Current Topics and Trends in Australian Healthcare
APA Awards Night:
The Gala Dinner and Awards Night will be held on 2nd December 2021 at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins at 6:30 pm for 7:00 pm start. Click here to book your tickets now.
APA Media appearance on Operations cancelled ‘indefinitely’ as hospitals divert resources:
Speaking to The Age, regarding the Operations being cancelled ‘indefinitely’ as hospitals divert resources, Chief executive officer of the Australian Patients Association Stephen Mason said he knew of several people who had dipped into their superannuation or were so desperate to get their surgery done they had sought loans of thousands of dollars to pay to get their procedures done in the private health sector. Click here to read the full Media release.
APA Media appearance on Elective Surgery:
Surgery wait lists balloon as COVID-fuelled bed shortages hit Victorian hospitals with almost 70,000 victorians waiting for Elective Surgery. Speaking to 3AW, General Manager of Australian Patients Association Mr Jas Streten said the problems with elective surgery wait times began long before the pandemic. “(There) needs to be a long term fix we should never be in a situation where we need to have an elective surgery blitz,” he said. To read the full Media release click here.
Affordable medicines Industry heralds landmark Bill to protect Australians against medicine shortages:
Legislation to better protect Australians against medicine shortages was lodged in Federal Parliament on 28 October 2021 and heralded as a “watershed moment in the security of medicine supply for Australian patients” by the peak body for the affordable medicines industry. For more information click here.
Selected pharmacies to stock Covid-19 rapid antigen testing kits:
Covid testing kits will soon be sold at selected pharmacies across the country as Australia continues to reopen.
To find out more about self-test nasal kit and availability in stores click here.
Australians will soon receive COVID booster vaccines. Why do we need them, and how effective are they?:
Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), today provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine to be used as a booster for anyone over the age of 18. The TGA said people can take the third dose from six months after their second dose. People can take Pfizer as a third dose regardless of which two shots they got first. Article published in The Conversation 27th October 2021. To read the full article click here.
Mental health services in Australia:
The Productivity Commission found that Australia’s current mental health system is not comprehensive and that reform of the mental health system would produce large benefits in quality of life for people with mental ill-health.
To read the latest web report that is updated on 14 October 2021, click here.
Physical activity – how to get active when you are busy:
It’s so easy to put exercise and activity to the bottom of your long to-do list. But being active is one of the most important things you can do, each day if you can, for good health. To find out the benefits of getting active and tips to fit activity into your life click here.
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