This eNewsletter covers Federal and State policy and legislative developments in the area of health. Copies of documents referred to can be obtained by clicking on the reference in this Newsletter or through Capital Monitor's collection at www.capitalmonitor.com.au or from the source quoted.

Major Announcements

Aged Care

4 March

Maximising protection of older Australians in aged care is a service provider and community responsibility
Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) says the aged care sector has mandatory infection control measures in place and has been on rising alert levels since January over the COVID-19 virus. With the news that a Sydney aged care worker has tested positive, LASA CEO Sean Rooney said maximising the protection of older Australians was the sector's top priority but it was also a community duty. 'Protecting older Australians in care and the staff who look after them is critical with extensive infection control planning and protocols in place,' he said. 'At the same time, keeping the most vulnerable older Australians safe is a broader responsibility.'
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Minister makes it up on the run for aged care privatisation retreat
Senate Estimates has revealed the Government abandoned plans to privatise aged care assessment just hours before states planned to ambush the Government about the plan at COAG, said Shadow Minister for Ageing and Seniors Julie Collins. The Minister for Aged Care confirmed to the Community Affairs Committee he signed a brief to terminate the process to tender aged care assessments. Just hours earlier in Senate Question Time, the same Minister repeatedly failed to concede that any change was being made to the tender for aged care assessments. The Government's aged care policy on the run is deeply concerning.
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3 March

Payment in arrears legislation must come with support for transition and more home care
LASA warns the Government must commit to maintaining services for older Australians in their homes, by helping at-risk home care providers transition to a new payment system and by redirecting any savings to extra home care packages. LASA CEO Sean Rooney said there was too much uncertainty around the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Improved Home Care Payment Administration No. 1) Bill 2020being debated in Parliament, which would move the current system of provider payments from 'in advance' to payment 'in arrears'.
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2 March

Psychotropics: Dispensing rates high but higher after entry to aged care facilities
Psychotropic dispensing rates for older Australians are generally high, but increase markedly when they enter residential care, according to research published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Stephanie Harrison, a Research Fellow at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute's Registry of Senior Australians, and colleagues analysed the data from all concession card-holding residents of government subsidised residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in Australia who entered residential care for at least 3 months between 1 April 2008 and 30 June 2015.
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Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

4 March

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety
04 MAR: Transcript of Proceedings - Adelaide - Day 77
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2 March

Canberra Non-publication direction NPD-0041
Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety
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Allied Health

None this edition.

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Children's Health

3 March

NT: Hearing loss is preventable
Territorians are being urged to look after their ears and their hearing. The Northern Territory Department of Health has made the call to coincide with Hearing Awareness Week (1-7 March) and World Hearing Day (3 March). Director of Hearing Services at the Top End Health Service, Amarjit Anand, said nationally, almost half (49%) of childhood hearing loss is preventable, as is over a third (37%) of adult hearing loss. 'Good hearing is vital to having a high quality of life,' Ms Anand said. 'Ear disease prevention in children can include getting their ears checked regularly, washing their face and hands regularly, blowing their nose, a healthy diet with fruit and vegetables, ensure they have their vaccinations, don't smoke around kids and don't stick anything in their ears.'
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2 March

NSW: NSW lowers age limit for flu jabs
Families will have more access to influenza vaccinations with the NSW Government lowering the age pharmacists can administer flu jabs to children from 16 years to 10 years. Families will have more access to influenza vaccinations with the NSW Government lowering the age pharmacists can administer flu jabs to children from 16 years to 10 years. New South Wales Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said giving families more options to protect their children against flu is sensible, with the likely convergence of a COVID-19 pandemic with winter flu. 'Last year was the longest flu season on record and in 2017 more than 650 people in NSW died from flu-related conditions, and now we have COVID-19,' Mr Hazzard said.
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Clinical Governance

5 March

TAS: Still no plan for health
Tasmanian Minister for Health Sarah Courtney said the opposition leader had a golden opportunity to outline Labor's plan for health and outline exactly what they would do differently to the Government. 'Unsurprisingly, they have failed the Tasmanian community yet again by not outlining what they would do differently. Labor's dismal failure to develop a health policy has been laid bare - not a single costed policy that would help hospitals meet the current demand challenges, and not one commitment to a new bed or staff member for health services' said Ms Courtney.
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4 March

