This Newsletter 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

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

23 July

National report card examines COVID-19 and other health issues in Australia
Life expectancy, chronic conditions, social determinants of health and the COVID-19 pandemic are some of the issues under the spotlight in the latest two-yearly report card on the health of Australians. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Chair Mrs Louise Markus launched Australia's Health 2020 in a video message. AIHW Deputy CEO Mr Matthew James said the report had come at an important time. 'More than any other event in recent history, the pandemic has led Australians to focus on our health, the health of our families and communities, and demonstrated the importance of the health system,' Mr James said.
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ACT: Further restriction easing postponed in the ACT
Following advice from the ACT Chief Health Officer, the ACT will not move forward with the implementation of stage 3 restrictions in the ACT for a further two weeks. The current restrictions as outlined in the ACT's Easing of Restrictions roadmap will stay in place and will be assessed on a weekly basis, said ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr. So far, the ACT community has done an outstanding job in responding to the threat of COVID-19. ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said, while the ACT remains in a strong position, the situation in NSW still has the potential to impact the ACT.
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22 July

New resources for RTOs to deliver critical skills in COVID-19 point of care testing
To assist Australians facing the frontline challenges of COVID-19, the Australian Industry and Skills Committee has commissioned the development of new resources to support the delivery of the COVID-19 Critical Skills Point of Care Testing. The skillset is part of the national COVID-19 response and includes the following units:
- MSL974030 Process body fluid specimens using a point of care testing device.
- HLTPAT003 Perform capillary blood collections.
The Department of Education, Skills and Employment has committed to covering the cost of these resources for RTOs for approximately six months to ensure they are freely available during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
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COVID-19 inquiry to examine health services and supplies
A parliamentary inquiry into the impact of COVID-19 on Australia's defence, trade and international relations will turn its attention to public health at its next public hearing. Senator David Fawcett, Chair of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, said that the pandemic has exposed problems in Australia's pharmaceutical and medical equipment supply chains. Senator Fawcett said 'Although our health system is amongst the best in the world, it can't function without reliable supplies of drugs and equipment, especially during severe public health events like the pandemic.'
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Why the experts believe wearing a mask is effective
McKell Institute
1. Masks protect yourself and others from transmitting the virus.
2. You don't need an expensive mask, a cloth mask or scarf is better than nothing.
3. Masks are not effective alone, they must be coupled with social distancing, good hygiene and avoiding crowded public spaces.
Melbourne's mandatory face covering rule could be the first of a series in Australia, with it also an option in the high density Sydney area as cases rise in NSW. In the United States, and in the United Kingdom, mandatory rules about mask wearing have caused debate, frustration, and resulted in widely shared falsehoods from those opposed to wearing a mask.
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AMA calls on National Cabinet to act urgently on community transmission of COVID-19
The AMA is calling for the Prime Minister to convene National Cabinet urgently to adopt a nation-wide position on masks and the strengthening of domestic border controls to curb the spread of COVID-19. AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, said that mask use in areas of community transmission was now essential, following on from the strong evidence around mask use that has been emerging. 'It is now clear that masks reduce virus spread when worn in areas where there is community transmission,' Dr Bartone said.
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ACT: COVID-19 Update - 22 July 2020
There have been no new cases of COVID-19 recorded in the ACT in the past 24 hours, leaving the ACT's total at 113. There are three (3) active cases in the ACT. A total of 107 cases have recovered from COVID-19 in the ACT. There are no (0) COVID-19 patients in Canberra hospitals. The ACT has recorded three (3) deaths, said the ACT Department of Health. The number of negative tests in the ACT is now 43,965.
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NSW: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics
Sixteen new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the 24 hours to 8.00pm 21 July bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 3,425. There were 18,465 tests carried out in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 15,903 tests in the previous 24 hours. There are 91 COVID-19 cases being treated by NSW Health, with two in intensive care. One, a man in his 70's is ventilated and on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In NSW, 2,799 people are known to have recovered from COVID-19.
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QLD: Queensland novel coronavirus (COVID-19) update
Queensland has one new case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to report, bringing total cases to 1,073. This case is overseas acquired and was transported directly to hotel quarantine. They are therefore not currently considered to be a risk to the public. Queensland currently has three active COVID-19 cases. Two of these cases are in hospital. The Queensland Health website now includes detailed information by Local Government Area on the number of active and recovered COVID-19 cases, likely source of infection, age and gender breakdowns of cases and number of self-quarantine notices.
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21 July

