PREVENTION TASKFORCE
AMA President, Rosanna Capolingua, said this week that the Government’s Prevention Health Taskforce has missed two opportunities – firstly, the chance to get on with the job and prevent the human damage and save money, and secondly, ignoring direct clinical involvement.
Dr Capolingua said the lack of clinician input to the Taskforce leaves a hole in an otherwise positive initiative.
“A great deal of prevention and management comes from GPs. It is incomprehensible that the Taskforce doesn’t include a practising GP.
“No one else is more in touch with what is needed to help individuals look after themselves. No one else provides the one on one education, advice, monitoring and management relevant to the individual about lifestyle changes that mean better health than the local doctor.”
“General practice is the engine room of preventative health in Australia.”
It is important to understand that representatives of the Government Australian General Practice Network participating on the Taskforce are not the same as having direct links with those who deal with the medical issues constantly.
Click here to see the AMA’s full press release.
COPD – TOP THREE KILLER WITHIN A DECADE
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has been tipped by specialists to become the third biggest killer of Australians after heart disease and cancer over the next decade. COPD was a major focus of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand’s recent annual scientific meeting. Associate Professor Paul Reynolds, conference chairman, said COPD may affect up to 20 per cent of the population but the real extent was still being defined as many cases remained undiagnosed. The symptoms of COPD were often unrecognised, or simply attributed to “normal ageing” Reynolds said.
COUGH AND COLD MEDICINES
The National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee (NDPSC) announced this week that from 1 September 2008, sedating antihistamines, which are found in many cough and cold medicines, will only be available as prescription medicines for children under 2 years of age. The NDPSC has concluded that the safety concerns that have arisen with use of these drugs outweigh the evidence of benefit from providing them over the counter in pharmacies.
NHHRC WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
The AMA will be responding to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission call for submissions to help design the nation’s future health system. Submissions can be made by email to talkhealth@nhhrc.org.au, by mail to PO Box 685 Woden ACT 2606, or by calling 1800 017 533.