RAJ CAIRNS REPORT

Remote area team a vision splendid: A new federal program aims to save more indigenous Australians’ sight | The Australian

rajcairns — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:10:47 +0000

Cataracts are one of the three big causes of eye problems in indigenous communities. The others are refractive error — simply fixed by providing correctly prescribed spectacles — and diabetic retinopathy, which Loane describes as “the scourge that’s coming in tsunami-like proportions”.

In this case, excess glucose in the blood of diabetes patients causes leaks or blockages in the tiny blood vessels inside the eye.

If spotted in time, this can be fixed by laser treatment; if not, the blockages can starve part of the retina of oxygen, causing new blood vessels to proliferate, which can be more difficult to correct.

Remote area team a vision splendid: A new federal program aims to save more indigenous Australians' sight | The Australian.

Who are the real losers in the cataract surgery campaign? | Croakey

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:04:17 +0000

One problem is that cataracts are a pretty fundamental health benefit – its relatively cheap, even fully privately, around $3,000 all up, even less in an efficient public hospital and is pretty bloody spectacular procedure. People come in blind and within two hours or so go back home and the next day they can see with little if any pain.

Cataract procedures enable people to avoid nursing home admissions, live active lives, read, cook, recognise loved ones and prevent falls. Falls are one of the biggest causes of A&E presentations, and by preventing falls we prevent hip operations etc.

The waiting lists for cataracts is huge anywhere in Australia – not necessarily the same overseas.

We could train up technicians to do them under supervision, some other countries do with success, but we haven’t made any moves to do so.

Who are the real losers in the cataract surgery campaign? | Croakey.

Kirsten Lesina pledges to cut Cataract Waiting List.She should first ask why the Federal LABOR government cut the Medicare rebate from $600 to $300

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:27:10 +0000

KirstenLesina Kirsten Lesina
by CairnsALP
Yesterday I pledged that if I’m elected as the Member for Cairns, I will make cutting the cataract surgery waiting list a top priority.
19 hours ago

You similarly expect that a compassionate Labor government born out the needs of the working class would be mindful of the welfare of the “battlers” whom they so readily embrace during election campaigns.

What you find, however, in the wake of the Budget, is a federal Health Minister who is happy to see the poor and dispossessed lose their sight in return for a $40 million a year money grab.

The minister, Nicola Roxon, has cut the rebate on cataract surgery from $600 to $311 and used as a justification the spectre of greedy, Lamborghini-driving medical specialists ripping off Medicare.

This is a nice fit with the class warfare, bash-the-wealthy storyline that Treasurer Wayne Swan has been spinning, a handy broad-brush fable that must have sounded like a winner when hatched in the comfort of a Canberra ministerial suite.

Glasson regularly takes his team to Longreach where he performs the operation for the Medicare rebate of $600 while his colleague, Dr Mark Loane, travels to Cape York where he does the same. Many of their patients are Aborigines.

If the rebate is cut in half, Glasson says he will no longer be able to take his team with its highly specialised equipment to the bush and perform these highly complex procedures under difficult conditions.

The inevitable result of cutting the rebate in half is that people on low incomes will be unable to afford it and will be forced on to public hospital waiting lists.

Glasson says that in Queensland, you can wait for a year to get on the waiting list to be seen so that you can get on the waiting list for the operation. By the time you have progressed through two waiting lists, three years might have passed and with it the chance to save your sight.

Cataract cash grab hurts battlers and health system | The Courier-Mail.

What is Activity Based Funding for Hospitals–Activity Based Funding (ABF) involves setting a national efficient price for all public hospital services”

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:52:55 +0000

Activity Based Funding (ABF) involves setting a national efficient price for all public hospital services. ABF links funding to the numbers and kinds of services provided at a public hospital and the efficient cost of delivering those services.
What are the benefits of activity based funding?
ABF is a nationally consistent approach to funding. There will be a single price set for each public hospital service based on national data. The price will be independently determined based on the actual cost of delivering this service. The price will be the same for each hospital across the country. This price will drive continuous improvement and value for money in the delivery of public hospital services.

FROM POLICY UNIT SA HEALTH

UNITY2012 Cairns regional Council Theme song ,this will appeal to the young voters which they will need to do so,with all the over 35 candidates

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:45:37 +0000

Emboldened conservatives need to beware of the Katter factor

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:14:04 +0000

The unknown factor is the arrival of Bob Katter’s Australian Party. The LNP might be focusing on winning government in Brisbane but there will be trouble ahead if the LNP loses some of its more traditional rural seats to Katter’s party.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/emboldened-conservatives-need-to-beware-of-the-katter-factor-20120127-1qlgc.html#ixzz1kjcOWcir

Emboldened conservatives need to beware of the Katter factor.

Tweet of the Day—”Labor is set to drop the word “Great” from the Great Barrier Reef to attract more tourists.”