New modelling shows tracking app critical to containing COVID-19
A team from the Sax Institute has published independent COVID-19 modelling that projects a second wave but finds new cases could be slashed by over 50% if enough people use the COVIDSafe app and remaining issues with it are resolved. While social distancing and high rates of testing remain the best ways to limit the spread, the Sax Institute researchers behind the modelling say the smartphone app could be 'insurance' against reignition of the pandemic. The modelling uses evidence on factors such as the speed and characteristics of the virus's spread to project likely consequences for case numbers under various scenarios.
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NSW: Public health alert - COVID-19 case confirmed in Port Stephens
Hunter New England Local Health District is urging anyone who visited the Salamander Bay Shopping Centre on 15 July to watch for COVID-19 symptoms and get tested should any respiratory symptoms or fever occur, said the NSW Department of Health. The warning follows confirmation of a COVID-19 case in Port Stephens area. The new case is a man in his 60s, who is now in isolation. The source of infection was a visitor from Sydney. Anyone in the general Port Stephens area with symptoms of COVID-19 should seek testing. The Sydney case also visited the Windsor Castle Hotel in East Maitland between 6-8 pm on 13 July.
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VIC: Face coverings
If you live within metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire, you must wear a face covering whenever you leave your home, unless an exception applies, said the Victorian Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). A face covering needs to cover both your nose and mouth. It could be a face mask or shield. These new rules won't be enforced until after 11.59pm on Wednesday 22 July. A face mask includes any paper or textile covering designed or made to be worn over the nose and mouth to protect the wearer. It does not have to be medical grade and you can make your own.
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20 July

COVID-19: Lessons to be learned from Dorothy Henderson Lodge
The COVID-19 outbreak in the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Sydney showed that optimal infection prevention and control practice cannot be assumed, even among trained healthcare workers, in an outbreak setting, according to one of Australia's leading infectious diseases experts. In an article published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), Professor Gilbert wrote that the outbreak at Dorothy Henderson Lodge provided important lessons. 'The most important lesson of the Dorothy Henderson Lodge COVID-19 outbreak was the need for early, ongoing leadership by facility management and guidance from an experienced IPC professional,' Professor Gilbert wrote.
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Victoria should aim to eliminate not suppress COVID-19
Leading epidemiologists have presented a 10-point plan to help Melbourne and Victoria achieve the elimination of COVID-19 within the 6-week lockdown period, said the MJA. Professor Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist and public health physician at the University of Melbourne, and colleagues wrote that: 'Melbourne and Victoria should not waste the opportunity this lockdown presents. Researchers know from New Zealand and Taiwan that elimination of community transmission is achievable in island jurisdictions, both having no reported community transmission for over 2 months as of 10 July,' Blakely and colleagues wrote.
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NSW: Public health alert - Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral
NSW Health is directing anyone who attended Our lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Harris Park to immediately self-isolate for 14 days and come forward for testing even if they are not experiencing symptoms if they attended on:
- Wednesday 15 July - 5.30pm Mass
- Thursday 16 July - 6pm Mass
- Friday 17 July - 1pm Funeral & 6pm Mass
Anyone who has attended the church since 15 July outside of these specific times should also closely monitor for symptoms and get tested if they begin to feel unwell, no matter how mild their symptoms are.
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NT: COVID-19 - Border crossings and infringements
Of those, 113 have been directed into mandatory supervised quarantine, including 110 who arrived by air. Since the borders opened on Friday 17 July, more than 5000 people have entered the Territory and 143 people have been directed to enter mandatory supervised quarantine, said the NT Department of Health. Approximately 1000 people who arrived in the NT before 17 July from declared hotspots remain in home self-quarantine. There have been no reported infringements for two days. NT Police and Environmental Health Officers continue to undertake compliance activities.
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19 July