WA: Review of the Clinical Governance of Public Mental Health Services in WA released
The WA State Government is adding the new position of Chief Medical Officer, Mental Health (CMOMH) to the Mental Health Commission (the Commission) laying the foundations to strengthen the Commission's leadership role, said Western Australian Minister for Health Roger Cook. Reporting directly to the Mental Health Commissioner, the CMOMH will provide clinical expertise, contribute to strategic planning and policy development, strengthen consumer and community focused clinical care, and liaise with non-government services to support system integration across Western Australia's public mental health, alcohol and other drug services.
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2 March

Professor Michael Kidd appointed to advise on primary health reforms
The Government welcomes the appointment of Professor Michael Kidd AM as Principal Medical Advisor to the Department of Health and Professor of Primary Care Reform at The Australian National University. This appointment further strengthens the Government's focus on delivering major primary health care reforms for the benefit of all Australians. This is a joint position across the Department of Health and The Australian National University (ANU). Minister for Health Greg Hunt, said Professor Michael Kidd was an outstanding leader grounded in expertise in primary health care in Australia and overseas.
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SA: Health vision for the future
Delivering more out of hospital services, capitalising on digital health opportunities, focussing on population changes and reducing pressures on the health system are key priorities of the South Australian Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020-2025. The South Australian Department for Health and Wellbeing Chief Executive, Dr Chris McGowan, said goals include improving community trust and experience of the health system, and increasing the capacity of individuals and communities in managing their health and wellbeing. 'This Strategy signifies a new direction for the South Australian health system, guiding how we align and balance immediate priorities while positioning ourselves for future challenges,' Dr McGowan said.
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Construction and Health Infrastructure

None this edition.

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Coronavirus

6 March

NSW: Epping Boys High School closed due to COVID-19
Epping Boys High School is closed as a precaution after a Year 11 student of the school tested positive for COVID-19. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the decision was not taken lightly and is a precautionary response. "Our first concern is for the health of the school's students, and it was decided that until we learned more about this specific case, the school should be closed as a precaution," Ms Berejiklian said. "I'd encourage the community to remain calm at this time as the men and women in our health system continue their excellent work to minimise the impact of COVID-19."
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5 March

QLD: Queensland Coronavirus update
The Queensland Department of Health sad two new cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Queensland. The first case is an 81 year old male who is in a stable condition in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. He has recently returned from Thailand. The second case is a 29 year old female from Brisbane who is now well and is isolated. She has recently travelled from London to Brisbane, with a short stopover in Singapore. Contact tracing is underway for each case. A total of thirteen people in Queensland have been confirmed with COVID-19, including three people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
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4 March

