The role of the TB Coordinator is to oversee the implementation of NSW TB Program policies, guidelines and procedures within the LHD, and ensure program outcomes are achieved.

LHDs should engage the NSW TB Program Manager in the recruitment and staff selection process of the TB Coordinator to ensure integrity of the NSW TB Program and to support best practice within LHDs and across NSW.

The role of the LHD TB Coordinator includes the following key activities and functions:

Service p​rovision

• Facilitate the provision of comprehensive and culturally appropriate TB services within the LHD.
• Coordinate an integrated, patient-centred model of care within the LHD TB Service.
• Oversee the identification, assessment, screening and evaluation of contacts who may have been exposed to a person with TB, screening plans and strategy development, evaluation of screening results to ensure further screening is progressed as required
• Participate in expert panel meetings for TB cases being managed within the LHD
• Develop and participate in LHD planning groups to prioritise, operationalise and implement an LHD TB strategy in accordance with relevant NSW TB Program policies and guidelines
• Evaluate TB clinical services within the LHD and provide technical and strategic advice to the LHD on the delivery of care for patients with TB
• Facilitate regular meetings of an LHD TB Advisory Group to ensure high quality technical and strategic support to the LHD TB Service.

Data management

• Oversee data collection and entry relating to cases of TB into the NSW Notifiable Conditions Information Management Systems (NCIMS) database
• Use local surveillance data to inform TB Services planning and implementation for the local population
• Collaborate with the LHD Public Health Unit to maintain timely and high quality local disease surveillance
• Collaborate with the NSW TB Program Manager and Epidemiologist to support state, national and international TB surveillance reporting requirements are met.

Consultancy and provision of expert a​dvice

• Provide consultancy and expert advice on the care and prevention of TB to patients, the community and healthcare workers
• Develop educational resources and provide training and education on all aspects of TB care and prevention to other staff within the LHD
• Provide input into the development of NSW TB Program policies, guidelines and other resources to support best practice within the program
• Oversee clinical competency assessment of staff undertaking accreditation for tuberculin skin testing (TST) and Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) to meet the requirements of the Immunisation Services - Authority for Registered Nurses and Midwives policy directive (PD2015_011​​​) or subsequent iterations.

Govern​ance

• Implement practice standards for TB nurses and monitor the standard of practice of nursing staff delivering TB services within the LHD
• Comply with LHD reporting requirements in the event of a critical TB-related incident, and liaise with the Director of Public Health and NSW TB Program Manager to plan and implement an appropriate response, where indicated. Critical incidents may include:
• identification of cases of multi drug resistant and extensively drug resistant TB
• contact screening in institutions/health care facilities and screening activities involving more than twenty-five people
• investigating TB clusters to identify epidemiological links between cases and possible local transmission within NSW
• adverse outcomes resulting from deviation from recognised best practice in TB care
• non-adherence of patients with TB care, respiratory isolation or TB treatment
• any other issue deemed by the TB Coordinator to require a coordinated response
• Nominate as a nursing representative on the NSW TB Advisory Committee on a rotational system, as per the committee’s terms of reference
• Participate in the NSW TB Coordinator’s Network meetings and communicate meeting actions and outcomes to TB Service staff within the LHD.

Research a​nd personal development

• Participate in research activities/initiatives to contribute to the evidence base supporting the delivery of LHD TB services and the broader NSW TB Program
• Support professional development activities related to TB for staff within the LHD
• Participate in professional development relevant to TB care and prevention.