Support for aged care residents and aged care workers across Victoria
The Federal and Victorian State Governments, in collaboration with representatives from the aged care sector, are announcing additional measures to ensure aged care providers are equipped to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and can continue providing quality care. Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck and Victorian Minister for Disability, Aging and Carers Luke Donnellan, recognise the aged care workforce has been doing an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances. Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos said that with widespread community based infection in Victoria, more needs to be done to help aged care providers minimise the risk of transmission within and across facilities.
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SA: Pharmacy COVID-19 testing trial to commence
South Australia is continuing to roll out innovative, targeted initiatives to prepare for future outbreaks of COVID-19, with a two-week testing pilot commencing at several metropolitan pharmacies. SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Stephen Wade said the trial in up to five pharmacies will capitalise on the trust and goodwill pharmacists have within their communities to improve access to COVID-19 testing. 'People often present to a pharmacy with mild cold or flu-like symptoms to seek advice from their pharmacist or to obtain treatment for symptom relief, and these are the very people we want to get a COVID-19 test,' the Minister said.
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VIC: Face coverings mandatory for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire
People living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will now be required to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four reasons, following a concerning increase in coronavirus cases in recent days, said Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. 'Based on the latest advice from the Chief Health Officer, we're urging Victorians: just as you remember to take your keys when you leave the house, you need to remember to take something to cover your face - to help keep you and our community safe,' said Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos.
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18 July

NSW: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) statistics
Fifteen new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 3,361. A record total of 27,702 tests were notified in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with 24,467 tests in the previous 24 hours. There are 105 COVID-19 cases being treated by NSW Health, with one in intensive care. This person does not require a ventilator. In NSW, 2,799 people are known to have recovered from COVID-19.
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17 July

Two million more face masks for Victorian aged care and disability workers
All aged care workers across Victoria will now be required to wear face masks, said Minister for Health Greg Hunt. The precautionary measure, expanded state wide after consultation between Federal and State Governments, will provide extra confidence that vulnerable senior citizens will receive the highest level of protection against COVID-19, said Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Stuart Robert. It applies to both residential care and home support care workers. To support this requirement, the Government will release a further one million masks from the National Medical Stockpile, said Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck.
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Greens call on Prime Minister to pursue elimination strategy for COVID-19
Greens Health Spokesperson Dr Richard Di Natale is calling on the Prime Minister to adopt an elimination strategy for COVID-19 to keep restrictions in place until the rate of community transmission reaches zero. 'It's now time to commit to eliminating COVID-19 from the community, and give Australians some level of certainty in the face of this pandemic. We have already eliminated the virus in some states, which has allowed people to resume doing many of the things they love and provided some certainty for the business community.'
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NSW: The first round of projects to receive funding under the NSW State Government's $25m COVID-19
Research Grants program has been announced. Seven projects worth $3.3m have been funded through the program, which was announced in March as part of the state's response to the virus. NSW Health Acting Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health, Sarah Thackway, said the grants were divided into diagnostics, prevention, and public and population health. This funding is for research and clinical trials to tackle COVID-19, but also to support initiatives that focus on targeted research to assist with the response to the pandemic, including its impacts on the healthcare workforce.
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QLD: More job-creating recovery steps and strong health protection
Queensland's plan to unite and recover from the global economic impact of COVID-19 saw another injection of job-creation funding, while NSW hotspots were declared to protect Queenslanders and only three new (overseas acquired) local cases were reported. As at July 17 there remain four active cases, 1058 recovered and a total of 1071. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Unite and Recover plan now includes an extension of the Back to Work program - with an Apprentice and Trainee Boost of up to $20,000 - as well as an expansion of Skilling Queenslanders for Work, and a Reef Assist program for jobs in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas - all up worth $90 million.
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VIC: Escalating the coronavirus fight in regional Victoria
'Coronavirus testing will be stepped up across regional Victoria and a new Geelong-based public health team will be established to help slow the spread of the virus and provide the data we need to inform decisions about restrictions - as the Chief Health Officer expands his recommendation to wear a mask,' said Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. While coronavirus numbers are far lower in regional areas than metropolitan Melbourne, the Government is taking further action to ensure all Victorians remain vigilant against this highly infectious disease. Over the past two weeks there have been around 40 cases recorded across non-restricted LGAs, said Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos.
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Aged Care

21 July

LASA concerned over slow reduction in home care wait - Strategic planning need to reduce queue
Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) continues to appeal to work closely with the Government on reducing the queue for Home Care Packages, following the release of the latest waitlist figures. The March Quarter statistics show that 103,599 older Australians were waiting for their approved package. 'It is extremely disappointing that the waitlist has only reduced by less than 1,000 people during the March Quarter,' said LASA Senior Policy Adviser Troy Speirs. 'We acknowledge that the number of people with access to a package has increased by over 6,000 during the quarter.'
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20 July