Increased restrictions for people who have travelled to Iran
Australia's chief health protection body, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, is urging anyone who has returned to Australia from Iran since 19 February 2020 to self-isolate at home and closely monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 until 14 days after they left Iran, said Minister for Health Greg Hunt. Iran reported its first COVID-19 case on 20 February 2020 and this grew to 1,501 cases and 66 deaths as of 3 March 2020. It is clear that the Iranian health system is managing a large number of cases which have developed over a short period of time and as a result, reporting of cases may have been delayed or underestimated.
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Coronavirus update
The Federal Government has enacted the Coronavirus Emergency Response Plan and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is taking necessary steps to prepare if a pandemic is declared. They are collaborating with key government and health agencies and delivering on their Agency Pandemic Plan in line with the Government's Emergency Response Plan. As they closely monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and put in place plans if a pandemic is declared, they ask that the public continue to check the disaster recovery page for updates.
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ANMF calls on Government to protect nursing home residents and staff
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is working closely with the Government, health departments and industry stakeholders on contingency plans to stop the transmission of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the aged care workforce and elderly, vulnerable nursing home residents. The ANMF is warning that urgent, co-ordinated action is needed to increase the numbers of qualified nurses and carers working in the already, understaffed aged care sector. This follows confirmation that a long-term employee of an aged care facility at Macquarie Park, in Sydney, had contracted Coronavirus.
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Maximising protection of older Australians in aged care is a service provider and community responsibility
Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) says the aged care sector has mandatory infection control measures in place and has been on rising alert levels since January over the COVID-19 virus. With the news that a Sydney aged care worker has tested positive, LASA CEO Sean Rooney said maximising the protection of older Australians was the sector's top priority but it was also a community duty. 'Protecting older Australians in care and the staff who look after them is critical with extensive infection control planning and protocols in place,' he said. 'At the same time, keeping the most vulnerable older Australians safe is a broader responsibility.'
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Scott Morrison stripping workers of sick leave as Australia faces Coronavirus
Whilst Australian workers face uncertainty and financial stress in the face of the coronavirus crisis, the Government and business have been working to strip them of access to sick leave and other entitlements, said the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). Rather than throwing its full weight behind ensuring workers are supported through the emergency, it's been revealed that Scott Morrison is spending tax-payers money to fight court battles that would strip ordinary Australians of their sick pay. The Government has spent more than $250,000 to help a multinational corporation reduce access to sick leave from workers.
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Developing an Economic Response to COVID-19
The Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA) hosted a meeting of its members and other key stakeholders to discuss the need for the immediate development of an economic response to COVID-19 - one that complements the Health Response recently released by the Prime Minister The principal objective of the meeting was to identify the principles that could be used to frame such a response, as well as identifying the financial measures that could be advanced by Australian Governments to support small business - in the event of any widespread contagion events occurring in Australia.
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Australians concerned Coronavirus will have personal financial impact and pose high threat to their country
Australians continue to be among those more concerned. Majority of people in Australia and across the world think it is impossible to forecast how the virus is spreading. In an Ipsos poll conducted across 10 large countries on February 28 and 29, shows increasing concern here in Australia and globally, compared to a poll conducted on February 14 and 15. One of the key Australian findings include a significant increase in the proportion of Australians who believe the virus will have a personal financial impact, up from 27% to 40%.
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Lack of Coronavirus sick leave a Coronavirus 'ticking time bomb', stimulus payments needed
Greens Leader Adam Bandt and Greens Community Services Spokesperson Rachel Siewert have called on the Government to extend the Disaster Recovery Allowance to those affected by the coronavirus, especially those without sick leave. The Greens have also called for any government stimulus to be targeted to support low-income Australians, support coronavirus resilience and be a more effective response to the threat of recession. "The coronavirus has Australia's economy running a high fever, and whenever our economy falters, people on low incomes always get hit the hardest" said Mr Bandt.
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NT: First confirmed COVID-19 case in Northern Territory
NT Health has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the community. A 52-year-old tourist tested positive and is currently in isolation in Royal Darwin Hospital where he is receiving treatment in line with current plans. The man only recently arrived in Darwin via Sydney and has had limited contact with the local community. The Top End Health Service Public Health Unit is undertaking contact tracing and will reach out to those who may have been in contact with the man in line with public health protocols.
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NSW: Nurse and resident diagnosed with COVID- 19
An 82 year old aged care resident has been confirmed as the latest person to be diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 16, said NSW Health. The male resident is currently being cared for in hospital, while the aged-care nurse, a woman in her 50s, who had been caring for him also remains in hospital after testing positive. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said, 'sadly, a 95 year old female resident died late Tuesday night in hospital after developing a respiratory illness. We express our deepest sympathies to her family and are expecting tests results to confirm whether this lady's death is linked to COVID-19.'
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QLD: Queensland coronavirus update
A 26-year-old male from Logan is currently in isolation in Princess Alexandra Hospital after testing positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), said the Queensland Department of Health. The man who has recently returned from Iran remains in a stable condition. There have now been eleven people in Queensland confirmed with COVID-19, including the three people from the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. A 20-year-old man, confirmed with COVID-19 on 3 March 2020, remains isolated in a stable condition in the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. This patient's housemate is also isolated in the RBWH undergoing assessment. COVID-19 testing for this man is ongoing and the community will be updated once test results are finalised.
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3 March

