In the media
Waiting for better care: why Australia's hospitals
and health care is failing
Australia has a good health system by international standards, but
it has to get better. Half of all patients across Australia wait
more than a month for an elective hospital procedure, such as a hip
replacement. This is in addition to waiting for an outpatient visit
so they can be added to the elective procedure wait list. The
Grattan Institute's State Orange Book 2018 charts the
performance, maps a route to improvement, and recommends penalties
for states that fail to meet waiting list targets (30 October
2018).
More...
AMA warns that second-best mandatory reporting laws will
not be good enough
The AMA is warning that the Health Practitioner Regulation National
Law Amendment (Tranche 1A) Bill, agreed by Health Ministers at the
COAG Health Council on 12 October, and introduced in the Queensland
Parliament, must not be a second-best solution that may not protect
the health of doctors (29 November 2018).
More...
Big tobacco targets teens with 'disturbing'
flavoured cigarettes
Teenagers are being lured to smoke cigarettes flavoured with
menthol and clove in a 'disturbing' new trend, according to
smoking prevention experts (29 October 2018).
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New laws protect Queensland's mine
workers
Parliament has backed maximum penalties close to $4 million for
mining companies that fail to keep their workers safe. Under
changes to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and
the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999 the
state's mines inspectors will now have more powers to take
direct action on health and safety issues (31 October 2018).
More...
Doctors call for urgent statewide fluoride
fix
The Australian Medical Association (AMA)
Queensland demanded decisive action at last month's Local
Government Association of Queensland Annual Conference in Brisbane
to resolve an impasse between councils and State Government over
drinking water fluoridation (30 October 2018).
More...
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