1 JULY KICKS OFF BETTER HEALTH SERVICES FOR AUSTRALIANS

They are further steps in the Government’s ambitious plan to build a strong and sustainable Australia and improving services for hard-working Australians – including a better health, hospital and aged care system.

 

The measures are aimed at improving health services and support across a range of areas including more doctors for the bush, more choices and support for expectant and new mothers; aged care investments; new PBS medicines; better pharmacy services; and e‑health.

 

All the initiatives have a common, single focus – patients; whether it’s improving health, wellbeing and quality of life, expanding people’ choices, ensuring access to essential medicines; building and supporting our health professionals; or improving how our health system operates.

 

The start of the financial year means the start of funding for a range of measures introduced by the Government to ensure high quality, accessible and affordable health care, where and when people need it.

 

New initiatives and programs include:

 

From today, city doctors can receive up to $120,000 for relocating to the bush, where we desperately need more doctors thanks to the GP cap put in place by Mr Abbott. The more remote the doctor goes, the greater the reward. Also, an additional 500 communities have been re-classified as regional, meaning there are now more locations attracting incentives.

 

Comprehensive Support for pregnancy, birth and baby is just a (free) phone call away from today. Women, their partners and families will be able to call the Helpline on 1800 88 24 36 for advice and information about pregnancy, birth and the first 12 months of a baby’s life, 24 hours, seven days a week.

 

The Government is giving women more birthing choices by providing Commonwealth-supported professional indemnity insurance for midwives. Privately practising midwives will be able to purchase their own insurance, and be covered from 1 July 2010. This is the first time since 2002 that midwives can purchase professional indemnity insurance.

 

Ageing and Aged Care - a range of initiatives including more zero real interest loans to build more aged care facilities; more support for aged care services in rural and regional areas; and better protection for aged care residents’ savings. 

 

Today Medicare Australia will allocate unique individual healthcare identifiers (IHIs) to all Australians. This is a key building block in the Government’s ambitious e health reform agenda – helping to deliver a better, more streamlined health system for Australian families.

 

A single registration and accreditation scheme will cut red tape, improve safety and standards and help our health professionals do their job more easily.

 

The Agreement that comes into force today will give patients access to PBS medicines within 24 hours regardless of where they live, as well as better pharmacy services, including medication reviews and dose administration aids. The agreement also gives stability to Australia’s 5,000 community pharmacies and saves taxpayers money – around $1 billion over five years from 2010-11.

 

Two new products are added to the PBS today – adrenaline auto-injectors and blood glucose test strips. More options will be available for patients who have severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) with the additional listing of adrenaline auto-injectors (Anapen® and Anapen Junior®). The listing of an additional brand of blood glucose test strips (CareSens®) will offer more options to people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. 

 

On top of these measures the Australian Government has also begun delivering its $7.3 billion reform package for the health and hospital system, to deliver better health outcomes for Australians.