General Practices (GPs) need much more support for COVID-19 outbreak
'Suggestions that video consultations with GPs may soon be funded is just a start to what is needed to address the COVID-19 outbreak' said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society. 'GPs and their staff will be the mainstay of limiting the spread and sorting out the huge flood of patients seeking advice and medical help as the crisis evolves,' said Dr Woodruff. 'Hospitals will indeed be central for those who are sick, but to prevent hospitals being completely overwhelmed we need general practices to be funded and resourced to cope.'
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NSW: Nine cases of COVID-19 confirmed in NSW
NSW Health now has nine confirmed cases since the outbreak of COVID-19 began, with three new cases confirmed by Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant. Dr Chant urged people to ensure they are aware of the symptoms of COVID-19 and seek immediate health assessment if symptoms develop, if they have returned from countries at risk including mainland China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Cambodia. 'One case recently travelled from Iran, and one was in close contact with another case who had travelled from Iran. The third case hadn't travelled internationally in recent weeks,' Dr Chant said.
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QLD: Queensland boosts coronavirus measures
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has taken further steps to prepare Queensland for potential impacts of coronavirus. The Premier said the hope was none of the measures would be needed but Queensland has to be prepared. 'Queensland is acknowledged as being among the best prepared for the outbreak of this virus,' the Premier said. Queensland Minister for Health Steven Miles said Queensland hospitals were ready to mobilise fever clinics if and when required. 'We discussed options for quarantine facilities also and asked Queensland Health to ensure staff levels are adequate. We are ready to redirect clinical staff into hospital positions when and where needed,' he said.
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SA: COVID-19 Update
Three South Australians are currently awaiting test results for COVID-19, said the South Australian Department of Health. One South Australian passenger from the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive to COVID-19 on arrival in Darwin from Japan on 20 February. The 24-year-old woman was transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where she remained in isolation for 14 days. She has since returned two negative test results for COVID-19 and will be discharged soon. COVID-19 can cause mild symptoms including fever, sore throat, coughing and fatigue. For some people, it can be more severe and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties and can even be fatal.
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VIC: Victoria taking action to fight COVID-19
The Government is taking action to prepare Victoria's health system for the continued spread of COVID-19. At present, there have been 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, including nine in Victoria. There have now also been two confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 in New South Wales. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said 'while we are doing what we can to contain COVID-19, we are also preparing to take more targeted action if, as expected, the virus starts impacting more Victorians.' Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos said 'Victoria's health services, including our hospitals and emergency services, have existing pandemic arrangements in place, which are ready to be activated if they are required.'
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2 March

Update on COVID-19 in Australia
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said Australia now has a total of 30 confirmed cases of COVID-19, following three additional cases of people with direct links to Iran. 'The latest confirmed case is in Tasmania, a 40 year old man who has recently returned from Iran. This follows the first death of an Australian with COVID-19 infection. ' said Mr Hunt. 'The Government offers its condolences to family and friends of the deceased. The Australian Government continues to act on the latest medical advice and has responded to the evolving risk of the virus by extending existing travel restrictions including a further update for people travelling to Italy.'
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NSW: Fifth case of COVID-19 confirmed after man returns from Iran
NSW Health is urging people who have recently returned from Iran or another high risk country, to ensure they are aware of the symptoms and seek immediate health assessment if symptoms develop within 14 days of their departure from that country. An adult male in his 40's has been diagnosed with COVID-19 following recent travel from Iran. The man has had relatively mild symptoms but has been admitted to Westmead Hospital. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said this is the fifth person to be confirmed as having the virus in New South Wales, the previous four have all been discharged from hospital.
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1 March

WA: WA confirms first novel Coronavirus death
The Western Australian Department of Health has reported Australia's first Coronavirus (COVID-19) death. Western Australia's Chief Health Officer, Dr Andrew Robertson, confirmed that a 78-year-old man died in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital from COVID-19-related complications. Dr Robertson extended his condolences to the family and said hospital staff were doing all they could to support the family through this difficult time. Dr Robertson reminded Western Australians that there had still been no local transmission of COVID-19 and that the Department was working around the clock to minimise the risk of community spread.
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Dental

None this edition.

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Disabilities

4 March

Government can boost workforce by expanding hearing services program to low income earners
More than 8000 people could return to the workforce if financially vulnerable Australians had access to the national Hearing Services Program (HSP), according to the Hearing Care Industry Association (HCIA). To help raise awareness of hearing health and impairment this World Hearing Day and during Hearing Awareness Week HCIA commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to update the 2017 social and economic costs of hearing loss and calculate a new eligibility for the HSP for vulnerable Australians. The resulting 2020 HCIA Hearing for Life report found that the number of Australians with hearing loss is 3.95 million people in 2019-20.
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NDIS must stop discriminating against older Australians
Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie has called for the Government to allow older people with a disability to enter the NDIS. 'Having a disability makes life hard enough but, if you're 65 or older, it can be a disaster because older Australians are not allowed to enter the National Disability Insurance Scheme. And if this sounds like blatant age discrimination, it's because it is. In fact in 2013, the Federal Labor Government had to exempt the NDIS from the operation of the Age Discrimination Act just to get it through the Parliament,' Mr Wilkie said.
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28 February