Aged care leaders unite in call for Australians to say #ThanksforCaring
The nation's representative aged care organisations are calling on all Australians to acknowledge and thank the vital aged care workers on Aged Care Employee Day (ACED) on Friday 7 August. Aged & Community Services Australia, the Aged Care Guild, Anglicare Australia, Baptist Care Australia, Catholic Health Australia, UnitingCare Australia and Leading Age Services Australia have united to remind Australia of the proud group of people who are supporting older Australians to age well and stay safe from coronavirus. It is not every day an unsung hero or quiet achiever gets acknowledged.
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COVID-19: Lessons to be learned from Dorothy Henderson Lodge
The COVID-19 outbreak in the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Sydney showed that optimal infection prevention and control practice cannot be assumed, even among trained healthcare workers, in an outbreak setting, according to one of Australia's leading infectious diseases experts. In an article published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), Professor Gilbert wrote that the outbreak at Dorothy Henderson Lodge provided important lessons. 'The most important lesson of the Dorothy Henderson Lodge COVID-19 outbreak was the need for early, ongoing leadership by facility management and guidance from an experienced IPC professional,' Professor Gilbert wrote.
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More than 100,000 older Australians still waiting for home care
New Government figures quietly released reveal more than 103,000 older Australians are still waiting for the home care package they have been approved for. These shocking figures follow the Aged Care Royal Commission's interim report which called the long waiting times older Australians faced for home care 'neglect'. The new data is yet more evidence the Government's response to the Royal Commission's interim report has failed, said Shadow Minister for Ageing and Seniors Julie Collins.
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19 July

Support for aged care residents and aged care workers across Victoria
The Federal and Victorian State Governments, in collaboration with representatives from the aged care sector, are announcing additional measures to ensure aged care providers are equipped to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and can continue providing quality care. Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck and Victorian Minister for Disability, Aging and Carers Luke Donnellan, recognise the aged care workforce has been doing an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances. Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos said that with widespread community based infection in Victoria, more needs to be done to help aged care providers minimise the risk of transmission within and across facilities.
Download

17 July

Two million more face masks for Victorian aged care and disability workers
All aged care workers across Victoria will now be required to wear face masks, said Minister Hunt. The precautionary measure, expanded state wide after consultation between Federal and State Governments, will provide extra confidence that vulnerable senior citizens will receive the highest level of protection against COVID-19, said Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Stuart Robert. It applies to both residential care and home support care workers. To support this requirement, the Government will release a further one million masks from the National Medical Stockpile, said Minister Colbeck.
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Menarock aged care residents transferred to hospital
The Government is continuing to work closely with Victorian authorities and Menarock Life Aged Care to manage a COVID-19 outbreak at its service at Essendon. Minister Colbeck confirmed all remaining residents would be transferred from the aged care facility to hospital. 'This is able to occur because the Australian Government partnered with the private hospital sector to ensure all resources, staff and beds were ready to support this response to the COVID- 19 outbreak,' Minister Colbeck said.
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Government must assure Australians that aged care facilities are safe
'The Government must urgently assure all Australians that residential aged care facilities are safe and prepared for COVID-19,' said Shadow Minister for Ageing and Seniors Julie Collins. 'It is deeply concerning a facility in Essendon with the largest outbreak of COVID-19 in aged care has not been audited by the Morrison Government's aged care regulator in more than three years. This was despite the provider being hauled before the Aged Care Royal Commission in October last year after another of its Melbourne facilities was sanctioned by the regulator. The evidence presented at the Royal Commission was damning.'
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Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

Australians strongly support funding of high quality aged care
Landmark new research by Flinders University shows Australians strongly support increased funding to ensure universal access to high-quality aged care services in the future. The research is the first of its kind internationally and was conducted for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Based on a survey of 10,000 adults not currently using aged care services, its findings are presented in Research Paper 6 - Australia's aged care system: assessing the views and preferences of the general public for quality of care and future funding.
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Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety
17 JUL: Transcript of Proceedings - Melbourne - Day 82
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Allied Health

None this edition.

