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More than 35 allied health students each year will undertake placements and hands-on training in Katherine health clinics thanks to a grant from the Federal Coalition Government.

The new program will increase local access to occupational therapists, speech pathologists and social workers for patients in Katherine.

In addition to providing around 260 weeks of new placement opportunities for 36 students each year, three additional allied health clinicians and an Aboriginal allied health assistant will be employed.

Flinders University Northern Territory will receive $1.9 million in Federal funding from the Coalition Government for the Katherine Regional Collaborative Allied Health Placement Program.

Regional Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie visited the site today to meet local staff and make the announcement, that will help to improve the recruitment and retention of local allied health professionals.

“There is growing evidence that students who have a positive and rewarding extended training experience in a rural or remote area are more likely to take up rural practice upon graduation, which is what this site will help to provide for students,” Dr Gillespie said.

“A focus of the new allied health placement program will be to increase placement numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students undertaking their training in Katherine.”

Dr Gillespie said the project had strong local support. It is a partnership with Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) and two Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) — Wurli-Wurlinjang and the Katherine West Health Board (KWHB).

Dr Gillespie said the partnership with Wurli-Wurlinjang will enable the employment of speech pathology and occupational therapy supervisors to support allied health students at its clinics.

Allied Health supervisors will be employed through Flinders University to supervise final-year allied health students within local health services.

The Aboriginal allied health assistant will be employed full-time to support the students and supervisors, and assist the team to work with local schools, families, community, and the health service to improve engagement, coordination and integrated care.

The site will also support the development of a Katherine-located IAHA Health Academy, mirroring its successful Darwin model.

It will also provide a scholarship for one allied health assistant traineeship, supported through the Academy and embedded into Wurli-Wurlinjang.

The partnership with KWHB will enable a part-time social work supervisor to be employed to join the social work team. Social work students will work under supervision as part of the team.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will be a priority and they will be guided by IAHA, which will mentor and support both supervisors and students on placement,” Dr Gillespie said.

“The local Katherine economy will get a boost too because along with the employment of more staff and the increase in students on placement, Flinders NT will purchase additional student accommodation and an 8-seater vehicle to transport students and supervision staff.”

Research into issues affecting older Australians has taken another step forward with the new national academic centre at Frankston Hospital – which will house the National Centre for Healthy Ageing – opening its doors today.

Through a partnership between the Government, Peninsula Health and Monash University, the academic centre will work towards transforming health service development, implementation, research and evaluation for older people, as well as those with addiction and mental health issues.

One of the key research points of the Centre will be to explore new and innovative ways to harness technology and data to help senior Australians remain independent.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Centre will deliver better ways to care for elderly Australians, with successful models then able to be rolled out nationally.

“The Frankston and Mornington Peninsula has one of the fastest ageing populations in the country,” Minister Hunt said. “It is an ideal place to explore innovative health care solutions for older people, whether it be at home or in residential aged care.”

“Our Government is pleased to partner with Monash University and Peninsula Health to make the project a reality.”

“By delivering sustainable, evidence-based, efficient models of care, it will support people with increasingly complex health conditions to live their best lives.”

The Morrison Government invested $32 million in the healthy ageing component of the Centre, delivered through the $1.25 billion Community Health and Hospitals Program.

Supported by state-of-the-art ‘living labs’ for research activities and the latest technology, the new centre will help deliver the Government’s commitment to ensuring all Australians can access quality health care, when and where they need it.

Investing in health and medical research is a key pillar of the Morrison Government’s Long Term National Health Plan. Over the next four years, we will invest more than $6.6 billion in lifesaving health and medical research.

Australians will have access to four new medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from March 1 to help fight COVID-19, chronic graft versus host disease, leukaemia and a rare blood disease called paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH).

COVID-19 Treatment

From March 1, a prescription-only COVID-19 treatment will be available on the PBS for Australians highest risk of developing severe COVID-19.

Lagevrio® (molnupiravir) is an oral anti-viral medicine which can be used by patients with mild-moderate COVID- 19 who have a high risk for developing severe disease, reducing the need for admission to hospital.

