symposium

• AHA update published in GESA News- distributed to all GESA members

• Roche provided Meeting time at their first HCV Pegasys launch meeting Sydney.
• First accepted members
• 85 colleagues attended to discuss outline, conceptualisation
• the way forward

• AHA incorporated, accepting the model roles of Association by the Office Fair Trading NSW

• First official meeting of AHA workshop Cairns AGW
• Meeting between GESA exec and AHA exec to discuss further collaboration

• Ongoing Talks with GESA – Chair and GESA EO.
• Talks with ALA- ongoing support for AHA development
• Schering-Plough sponsored meeting to develop the framework of the organisation.

• Association formed. Founding members:  Tracey Jones – Chair, Julie Rogeveen, Vice Chair, Leanne Totten – Secretary,  Sherryne Warner – Treasurer.

• AASLD- Hepatology Associate’s Meeting
  Discussion between founding Chair, Vice-chair and President-elect ALA- clear support identified from ALA - Development plan for AHA formation

Australasian conference Viral Hepatitis - Melbourne

38 Nurses: discussed the possibility of forming an organisation to represent the attendees and others

ideas at the time included

• representation as an evolved dynamic group of Nurses
• research
• organisational strategies for recognition
• organised strategies for recognition and self determination

How to develop was missing.