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Children's Health

20 July

New birthweight centiles may improve diagnosis of small-for-gestational age babies
New Australian birthweight centile charts based upon the most recent available population data for births with spontaneous onset of labour, will allow more accurate diagnosis of small-for-gestational age babies, according to research published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Centile curves of birthweight by gestational age are widely used in medicine. During pregnancy, they are used to assess fetal growth and to screen for small and large fetuses at increased risk of antenatal and intrapartum complications; in the postnatal period, they are used to identify neonates at increased risk of complications such as hypoglycaemia.
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Clinical Governance

22 July

RACGP warns of higher costs for patients needing ECGs
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is warning that patients who need electrocardiograms (ECGs) will likely face higher costs due to imminent changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). The changes to MBS items for ECGs, due to come into force on August 1st, will significantly reduce patient rebates for ECGs in general practice, effectively restricting these services to consultant physicians and other specialists. Under the changes, patients will only be eligible for item 11707 for ECG tracing in general practice, and will no longer be able to claim for tracing and reporting.
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20 July

Joint NGO Submission on behalf of the Australian NGO Coalition
The submission was coordinated by the Human Rights Law Centre, the Kingsford Legal Centre and the Caxton Legal Centre, working with an Advisory Group comprised of 16 NGOs. The growing Black Lives and Aboriginal Lives Matter movements have drawn fresh attention to the long struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address systemic racism, police brutality, and deaths in custody. The climate crisis showed itself more than ever to be an issue of life or death which will increasingly impact on human rights. On the back of that deep trauma and dislocation, Australia now faces the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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ACT: Improving health access for LGBTIQ+ Canberrans
ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the survey aims to identify obstacles to care that members of the LGBTIQ+ may experience when accessing specific health services. 'The ACT aims to be the most LGBTIQ+ welcoming and inclusive jurisdiction in Australia. This means ensuring LGBTIQ+ people have equitable access to services and support that is both appropriate to individual experiences and responsive to specific needs across all stages of life,' ACT Minister Stephen Smith.
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Construction and Health Infrastructure

22 July

New cancer fighting equipment in action in Tasmania
The Federal and State Governments remain focused on delivering the plan to build a better health system for all Tasmanians. A new state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator at the W.P. Holman Clinic in Launceston has been installed, for the treatment of patients. Linear Accelerators deliver highly accurate radiation treatment for patients, an essential and integral part of any modern cancer facility. Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer welcomed the arrival of the new cancer fighting equipment. Tasmanian Minister for Health Sarah Courtney was also pleased to view the new equipment on the back of the arrival of a new-state-of-the-art CT Scanner earlier this year.
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18 July

WA: Charlies' emergency department set to undergo $19 million upgrade
The WA Government is investing $19 million to expand, upgrade and enhance the patient experience at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) emergency department (ED) as part of the Western Australian Recovery Plan. Part of the upgrade will include a new eight-bed Behavioural Assessment Urgent Care Centre (BAUCC), co-located within the ED. The BAUCC will ensure patients behaviourally affected by alcohol and/or drugs are assessed safely without entering the main department and improve patient flow through the provision of specialist inpatient beds, said WA Minister for Health Roger Cook.
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WA: Work starts on Joondalup Health Campus expansion
Construction on the Joondalup Health Campus Development Stage 2 Project has commenced, with early works underway to relocate the emergency department (ED) administration unit to facilitate an expansion of the ED. The works, being undertaken by Malaga-based contractor Kwikfit, are expected to be completed by September. In addition, the WA Government can announce that four builders - Multiplex, Lendlease, Georgiou and Built - have been selected to progress through to the tendering stage for the major component of the project, with a decision on the successful contractor expected in October 2020. The entire build is scheduled to be completed by late 2025, said WA Minister Cook.
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Dental

None this edition.

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Disabilities

22 July

WA: First for public sector agency and disability recruitment
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is leading the way as an inclusive workplace, becoming the first Western Australian Government agency to achieve Disability Confident Recruiter status. The accreditation from the Australian Network on Disability has come as a result of DBCA removing barriers to inclusive recruitment and building on its capability to attract, support and retain skilled candidates with disability, said WA Minister for Environment and Disability Services Stephen Dawson.
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21 July

Submissions received: Products used for and by people with disabilities
The TGA thanks respondents who provided a submission in response to the public consultation paper 'Products used for and by people with disabilities - Options for amendment to the Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination 2018'. This consultation was related to the implementation of the Government Response to the Review of Medicines and Medical Devices Regulation (MMDR), in particular Recommendation 23 that provided for a review of Class I medical devices 'with a view to reclassifying products as consumer goods in circumstances where the product poses little or no risk to consumers should it not perform as specified or malfunctions'. A total of nineteen (19) submissions were received.
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17 July