Delivering the NDIS: Digital innovators to inform improvement of NDIS participant experience
The Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Stuart Robert released a discussion paper to inform development of a Digital Partnership Program (DPP) to make it easier for participants to connect and interact with providers.
The discussion paper will call for ideas around:
- What kinds of tools, apps, and other digital products would be attractive for development;
- How the NDIS can best work with providers and software developers;
- What specific functionality or Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) the market would like as part of the NDIS; and
- What terms, conditions and data registered providers, unregistered providers and software developers accessing APIs should variously agree to.
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Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

None this edition.

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E-Health

None this edition.

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Education and Training

2 March

NT: New scholarships to boost Aboriginal workforce
NT Health is about to open a new scholarship offer as part of its efforts to build its Aboriginal health workforce. As part of the initiative, five scholarships will be made available to support Aboriginal Territorians studying in a range health-related disciplines. The department also welcomes applications from students aiming to work in the field of mental health as a health professional. Recipients will need to be in their first year of undergraduate studies in a health-related field. The scholarships are worth $5000, which will be paid in two installments of $2500 at the end of each semester, subject to completion of four units.
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Funding

3 March

TAS: Investing for a better health system for Tasmanians
The Tasmanian Government is focused and working hard to deliver a plan to build a better health system for all Tasmanians. 'We've been clear that health is a top priority, with our investment growing year on year since we came to office in 2014.To put this into perspective, the annual 2019-20 Budget for Health was $650 million more than the Labor-Green Budget in 2013-14,' said Tasmanian Minister for Health Sarah Courtney.
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28 February

ACT: Chief Minister must guarantee SPIRE funding will remain in health system
Chief Minister Andrew Barr should guarantee that every dollar committed to the Canberra Hospital's SPIRE project should remain in the health system, ACT Shadow Health Minister Vicki Dunne said. It follows revelations that requests have been made to draw $5 million from the SPIRE project to put into 'corporate functions' within Major Projects Canberra. In Public Accounts Committee hearings, Ms Dunne will question the Chief Minister on the potential shuffling of money from the Canberra Hospital's SPIRE project into bureaucratic functions. 'How much ACT taxpayers' money will be taken out of the hospital expansion and put into bureaucratic functions?' Ms Dunne is asking.
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Health Professionals

5 March

New national waiting time survey launched
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA) launched the National Waiting Time Survey, designed to identify how much time Australians spend sitting in GPs waiting rooms across the country. 'We know Australian families find it hard to get in to see their GP, and when they finally get an appointment, they almost always get stuck in the waiting room,' said the National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, George Tambassis. 'We want to find out how long it's taking Australians to get a GP appointment and how long they're spending sitting in waiting rooms across the country waiting for that appointment.'
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VIC: Gippsland's Bush nursing funding furore
Gippsland Bush Nursing Centres are struggling due to inadequate state government funding. Victorian Member for Eastern Victoria Region Melina Bath said Gippsland's bush nursing centres are being forced to fund raise to keep the doors open. 'The recent bushfire crisis in East Gippsland has further exposed Labor's inadequate heath care funding in our small rural communities. In the case of Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre, an additional $100,000 is required annually to meet service demand and a minimum of $30,000 to cover the increased workload following months of bushfires. During the bushfires our hardworking bush nurses were seriously stretched and basic medical items rapidly consumed in treating burns, injuries and smoke-related conditions.'
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3 March

VIC: New wage deal for Victoria's world-class paramedics
The Victorian Government has reached an in-principle agreement with the Victorian Ambulance Union and United Workers Union to deliver a fair wage deal for hardworking, dedicated and skilled paramedics. Victorian Minister for Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos announced the enterprise bargaining agreement with paramedics had been settled with a heads-of-agreement signed, providing better pay and conditions and additional paramedics to better care for all Victorians. The new deal gives paramedics a two per cent per annum wage increase over four years, in line with the Government's wages policy, as well as additional incentives that support ongoing professional development - making paramedics amongst the best paid in the country.
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2 March

