In 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.
Others have stated their priorities directly with Federal Government. Through these interviews, AHJ gives a final opportunity to communicate to all health stakeholders, the funding needs for a range of priorities. These range from new models of care to pilots and wholesale, system improvements to building more sustainable workforces to help grow certain sectors of the health system
The Chief Executive Officer of The Australasian College of Paramedicine, John Bruning spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
- New models of care proposed for paramedics
- Paramedicine pilot program in the pre-budget submission
- Scope of how paramedics can support General Practice, and guidelines on safety and quality
- Current limitations experienced by paramedics needing to be addressed by Government
Lastly John talks about other priorities he hopes are included in the Federal Budget. These include a longer term, widespread reform view of the health system. There has been an approach where things have been “added on, gaps filled, issues identified” in 3-4 year cycles. John hopes there is a direction taken where health is completely reformed, including in access for regional, remote and 1st nations people. John sees the public needing further guidance and awareness on the health system to support public health literacy.
Finally cultural training is needed to deliver safe and appropriate health care to the range of diverse populations that clinicians serve. This can lead to fulfilling and purposeful workforce, which in itself needs the Government to consider the wellbeing aspects of clinicians during very challenging times in the pandemic.
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Reporting on Australian childhood visual impairment: the first 10 years
The Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register (ACVIR), the first of its kind in Australia, captures uniquely Australian data which is used to improve services for children with vision impairment. The data is also available to researchers who work in the area of eye disease and disorders of vision.
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Forum fosters dialogue in breast cancer
In October 2024, the Frazier Institute hosted an event dedicated to breast cancer advocacy and research, supported by TRI (Translational Research Institute), National Breast Cancer Foundation, PA Research Foundation, Health Translation Queensland, QUT and The University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine/Frazer Institute.
The key aim of the event co-organised by Associate Professor Joy Wolfram, Group Leader, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology & School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland was to foster dialogue between breast cancer lived experience advocates (consumers), researchers, and clinicians.
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A New Era in Primary Health Care Nursing
Coinciding with this year’s International Nurses Day, this week’s Federal Budget has had some significant outcomes for the primary health care, nursing workforce.
The Federal Budget delivered on 9th May 2023, APNA believes will strengthen Australia’s primary health care (PHC) system by addressing growing nursing shortages, seeing more nurses hired where they are needed, and better utilising the largest workforce in PHC of nearly 100,000 nurses to their full potential to reduce the pressure on the health system.
