Archived News for Health Sector Professionals

The Federal Government has committed $240 million to a major upgrade of the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Funding for the Royal Hobart Hospital upgrade was part of the agreement with the Independent MPs, subject to the application meeting the Health and Hospitals Fund’s criteria. The independent HHF Advisory Board has since advised the Government that the Hobart application meets the HHF criteria.

Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon said the funding would provide the capacity for 195 new overnight beds—a one-third increase—and twelve new operating and procedure rooms.

It brings total Federal investment in the Royal to $340 million, after $100 million was committed in 2010 for the construction of a women’s and children’s precinct.

Study to assess HWA Workforce Innovation and Reform program

Health Workforce Australia (HWA) has called for tenders to undertake a case study on the delivery of the HWA Workforce Innovation and Reform: Caring for Older People (CfOP) program, as an example of the delivery of a national change program in workforce reform.

Scientists continue campaign against NHMRC budget cuts

Scientists are continuing to campaign against feared cuts to the National Health and Medical Research Council funding in next month's federal budget, amid hopes that the Federal Government may have decided against the $400 million cut.

MAV warns about proposed aged care overhaul

Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has called for public sector and not-for-profit community care agencies to be preserved in any reforms to the aged care system.

The association said it was critical that the needs of vulnerable people who rely on community care services, who remain living in their own homes are not undermined by the proposed centrally managed, market-based national service system.

Councillor Bill McArthur, MAV president said it was disappointing the Productivity Commission draft report into Caring for Older Australians hadn’t given sufficient weight to the high quality home and community care services already provided by local government in Victoria.

“Councils are currently the largest public sector provider of community care for elderly Victorians and people with a disability,” he said.

“Far from operating for profit, local government has voluntarily contributed 33 per cent or over $100 million a year to the overall cost of commonwealth-state aged care programs delivered by councils. “

According to Cr McArthur when a family wishes to receive care for their elderly parent, they can currently go to a council for their assessment and service delivery.

“The Productivity Commission is proposing a central assessment and allocation of dollars to an individual who is then left to choose their own service provider/s,” he said.

“While councils have traditionally plugged the growing funding and service gaps, some may choose to opt out as service providers. Reforms proposed by the Productivity Commission could leave the system exposed.

Cr McArthur said councils played an additional unique role in linking elderly Victorians to other healthy ageing, recreation, health and social programs that keep them active in the community.

“It’s discouraging that no mechanism is proposed to connect with State and local government service planning, which is critical for improving overall health and wellbeing and ensuring community needs are met,” he said.

Community care is the key aged care program for more than 50 per cent of those aged over 75 who live at home.

It provides basic cleaning, delivered meals, personal care, home maintenance and other services to help older people age with dignity in the community.

Victoria has about 200,000 HACC clients, with more than 70 per cent also receiving a pension.

Cr McArthur said that while the MAV had challenged a number of assumptions by the Productivity Commission, some of the reform proposals were supported, including the need for a costs review and scheduled prices.

“The community aged care system has been chronically under-funded for decades, with concerning levels of un-met needs,” he said.

“Pricing that reflects actual service delivery costs is long overdue."

E-learning program shines a light on child protection

The Shining the Light on Child Protection E-learning Program is now available.

$52 million available for primary care infrastructure grants

The Federal Government has announced a new $52.5 million round of funding for primary care infrastructure.

New taskforce to overhaul NSW Health

The new Director-General for NSW Health, Dr Mary Foley, has written to staff of the department, outlining reforms proposed in discussions between the Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner, and Governing Council Chairs and Chief Executives of Local Health Networks, Clinical Support Division Chief Operating Officers, and the senior executive of the Department of Health.

New youth mental health services funded

Ten new headspace youth mental health services will begin operating by the end of the year, with the announcement by the Federal Government of the selection of the lead agencies for operation.

WA health workers funded to target Indigenous health

During a visit to Western Australia today, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, announced an extra 63 health workers are being provided to health services across the state to help close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The Australian Government is providing almost $8 million for an extra 63 health workers to be placed in 27 Western Australian health services, including a large number of Aboriginal Health Services. Already 42 of the 63 workers have been recruited.

The 63 positions funded for WA are:

New campaign to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

A new national campaign called Live Longer! has been launched to tackle chronic disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The campaign is a central part of the Australian Government’s $21.3 million investment over four years to establish and run Local Community Campaigns.

Pathology industry signs up to cost saving deal

The Federal Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Association of Pathology Practices, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia and the National Coalition of Public Pathology under which expenditure growth on pathology through Medicare will be capped to approximately 5% per annum, resulting in savings of $550 million over the five-year period of the agreement.

Draft e-health records plan released

A national blueprint has been released for public consultation for the development of personally controlled e-health records (PCEHR) for their 1 July 2012 launch.

WA funding for mental health training and delivery

The WA Government has provided the Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) with funding of $1.695 million over the next two years to distribute to more than 75 non-government not-for-profit agencies.

WA spends up on healthy living

The Western Australian Government has allocated $11.35 million over three years, for a range of health promotion programs and campaigns to fight obesity and related diseases.

NSW funds redirected to mental health

The new New South Wales Minister for Mental Health, Kevin Humphries, has allocated $30 million to establish a Mental Health Commission by the end of the year.

Overhaul for NSW Health

The new NSW Coalition government has replaced the director-general of health, Debora Picone, who has been in the position for almost four years, with Dr Mary Foley, formerly National Health Practice Leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia, and prior to that foundation Chief Executive of St Vincents & Mater Health Sydney (2001 -2008).

Tender for Male Health Study

The Department of Health and Ageing has called tenders for the design and establishment of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health and commencement of the first wave of data collection.

Flexible Care program for mental illness to be rolled out with Medicare Locals

Implementation has begun of the Federal Government’s $58.5 million Flexible Care Packages that will provide clinical and case coordination services for people with severe mental illness, to be delivered through Medicare Locals.

NHMRC Indigenous Scientific Forum calls for promotion of research funding

The importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research and building the current and future workforce were reinforced at the NHMRC Indigenous Scientific Forum, held recently in Canberra.

$2 billion public hospital for Sunshine Coast

The Queensland Government has announced it will call for tenders for the construction of the new $2 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) this month, and is expecting to finalise a contract with Ramsey Health Care for the construction of a new private hospital on the same site.