Misgendering harms health of trans individuals
Misgendering negatively affects the mental and physical health of trans individuals and may impact their future engagement with the health care system, according to the authors of a Perspective published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Some doctors are 'ill-equipped' to care for transgender patients, thanks partly to structural stigmatisation built into medical training. Misgendering negatively affects the mental and physical health of trans individuals and may impact their future engagement with the health care system, according to the authors, led by Dr Irene Dolan, a GP and Clinical Editor with HealthPathways WA, operated by the WA Primary Health Alliance.
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Changes to mandatory notifications requirements in effect 1 March
Amendments to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (National Law) requirements on mandatory notifications came into effect on 1 March 2020. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and National Boards believe that it is important all health practitioners understand what the changes mean, and to encourage them to get the help and support they need. The amendments apply in all states and territories except Western Australia and affect the mandatory reporting obligations for treating practitioners. Treating practitioners are registered health practitioners who treat other health practitioners as patients.
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Hospitals

4 March

ACT: Minister knew of hospital funding crisis, kept community in the dark
The ACT Territory Government knew it would run out of money for the Canberra Hospital almost five months ago, it was revealed in Public Accounts Committee hearings, said ACT Shadow Minister for Health Vicki Dunne. Canberra Health Services confirmed the government knew the hospital was running at least a $35 million deficit at the beginning of the second quarter of the 2019-20 financial year. The figure is now predicted to be $60 million. 'For five months Minister Rachel Stephen Smith knew that the hospital would run out of money, but this tired old government deceitfully left the community in the dark,' Ms Dunne said.
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3 March

TAS: Government must lift veil of secrecy around Royal Hobart Hospital completion date
The Tasmanian Government needs to lift its veil of secrecy and tell Tasmanians whether it agreed to change the practical completion date for the Royal Hobart Hospital. Tasmanian Shadow Health Minister, Sarah Lovell, said Tasmanians had a right to know the truth. 'The new Royal Hobart Hospital was supposed to be finished in December 2018 and yet here we are in March 2020, and we still have no clue as to when the hospital will open,' Ms Lovell said. 'The Government must reveal whether it has imposed penalties or whether it's happy to see Tasmania short-changed as a result of its infrastructure failures.'
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2 March

IHPA releases National Efficient Price and National Efficient Cost Determinations 2020-21
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) released the National Efficient Price and National Efficient Cost Determinations for the 2020-21 financial year. The Determinations play a crucial role in setting the Commonwealth funding contribution to Australian public hospital services, and offer a benchmark for the efficient cost of providing those services as outlined in the National Health Reform Agreement. The national efficient price (NEP) for 2020-21 is $5,320 per national weighted activity unit (NWAU). This is a 2.1 per cent increase in price from the NEP for 2019-20.
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TAS: Many questions, no answers
Peter Gutwein and Sarah Courtney must come to Parliament with answers to the many questions surrounding the $689 million redevelopment of the Royal Hobart Hospital, said Tasmanian Shadow Minister for Health Sarah Lovell. Ms Lovell said the Liberals have offered no confidence and no comfort to the many Tasmanians waiting to get a hospital bed. 'Sarah Courtney confirmed she has no timeframe for the opening of K Block, and she appears to have no clear plan to resolve the issues preventing the opening' said Ms Lovell.
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28 February

SA: New Centre to Reduce ED Pressure and Boost Patient Services
Planning is underway for a new Urgent Mental Health Care Centre (UMHCC), which will help to ease pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing an alternative care option for thousands of South Australians. The new Centre will be close to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, helping to reduce reliance on metropolitan Emergency Departments (EDs). South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the Centre will initially take referrals from SA Ambulance Service (SAAS), SA Police and the crisis telephone service. Over time, it will provide a walk-in support for people who self-present.
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Insurance

5 March

DEPT OF HEALTH: Private Health Insurance PHI - 18/20 - Amendments to the March 2020 Prosthesis List

4 March

04 MAR 2020: DEPT OF HEALTH: Private Health Insurance PHI 17/20 - Hospital Declaration & Second-Tier Updates

2 March

Private health insurance premiums rise despite growing exclusions
For the first time, the majority of hospital treatment policies held by Australians now contain exclusions, the latest Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) annual report into the private health insurance industry has found. More than 57 per cent of policies held by Australians contain exclusions, up from about 44 per cent in the previous year. 'Many people may not be aware their policies may have exclusions and don't realise they would not be covered at all for treatment as a private patient for those conditions,' ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
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ACCC Report confirms insurers shouldn't play doctor
Medical Technology Association of Australia CEO Ian Burgess said the ACCC report into private health insurers paints a disturbing picture of deceptive behaviour and declining affordability and value driving the industry's current 'death spiral'. 'It also casts a shadow over calls by the nation's largest health insurers to remove current rules protecting patient access to the best and latest medical technology' said Mr Burgess. 'The ACCC report cites multiple examples where the big corporate insurers have tried to deny their customers access to essential medical treatments, while at the same raising patient premiums and out of
pockets'.
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28 February

