The critical role of nursing at birth, at death and everything in between.
Professor Alison McMillan PSM spoke with Australian Health Journal about the role of Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Alison was appointed as our Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer in November 2019.
Alison is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Business Administration.
In June 2021 Alison was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to driving the Government’s national health response priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly to infection prevention measures.
The role of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer
As the nation’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Alison delivers high-level policy advice to the Minister for Health, and the Executive and staff within the Department of Health. She represents Australian nursing at national and international levels.
As a member of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and as co-chair of the Infection Control Expert Group, her role in the coronavirus response is to advise the Australian Government to realise the value of the nursing and midwifery professions in achieving safe, quality and compassionate health and aged care outcomes for the Australian community.
This interview was recorded following Alison’s keynote presentation at the National Nursing Forum in Darwin in August 2022, organised by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN).
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25 years of non-indexation of nuclear medicine impeding access & affordability
The President of the Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists (AANMS), Associate Professor Sze Ting Lee spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
Usual levels of nuclear medicine services in Australia each year
Current levels of nuclear medicine services in Australia
How changing demographics in people moving to regional areas has impacted access to nuclear medicine services
The nuclear medicine workforce including trainees
The key recommendations from the pre-budget submissionIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Nurse recognised for reducing hospital waste
A nurse who started a charity from a granny flat in her parent’s backyard to reduce hospital waste has taken out one of the Australian nursing profession’s most prestigious honours.
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Child Dental Benefits Schedule needing greater awareness
Since its launch in 2014, the Child Dental Benefits Schedule has seen a gradual increase in participation year on year. The impact of COVID-19 and related shutdowns saw participation fall sharply in 2020. Though it increased 2021, the national target of 41% participation was not reached in 2021-2022, with the total (35.4%) more than three percent below 2018 participation rates.
In an opinion segment, Australian Health Journal spoke with Abano Healthcare Group Clinical Director, Dr Fred Calavassy, with over 30 years of clinical experience, about his observations of the Child Dental Benefits Scheme ways to increasing participation rates.
