Monthly Archives: March 2011

Avoiding the “road to hell” in Indigenous policy: Andrew Podger

March 31, 2011 – 5:24 pm

Andrew Podger, Professor of Public Policy at ANU and a former Secretary of the Federal Health Department and Public Service Commissioner, delivered a Reconciliation Lecture at the ANU today, titled “Avoiding ‘roads to hell’”. It is well worth a read for those interested in public policy in general, and Indigenous affairs in particular, and follows [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in child health, Indigenous health, primary health care, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Why James Cook University is starting a Physician Assistant program

March 31, 2011 – 4:44 pm

This is the third article in a Croakey series examining the potential of physician assistants to help improve access to health care, particularly in rural, remote and other under-served areas. Allan Forde and Sharon Barnwell write: This American term – PAs – has been whispered more around health circles in Australia over the last few [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in allied health care, health and medical education, health reform, health workforce, Indigenous health, nurses and nursing, rural and remote health | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

The evidence shows that physician assistants could help improve access to healthcare

March 30, 2011 – 2:35 pm

Yesterday, Croakey kicked off a series examining the potential of physician assistants to help improve access to health care, particularly for people in rural, remote and other underserved areas. Today, Associate Professor Moira Sim, from the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Postgraduate Medicine at Edith Cowan University in Perth, explains why her university plans to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, health workforce | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

A bright idea for encouraging innovation in general practice

March 30, 2011 – 2:03 pm

The Eastern Ranges GP Association tweeted recently that they were holding a “GP Think Lab”. I asked if they’d write a piece explaining what this means, and here is their response. Mark Caldwell and Belinda Franken write: Throughout the country, general practitioners are busily working away in their practices, often struggling with the systems they [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in allied health care, general practice, health reform, health workforce, Medicare Locals, primary health care | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Is gambling really such a big public health issue?

March 29, 2011 – 4:10 pm

Last week, the president of ClubsAustralia, Peter Newell, addressed the National Press Club (speech available here). Today, it was Independent MP Andrew Wilkie’s turn, and he has reportedly given the PM until Budget day in May 2012 to put gambling limits on pokies or he’ll withdraw his support for the government. Wilkie has also joined [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in gambling, mental health, public health | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

We’re about to get our first crop of physician assistants. But what’s holding them back?

March 29, 2011 – 2:19 pm

At the recent national rural health conference in Perth, one of the priority recommendations from the floor was for a “a review of health professional scopes of practice and, informed by this evidence, a re-design of the rural and remote health workforce”. The recommendation continued: “This will mean additional professionals working in models of care [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Australian Medical Association, health reform, health workforce, rural and remote health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

Mandatory detention of asylum seekers is harming people and “demeans us all”: leading psychiatrist

March 29, 2011 – 12:04 pm

ABC News is reporting the death of an Afghan man at the Curtin detention centre at Derby in northern Western Australia. He is believed to have killed himself, and the story also reports other attempts at self-harm (Update: there are more details of recent deaths in this ABC online piece). Below are two timely articles, [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in child health, Health inequalities, mental health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (11)

What has the NSW Coalition promised for health?

March 27, 2011 – 2:31 pm

What will the change of Government mean for health in NSW? These are the headlines of what has been promised, according to the incoming Health Minister Jillian Skinner’s website. • An extra 1,390 beds and 2,475 more nurses for the NSW health system. This includes 550 more beds and 275 more nurses over-and-above those currently [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Australian Medical Association, chronic diseases, e-health, health and medical research, health reform, Hospitals, prevention, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

On Medicare Locals, it’s time to seize the day, says rural health lobby

March 25, 2011 – 4:24 pm

As noted at Croakey recently, the AMA’s Federal Council has voted to oppose the establishment of Medicare Locals, and called on the Government “to defer the establishment of any primary health care governance organisations until there has been genuine consultation with the medical profession”. Meanwhile, Gordon Gregory, executive director of the National Rural Health Alliance, [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in health reform, Medicare Locals, primary health care, rural and remote health | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Is it time to rethink travel assistance for patients in rural, regional and remote areas?

March 25, 2011 – 3:31 pm

It’s not a sexy issue and it struggles to grab the headlines but it’s one that never seems to go away as a major issue of concern for patients from rural, remote and regional areas: the inadequacy of schemes meant to help finance their travel for healthcare. More than three years ago, a Senate Community [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Health inequalities, rural and remote health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)