Two million more face masks for Victorian aged care and disability workers
All aged care workers across Victoria will now be required to wear face masks, said Minister for Health Greg Hunt. The precautionary measure, expanded state wide after consultation between Federal and State Governments, will provide extra confidence that vulnerable senior citizens will receive the highest level of protection against COVID-19, said Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Stuart Robert. It applies to both residential care and home support care workers. To support this requirement, the Government will release a further one million masks from the National Medical Stockpile, said Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck.
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Disability Advocate appointed in South Australia
David Caudrey has been appointed Disability Advocate for South Australia. His role is identify issues and inform policy associated with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). He will work from the Office of the Public Advocate for a 12- month period. This new role will not replace existing complaint or individual advocacy systems, rather it has been designed to engage with the disability sector and work closely with all levels of government to leverage change where needed. Caudrey describes the role as a 'mixture of lobbying, advocacy and ensuring the relevant minister in the state has good quality ammunition when they are arguing for changes to policy settings or changes to funding allocations.
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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

None this edition.

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Funding

22 July

ACT: Supporting healthy living
The ACT Government continues to support the health of all Canberrans with the next round of Healthy Canberra Grants. The grants will provide up to $1.9 million in funding for programs to increase social connectedness and reduce the impact of chronic illness in the community. ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said these grants will help to reduce the significant burden of chronic disease in the ACT. 'As a population, Canberrans have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. But while we are living longer, we are also living with a greater burden of chronic illness.'
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ACT: Better healthcare for Canberrans with complex needs
The ACT Government is providing $2.5 million to local community organisations to support the healthcare needs of vulnerable Canberrans. ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the funding provided to Junction Youth Services, Companion House and Directions Health Services would help to address significant barriers people experience in accessing and navigating mainstream services, including health and social services. 'We know many vulnerable Canberrans have complex and underlying health concerns and yet are not regularly engaged with primary and preventive health care. Barriers to access include financial circumstances, location and past experiences with healthcare,' said Minister Stephen-Smith.
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QLD: Vital support flowing for grass roots health care providers
The Government has injected more than $30 million into more than 130 Queensland's community-based health service groups to ensure their vital services can continue to support Queenslanders during the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future. Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles said the grants will help organisations continue to provide services to Queenslanders and in some cases deliver new or extended services. 'The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the economy around the globe, and Queensland has not been immune,' Mr Miles said.
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20 July

TAS: Health funds crucial to COVID-19 recovery
The Tasmanian Government must provide funding to address serious flaws in Tasmania's health system as part of the state's COVID-19 recovery. Tasmanian Shadow Health Minister Sarah Lovell said the pandemic has confirmed the need for a major investment in the health system and a long-term plan to look after Tasmanians' health. 'Tasmania's health woes were well known even before the pandemic, with elective surgery waiting lists already at record high numbers, along with ambulance ramping and bed block,' Ms Lovell said.
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19 July

$18.8 million to supercharge digital health technologies
The Government is investing $18.8 million to supercharge the discovery of better treatments for cancer, epilepsy, stroke, paralysis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, brain injuries, back pain and chronic middle ear disease, said Minister for Health Greg Hunt. Under round three of the Government's $45 million BioMedTech Horizons program, 21 very promising projects will receive funding to help unlock some of the key health challenges of the times. Successful applicants will use the funding to develop medical devices - including wearable devices - telehealth and telemedicine, and digitally-enabled personalised medicine.
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17 July

NSW: The first round of projects to receive funding under the NSW State Government's $25m COVID-19
Research Grants program has been announced. Seven projects worth $3.3m have been funded through the program, which was announced in March as part of the state's response to the virus. NSW Health Acting Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health, Sarah Thackway, said the grants were divided into diagnostics, prevention, and public and population health. This funding is for research and clinical trials to tackle COVID-19, but also to support initiatives that focus on targeted research to assist with the response to the pandemic, including its impacts on the healthcare workforce.
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Health Professionals

None this edition.