Adults who have mild to moderate COVID-19 confirmed by a PCR or RAT verified by the prescribing doctor and who can start treatment within five days of symptom onset, can be prescribed PBS-subsidised Lagevrio by their doctor if:

• they are 65 years of age or older, with two other risk factors for severe disease (as increasing age is a risk factor, patients who are 75 years of age of older only need to have one other risk factor); or
• they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, and are 50 years of age or older with two other risk factors for severe disease, or
• they are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

A PBS listing for Lagevrio means eligible Australians can access this medicine from their local community pharmacy on a prescription from their doctor.

It is important that patients continue to follow local health guidance to isolate if they test positive for COVID-19, including using telehealth to see their doctor and asking their pharmacy to arrange for Lagevrio to be delivered at home, if necessary.

Graft versus host disease

Uvadex® (methoxsalen) is being listed on the PBS for the first time for Australians with chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD), a complication that can occur when patients undergoing cancer treatment receive transplanted stem cells from a donor.

cGVHD is a complication of allogeneic stem cell transplant, that occurs when donor bone marrow or stem cells start recognising the recipient’s body as foreign and start attacking the recipient’s body cells.

This causes damage in the body, especially to the liver, skin and gut. cGVHD can appear immediately or any time after a patient’s allogeneic transplant.

Uvadex® will be used as part of an integrated, closed system extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) service for the treatment of cGVHD.

ECP is a type of treatment which removes some of a patient’s blood using a machine. The machine separates the white blood cells—then red blood cells and plasma go back into the body.

The white blood cells are mixed with Uvadex^®, then exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light and put back into the patient.

The listing of Uvadex® on the PBS will benefit around 180 Australians a year, who without subsidy could pay more than $9,200 per course of treatment.

Leukaemia

Mylotarg^® (gemtuzumab ozogamicin) is also being listed for the first time for Australians with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)

AML is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which the bone marrow makes immature white blood cells in high numbers. These abnormal cells crowd the bone marrow, preventing it from making normal blood cells.

AML is one of the rarer forms of cancer, accounting for 0.8 per cent of all cancers diagnosed, but it can occur at any age and is more common among adults over the age of 60.

Mylotarg^® is being listed for the first time for the treatment of patients with previously untreated de novo CD33-positve AML, for use in combination with standard intensive chemotherapy.

Mylotarg^® works by stopping the abnormal growth of these cells and destroying them.

The listing of Mylotarg^® on the PBS will benefit around 900 Australians a year, who without subsidy may pay around $18,000 per course of treatment.

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

Australians with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH)—a condition that produces defective blood cells—will have access to a new treatment, Ultomiris^® (ravulizumab).

PNH is a rare, potentially life-threatening condition in which red blood cells break apart prematurely. Symptoms occur because of the production of defective blood cells and because the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells.

The specific symptoms and progression of the disorder vary greatly, and some individuals may have mild symptoms, which remain stable for many years; while others may have serious symptoms, which can progress to cause life-threatening complications. Blood clots are a very serious complication of PNH.

Ultomiris ^® protects the red blood cells from damage and destruction by blocking the body’s inflammatory response.

Ultomiris^® will be listed for the first time for patients with PNH and will benefit around 160 Australians a year, who without subsidy may pay around $550,000 per year for treatment.

At the same time, Soliris^® (eculizumab), which has been available through the Life Savings Drug Program for the treatment of PNH, will move to the PBS.

This PBS listing has been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Morrison Government’s commitment to ensuring Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.

“Instead of paying thousands of dollars to access these treatments, from March 1, Australians will pay $42.50 per script, or as little as $6.80 with a concession card,” Minister Hunt said.

“Since 2013, the Coalition Government had approved more than 2,800 new or amended listings on the PBS. This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month – or one each day – at an overall investment by the Government of $14.3 billion.”

This is a strong contrast to Albanese and Labor, who when last in Government stopped listing essential medicines and treatments on the PBS.

Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, who were deployed to aged care facilities as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist, assisted with flood preparation and subsequent recovery efforts at Brisbane-based facilities.

From Friday 25 February 2022, following a request by Queensland Police, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) commenced assistance to Queensland authorities and communities in the South-East of the state, affected by severe flooding.

