Message from our Acting CEO
I am pleased to announce that this week Painaustralia became a SARRAH corporate member. Painaustralia is Australia’s leading pain advocacy body working to improve the quality of life of people living with pain, their families and carers, and to minimise the social and economic burden of pain on individuals and the community. Painaustralia and SARRAH share an interest in ensuring that people living in rural and remote Australia have equitable access to multidisciplinary pain services. Together we can advocate for a coordinated national approach to improve treatment of acute and chronic pain and provide equitable access to effective evidence-based pain services for rural Australia. Check out the Painaustralia website for information about continuing education opportunities and other resources to assist patients manage pain effectively.
The Regional Australia Institute paid a visit to SARRAH’s national office this week to discuss escalating demand for health and aged care services and the projected growth in jobs in the health care and social assistance industry over the next five years. You can read their Healthy Checkup report here. It makes for interesting reading, and raises questions about the capacity of the health system to plan effectively for this projected growth in health jobs in rural and regional Australia. It also strengthens the case for the urgent need to bolster the allied health rural workforce pipeline to ensure the workforce is there to meet increasing demand for health, aged care and disability services in coming years. Without this focus, the disparity between people living in rural and remote Australia and their metropolitan counterparts in accessing high quality allied health services can only worsen.
Allied Health MBS Review Consultation: Call for working party members
The Commonwealth Government has been undertaking a review of the Medical Benefits Schedule as part of their Healthier Medicare package. The MBS Review Taskforce is considering how services can be better aligned with contemporary clinical evidence and practice and improve health outcomes for patients. SARRAH has been asked to contribute to consultations on the review of Allied Health items on the MBS schedule. If you would like to participate in a small working party to provide input to the consultation paper, please message us as soon as possible at sarrah@sarrah.org.au We have a short turnaround on this work so be quick!
To all the mothers reading this, have a fantastic day this coming Mothers’ Day. I hope the family totally spoils you!
Cath
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SARRAH Conference 2020
SARRAH is very excited to announce that our 2020 conference will be held in Townsville QLD. Please stay tuned for further updates.
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EOI for SARRAH Advisory Committee
To apply, please forward a copy of your current resume and a 1 page statement outlining why you are interested in joining the committee and what role you are applying for, to deslie@sarrah.org.au. If you would like any further information please contact Deslie via email or at the office on 02 62854960.
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May is Lung Health Awareness Month
Almost 1 in 3 Australians has a lung disease, and although it is responsible for 1 in 7 deaths, people are complacent or unaware of the signs and symptoms. The Lung Foundation Australia is urging all Australians to know the symptoms and make their lung health a priority.
Don’t guess this winter – know the symptoms, plan a doctor’s visit and act today. Take two minutes to check in with your lungs at KnowPlanAct.lungfoundation.com.au
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Would you like to advertise your job vacancies with SARRAH?
Please contact us for more information.
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Current Employment Opportunities
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Whats happening in your Community
Do you have something interesting happening in your community that might be of interest to our members? then please send us through the details and we will put the information into our newsletter.
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2019 International Mental Health Conference
The program has been announced for the 2019 International Mental Health Conference to be held on the Gold Coast from the 31 July - 2 August 2019. More information here.
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Upcoming Events and Conferences
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Other News
2019 Annual Alcohol Poll Confirms a "Decade of Deception" - new polling has found the number of people who drink alcohol to get drunk has edged close to half the drinking population, to around six million people, despite little change in overall alcohol consumption. Read the report here.
Concern grows over lack of focus on rural health - A chorus of concern over the major parties' failure to focus on rural health issues in the election campaign is growing, the National Rural Health Alliance says.
Future proofing sustainable access to prescription opioids to relieve suffering - Palliative care patients are being placed at risk of harm, as an unintended consequence of increased government and regulatory restrictions surrounding non-cancer opioid prescribing to reduce the misuse and abuse of opioids within the wider community. More here.
More health services for kids in regional and rural Australia - $19.7 million announced for Royal Far West (RFW) to expand their Telecare services, meaning allied health services like speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychology that aren’t available locally, can be delivered to more children in regional and rural Australia. More here.
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