Monthly Archives: February 2012

Medicare Locals should be central to dental reform discussions

February 28, 2012 – 12:45 pm

Stage one of dental health reform should focus on improving access for children and lower income adults, according to recommendations from the National Advisory Council on Dental Health. The Council’s report says improving children’s oral health will reduce the overall burden of disease and improve long‐term oral health across the population, while low income adults [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in child health, dental care, health reform, Medicare Locals, primary health care, public health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Mental health and asylum seekers: what the authorities don’t want to know

February 27, 2012 – 6:04 pm

An FOI request by the NT News has revealed high rates of psychiatric medicine use among asylum seekers being held in detention. The article says Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman Sandi Logan did not say how many had seen a psychiatrist. Instead, he said detainees were being referred to psychiatrists by GPs “when [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health, mental health | Comments (3)

The Gonski review: why it matters for rural health

February 27, 2012 – 1:44 pm

Now that #respill is over, perhaps we can go back to talking about important health policy matters – and I would put the Gonski review of schools funding in that category. In the article below, Gordon Gregory, executive director of the National Rural Health Alliance, outlines the importance of education for rural health. At the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Indigenous health, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Searching for the best way forward on dental reform

February 27, 2012 – 12:26 pm

All Australian children and low-income earners would gain access to basic dental services under recommendations to the Federal Government, according to a report in The Sunday Age (that ACOSS nominated on Twitter as the “article of the weekend”). Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Library’s Amanda Biggs has examined the pros and cons of various models for dental health [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in dental care, health reform, public health | Comments (0)

A must-read: Roxon on Rudd and health reform

February 24, 2012 – 3:55 pm

(Update, 27 February: More on Rudd and health reform from mental health reform advocate John Mendoza in today’s Crikey bulletin.) Now this is a must-read: the former Health Minister Nicola Roxon on Kevin Rudd’s efforts in health reform. An excerpt from a transcript of her interview on Sky News: …he wanted with four days notice on one [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (5)

Chronic health problems and depression: what matters for patients

February 24, 2012 – 2:32 pm

In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on a study investigating the relationship between chronic health problems and depression. The findings highlights the importance of maintaining quality of life for people with complex health problems.  *** The importance of patients’ perceptions in avoiding [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in chronic diseases, general practice, mental health, primary health care | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Some recommended reading: on research, policy, healthcare and the media

February 24, 2012 – 10:14 am

Below are short summaries of recent journal and other articles that may be of interest, investigating: • Trends in Indigenous health research • What policy makers really want from researchers • An evidence-based analysis of GP super clinics • Some suggestions for media reporting from US health policy expert Don Berwick   (Links to the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in general practice, health and medical research, health reform, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, primary health care, public health | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Is the TGA out to lunch? Ken Harvey on the weight loss pill that lets you “have the cake without the calories”

February 23, 2012 – 8:48 pm

The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s response to concerns about the marketing of a weight-loss pill, which lets you “have the cake without the calories”, suggests that the many reviews and promises of reform have not resulted in real change at the much-critiqued organisation, according to Dr Ken Harvey, Adjunct Assoc Prof of Public Health at La Trobe University. [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in complementary medicines, health & medical marketing, health regulation, TGA | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Assault on alternative medicine: worthwhile or witch-hunt?

February 23, 2012 – 8:15 pm

The fight over the teaching of complementary medicines by Australian universities has drawn international coverage, including this piece by the New York Times. In his latest column in this week’s BMJ, Australian journalist Ray Moynihan talks with some of the key protagonists. Ray Moynihan writes: The campaign by the Friends of Science in Medicine to shut down [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in complementary medicines, health and medical education | Tagged , , | Comments (3)

Some of the latest news on the media and health reporting

February 23, 2012 – 7:15 pm

In her latest report on the activities of Media Doctor Australia, Amanda Wilson has some good news about the quality of health reporting. And at the bottom of her post are some links to recent developments in health journalism. *** Some media outlets do better than others when it comes to health news Amanda Wilson [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in aged care, consumer health information, Media Doctor Australia, Media-related issues, social media and healthcare, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)