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Hospitals

23 July

Nation's health report looks in rear view mirror: real-time data needed
'It's high time the nation's two-yearly Australia's Health report talked about what's happening now rather than what happened years ago', said Alison Verhoeven, Chief Executive of the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA). Australia's Health 2020 was released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the government statutory agency responsible for health and welfare statistics. 'The AIHW does valuable work, and the Australia's Health report is a useful compendium of all their work in health statistics', Ms Verhoeven said.
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20 July

QLD: LNP takes first step for new northern Gold Coast hospital
Queensland Leader of the Opposition Deb Frecklington announced a masterplan for a state-of-the-art hospital and health precinct for the northern Gold Coast would be developed as part of her plan to Get Queensland Working Again. Ms Frecklington said the LNP's Northern Gold Coast Hospital and Health Precinct masterplan would ensure the rapidly increasing population in the region was matched by a significant investment in healthcare. 'Developing a masterplan is the first important step for a new state-of-the art hospital on the northern Gold Coast,' Ms Frecklington said. 'This significant investment is about planning for growth and delivering world-class healthcare services for a growing community.'
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17 July

Menarock aged care residents transferred to hospital
The Government is continuing to work closely with Victorian authorities and Menarock Life Aged Care to manage a COVID-19 outbreak at its service at Essendon. Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians Richard Colbeck confirmed all remaining residents would be transferred from the aged care facility to hospital. 'This is able to occur because the Australian Government partnered with the private hospital sector to ensure all resources, staff and beds were ready to support this response to the COVID- 19 outbreak,' Minister Colbeck said.
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Insurance

23 July

Delays to the commencement of certain medical device regulatory changes
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced regulations which delay the commencement of a number of medical device reforms in Australia. This delay reflects the challenges identified by the medical devices industry and healthcare professionals to redirect their efforts to regulatory changes as they have focussed on the COVID-19 crisis. The delay will allow additional time for the Therapeutic Goods Administration (the TGA) to further consult with the medical device industry and health care professionals on guidance material and implementation details relating to the reforms.
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Private Health Insurance Annual Coverage Survey
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released its Private Health Insurance Annual Coverage Survey for 2019. The survey provides a snapshot of the number of people, by age, gender and state, with hospital treatment cover at December each year. This survey is available on the APRA website.
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22 July

Medibank Private and Bupa have failed Australians during COVID-19
Medibank Private and Bupa have come last in a CHOICE analysis of private health COVID- 19 responses. 'Medibank Private and Bupa have failed Australians during COVID-19,' said Dean Price, health campaigner at CHOICE. 'The two biggest funds have performed the worst when it comes to helping Australians during COVID-19. The biggest funds should have the most capacity to help their customers, but instead they're being shown up by not for profit and smaller funds who have less capacity, but have chosen to put the community first.'
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Medicare

None this edition.

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Men's Health

None this edition.

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Mental Health

23 July

WA: New suicide prevention projects to help reduce risk
The Western Australia Government is injecting nearly $10 million to develop and implement a region-by-region approach to Aboriginal suicide prevention in Western Australia, said WA Minister for Health Roger Cook. The regional plans will prioritise Aboriginal-led and locally endorsed initiatives that accommodate a culturally informed social and emotional wellbeing approach to suicide prevention. An additional $4.79 million has also been allocated to programs to provide additional suicide prevention support to all Western Australians as part of the WA Recovery Plan.
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22 July

NSW: Mental Health Community Pharmacy Program 2020
22 JUL: The NSW government is committed to improving the mental health of all Australians, with the NSW Government investing $1 million in a pilot program to deliver mental health training to pharmacists and staff. 'With the ongoing impact of drought, bushfires and COVID throughout the regions, our communities are dealing with financial stress and uncertain times... we want to provide more opportunities for people to talk with health professionals about their mental health. Every conversation that helps a person's mental health is the opportunity to save, or improve a life,' said NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and NSW Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor.
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TAS: Tasmanians urged to 'check in'
A new campaign has been launched to encourage Tasmanian's to 'check in' with themselves and those around them following the impacts of COVID-19, said Tasmanian Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Jeremy Rockliff. It is common to feel anxious and uncertain during these unprecedented times, as the pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of Tasmanians. Created by the Mental Health Council of Tasmania, the Check In website encourages all Tasmanians to take some steps in their day to day lives to look after their own mental health and wellbeing, and that of their loved ones.
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17 July

Patient data shows expansion of mental health package is critical
'The West Australian has reported exclusive data showing one in four Australians on a mental health plan with access to subsidised psychology sessions had already reached their cap of ten sessions,' said Shadow Minister for Health Chris Bowen. 'This new data shows the immediate need for additional mental health services and support during the pandemic.' 'Every person affected by this crisis must be able to access mental health support. Financial hardship should be no barrier to getting the treatments people need,' said Shadow Assistant Minister for Carers Emma McBride.
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Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System

None this edition.

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Pharmaceuticals

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