28 FEB 2020: DEPT OF HEALTH: Private Health Insurance Circular PHI 16/20 - Private Health Insurance Rules Changes 1 March 2020

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Medicare

3 March

New proposal to deliver better health care to 450,000 Australians with chronic wounds
A proposal to overhaul Medicare rebates for patients with chronic wounds will help GPs deliver better health care and shorten healing times for their patients afflicted with chronic or difficult to heal wounds, Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Tony Bartone, said. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce, which is reviewing more than 5,700 MBS items, has been looking at how best to manage both acute and chronic wounds to improve health outcomes while providing value to patients and the healthcare system.
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28 February

Medicare bulk billing rate of 86 per cent for 2019
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said Australians continue to visit their GPs without having to pay a cent, with the latest Medicare data showing 86 out of 100 visits to the GP were bulk-billed for the 2019 calendar year. The 86.0 per cent bulk billing rate achieved in 2019, is a 4.3 percentage point increase on the 81.7 per cent Labor were able to achieve when they were last in Government in 2012. Figures for 2019 show an increase of more than 4.3 million free GP visits compared to that of 2018. In addition, the total Medicare bulk billing rate climbed to 79.2 per cent in 2019.
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Men's Health

None this edition.

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Mental Health

4 March

TAS: Mental Health funding security
The Tasmanian Government is committed to increasing access to mental health services as well as continuing its commitment to preventative health, so that it can reduce demand on acute health system into the future, said Tasmanian Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Jeremy Rockliff. 'We know our community-based mental health service providers need funding certainty in order to better plan for the future and provide job security for the workforce. That is why, as part of the broader integration of the mental health service system, we are pleased to be ending the current 12 month cycle of funding agreements, with future agreements to be over 3 years.'
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WA: Review of the Clinical Governance of Public Mental Health Services in WA released
The WA State Government is adding the new position of Chief Medical Officer, Mental Health (CMOMH) to the Mental Health Commission (the Commission) laying the foundations to strengthen the Commission's leadership role, said Western Australian Minister for Health Roger Cook. Reporting directly to the Mental Health Commissioner, the CMOMH will provide clinical expertise, contribute to strategic planning and policy development, strengthen consumer and community focused clinical care, and liaise with non-government services to support system integration across Western Australia's public mental health, alcohol and other drug services.
Download

2 March

Misgendering harms health of trans individuals
Misgendering negatively affects the mental and physical health of trans individuals and may impact their future engagement with the health care system, according to the authors of a Perspective published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Some doctors are 'ill-equipped' to care for transgender patients, thanks partly to structural stigmatisation built into medical training. Misgendering negatively affects the mental and physical health of trans individuals and may impact their future engagement with the health care system, according to the authors, led by Dr Irene Dolan, a GP and Clinical Editor with HealthPathways WA, operated by the WA Primary Health Alliance.
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VIC: Students to get mental health support after bushfires
The Government is making sure students in areas worst hit by the summer's bushfire have the mental health support they need. Victorian Minister for Education James Merlino announced the Mental Health Practitioners in Schools initiative will be rolled out to ten schools across East Gippsland - to ensure students impacted by this summer's bushfires have the wellbeing support they need. The $51.2 million initiative is providing every Victorian government secondary school campus with funding for a mental health practitioner by 2022, so students can get the support when they need it most.
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28 February

SA: New Centre to Reduce ED Pressure and Boost Patient Services
Planning is underway for a new Urgent Mental Health Care Centre (UMHCC), which will help to ease pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing an alternative care option for thousands of South Australians. The new Centre will be close to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, helping to reduce reliance on metropolitan Emergency Departments (EDs). South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the Centre will initially take referrals from SA Ambulance Service (SAAS), SA Police and the crisis telephone service. Over time, it will provide a walk-in support for people who self-present.
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Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System

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