OriSinal

WED Health Scope - Aged Care, Panvax, Mental Health, Victoria Ambos, medical interns

Bump-Day! 

Mental Health

- $1m will be given out today to a number of groups for depression and anxiety related research by national depression initiative Beyondblue and the Vic Government.

 - Austn of the Year Patrick McGorry is currently visiting the Top End to learn more about the Mental Health Issues of Indigenous Youth. A rally was held in Darwin last week after a spate of youth suicides.  Dr Robert Parker, Vice Pres, NT AMA, says Aboriginal suicide rates in NT are rising. Parker says a Senate Inquiry identified most of the reasons for these suicides. He says those who complete Year 12 have been shown to be more in charge of their lives.

- The cost of stress-related claims is estimated to be $730M nationally, according to a study by Melbourne University associate professor Anthony LaMontagne. His study analysed the co-relation of stress and workplace conditions.

Organ Donation

 - Medicare Australia says Canberra Residents who have registered their donation with the Australian Organ Donor Register are being reminded to make sure their details are up to date. Human Services general manger HankJongens says the Transplant Games is a timely reminder fro Canberrans to talk to their families about their decisions.

Aged Care

- Private property operator Meridien has ended its four-year retirement partnership with AMP Capital Investors and found a new backer in the private equity arm of investment bank JPMorgan.

- ACT AMA president lain Dunlop said a tender was signed last week to provide home-bound senior patients, nursing home residents and other senior patients who were unable to book a GP at short notice, medical services at the convenience of their home and residence. The ACT GP Aged Day Service will operate MON - FRI from 8am - 5pm with link to the Canberra Afterhours Locum Medical Service

Swine Flu

 - WA health officials have sent an official health alert to GPs and immunisation clinics about the "considerably higher" rate of seizures reported in children having  the swine flu vaccine Panvax. This move was backed up by pharmaceuticals giant CSL, who further called for a centralised, electronic drug alert system, which can identify adverse reactions to medicines at a faster rate before widespread community health problems arise.

- A study has found that babies whose mothers are vaccinated against influenza while pregnant appear less likely to be infected with flu or hospitalised with respiratory illnesses during their first six months.

Alcohol

- Broome received moratorium to prevent liquor being sold after midnight - Wes Morris, co-ordinator of the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre said the draft plan did not go far enough. Morris critcised the lack of detail and financial commitments, claiming that a clinical focus driven by the Dept of Health is not going to solve a community problem which is alcohol abuse.

Victoria scandal re ambos 

- A leaked memo taken at a NOV 2009 Victoria Ambulance board meeting revealed that "recruitment has been delayed due to finance discussion with the Dept of Health" Ambulance Employees Australia Victoria Secretary, Steve McGhie, said the memo showed that the Govt was more interested in money than lives.

Health workforce

At a medical intern summit last week a consensus was reached to cap medical students intake until late 2011 and to reduce medical schools' reliance on international full-fee paying medical students. Australian Medical Students Association president, Mr Roberts-Thomson said that "to continue to increase the number of medical students would be a waste of taxpayers' money, university resources and students' time," It was further recommended that a  medical workforce planning advisory committee should be established under Health Workforce Australia to report on key supply and demand issues by the end of 2011.

Indigenous health

The co-ordinator general for Remote Indigenous Services, Brian Gleeson, said that it was taking govts too long to provide adequate facilities to indigenous communities. Gleeson called for PM Gillard to strip underachieving states on Aboriginal education and health services of funding and reward those which are showing progress with more payments.

thanks and regards,

Estle Iskandar 

Labels: Aged Care, medical interns, Mental Health, Panvax, Victoria Ambos

posted by Celesimone @ 2:35 PM