Two Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopters from the School of Army Aviation, based at Oakey near Toowoomba, immediately commenced search and rescue operations on Friday evening. The helicopters are crewed by Australian Army personnel and Defence contractors.

Aircrews continue to conduct rescues under extremely difficult weather conditions and an additional ADF personnel are on standby and making preparations to further support efforts at the direction of the State Government.

THE RELEASE of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report has clearly shown the clock is ticking on climate, with impacts rapidly accelerating around the globe and Australia is squarely in the cross-hairs.

The report, compiled by almost 300 scientists across 67 countries, clearly spells out that climate change is already dramatically altering ecosystems, affecting our physical and mental health, water security and food production, cities and infrastructure, and more.

Serious risks to Australia include irreversible loss of coral reefs, loss of alpine species, collapse of forests in southern Australia, loss of kelp forests, sea-level rise, an increase in severe fire weather days and a dramatic increase in fatal heatwaves. 

The central message of the IPCC report is clear: governments must rally to drastically cut emissions and cease the extraction and burning of fossil fuels this decade. Every fraction of a degree of warming saved, will be counted in lives saved. 

Professor Will Steffen, former IPCC report author, Climate Councillor, climate change expert and ANU Emeritus Professor said: 

“For most Australians, this report is long, technical and at times dry. But its message is anything but. We are being harmed by climate change now, and the future is potentially terrifying.”

”We are seeing climate change play out in real time with unprecedented rainfall and flooding taking a horrible toll on communities in QLD and NSW. These events will only get worse if we don’t act now to reduce emissions.” 

Climate Council’s Director of Research Dr Simon Bradshaw said: 

“Australia is one of the most vulnerable developed countries in the world. Right now, communities in Southeast Queensland and Northern NSW are being pummelled by extraordinarily intense rainfall and flooding. These communities have hardly had time to recover from past disasters and again they’re facing profound heartbreak and loss.”

“Increasingly, we see that communities are being hit with one disaster after another, like drought followed by fire, followed by flood. The compounding effect of these disasters is taking a heavy toll.

“The report is very clear: any further delay in global action will miss the brief and closing window to secure a liveable future.” 

Climate Councillor, former IPCC author and Distinguished Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, Professor Lesley Hughes said:

“Right now, inadequate global action means the Earth is heading towards catastrophic warming of over 2°C. Governments must slash emissions this decade and rapidly transition away from burning fossil fuels.

If all countries copied Australia’s dangerously weak response, we would be headed for warming in excess of 3°C – far beyond anything it is possible to adapt to.”

Greg Mullins, Climate Councillor, former Commissioner, Fire and Rescue NSW and founder of Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) said: 

“The latest IPCC report spells out a frightening fire future that demands we cut our emissions swiftly and urgently this decade.” 

“It is offensive to me, other firefighters and Australians dealing with climate change, that we are not only the worst climate performer out of all developed countries but we have a federal government that is actively making the problem worse by funding new fossil fuel developments.”

Nicki Hutley, Climate Councillor, leading economist and former Partner at Deloitte Access Economics said: 

“The IPCC report makes it clear that Australia’s economy faces significant and growing economic challenges due to climate change. However, it is also clear that urgent emission reductions through renewable energy and new clean industries could see us avoid the worst financial shocks and bring about incredible economic opportunities, especially for our regions.” 

“Anyone who thinks climate action is “not a race” has obviously not read this report. The first movers in the new industrial revolution will take first, second and third prize. Sadly for Australia, the Morrison Government is moving at a snail’s pace.”

Cheryl Durrant, Climate Councillor and former director of preparedness and mobilisation at the Australian Department of Defence said: 

“Climate change is already undermining the security of Australia and our region. Threats to food and water security, to health, and to critical supply chains, are escalating fast. More and more people are at risk of displacement. If our government cares about the safety and security of our region and beyond, then it must get serious about tackling the climate crisis.”

Dr Kate Charlesworth, Climate Councillor and public health physician said: 

“The IPCC report shows that the climate crisis is a health crisis. What we do in the next decade will be measured in Australian lives. Failing to act will mean many more lives lost from dangerous heat, drought, floods and bushfires.”