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:41:58 +0000

gavking Gavin King
@
@dugongman In other election announcements, Labor is set to drop the word “Great” from the Great Barrier Reef to attract more tourists.
8 hours ago

Can State Candidates please focus on explaining how Activity Based Funding (ABF) will be adopted to FUND public hospitals not NAME CHANGES.Kirsten Lesina should find it easy as she has a University degree while Gavin King and Darren Hunt do not

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:03:36 +0000

Funding public hospital services
On 2 August 2011 all states and territories agreed to the National Health Reform (NHR) package, by signing the National Health Reform Agreement, National Health Care Agreement and National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospital Services.
Under the NHR Agreement, the Australian Government and states and territories will have joint responsibility for funding public hospital services.
What are the new funding arrangements for public hospital services?
To meet the rising cost of delivering health services, the Australian Government will change the basis for its contribution to the cost of funding public hospital services with the states and territories.
The Australian Government has guaranteed to provide $16.4 billion of additional funding for public hospitals nationally over the period 2014-2015 and 2019-2020. It will do this by increasing its contribution to efficient growth funding for hospitals to 45 per cent in 2014-2015, increasing to 50 per cent from 2017-2018.
Activity Based Funding (ABF) will be adopted as the primary basis for funding public hospital services. Some services will continue to be block funded which means that a set amount will be allocated to those services rather than funding on a service by service basis.
What does the efficient growth in public hospital service mean?
Efficient growth in public hospital services means the efficient cost of delivering additional public hospital services. It takes into account increased activity related to the numbers and kinds of services and increases in the efficient cost of delivering these services
What is activity based funding?
Activity Based Funding (ABF) involves setting a national efficient price for all public hospital services. ABF links funding to the numbers and kinds of services provided at a public hospital and the efficient cost of delivering those services.
What are the benefits of activity based funding?
ABF is a nationally consistent approach to funding. There will be a single price set for each public hospital service based on national data. The price will be independently determined based on the actual cost of delivering this service. The price will be the same for each hospital across the country. This price will drive continuous improvement and value for money in the delivery of public hospital services.
How will the efficient price for hospital services be determined?
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) will determine the efficient price for hospital services by studying data on actual activity and costs in public hospitals across Australia.
The IHPA will also determine the scope of public hospital services that will attract Australian Government funding under the agreement.

The IHPA will set the national efficient price for public hospital services each year and on an annual basis, call for submissions which it will then take into consideration on determining the efficient price.
How will the funding arrangements work?
A single National Health Funding Pool (NHFP) will be established with a Reserve Bank of Australia ‘pool’ account for each state. The NHFP will be administered by an independent statutory officer who will be jointly appointed by all jurisdictions. All Commonwealth public hospital funding and state activity-based funding will flow through the NHFP to Local Health Networks (LHNs).
State block funding and funding for teaching, training and research will flow through to special state managed funds to be established by the states and territories and then on to the LHNs.
What will continue to be block funded?
Small rural and regional hospitals will continue to be block funded to ensure local communities have access to public hospital services irrespective of the level of activity undertaken.
Teaching, training and research funded by states and territories and undertaken in public hospitals will also be funded on a block funding basis.
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority will determine the efficient cost of block funding through annual public submissions including submissions from states and territories.
Will this new funding arrangement impact on service quality?
The NHR Agreement has a broad focus on funding, governance and service provision. A key aspect of the reforms is service performance, including national benchmarks for safety and quality and encourages continuous improvement in efficiency and effectiveness of services provided.
How will Local Health Networks be funded?
The majority of funding to Local Health Networks will be based upon the volume and type of activity they undertake. Australian Government funding contributions will be based upon the national efficient price, and the actual volume and types of services delivered. An amount of funding will also be provided on a block funded basis for such services as teaching, training and research and small hospitals.
How will Medicare Locals be funded?
The Australian Government will fund Medicare Locals.

FROM POLICY DEPARTMENT SA HEALTH

Cairns Base Hospital gets a name change Townsville Hospital gets the money.Can Kirsten Lesina please explain to Gavin King who has not gone to University how this is possible—Paediatric ICU gets green light | Townsville Bulletin News

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:00:08 +0000

NORTH Queensland will have a paediatric intensive care unit open at Townsville Hospital by July.

The Bligh Government has committed $8.75 million to provide employment for 30 people, including paediatric intensive care specialists, nurses and other staff in the standalone, dedicated unit.

Paediatric ICU gets green light | Townsville Bulletin News.

Can one State Candidate explain how MEDICARE LOCALS are going to improve health services in Cairns .Kirsten Lesina should because she has been to University and learned how a name change will help improve the health system

rajcairns — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:34:46 +0000

A key component of the Australian Government’s National Health Reforms is the establishment of a new nation-wide network of Medicare Locals.

Medicare Locals will be primary health care organisations established to coordinate primary health care delivery and tackle local health care needs and service gaps. They will drive improvements in primary health care and ensure that services are better tailored to meet the needs of local communities.

Medicare Locals will have a number of key roles in improving primary health care services for local communities.

They will make it easier for patients to access the services they need, by linking local GPs, nursing and other health professionals, hospitals and aged care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations, and maintaining up to date local service directories.
They will work closely with Local Hospital Networks to make sure that primary health care services and hospitals work well together for their patients.
They will plan and support local after hours face-to-face GP services.
They will identify where local communities are missing out on services they might need and coordinate services to address those gaps.
They will support local primary care providers, such as GPs, practice nurses and allied health providers, to adopt and meet quality standards.
They will be accountable to local communities to make sure the services are effective and of high quality.

Labor candidate wants Cairns Base Hospital to lose the ''base'' tag- Local Cairns News | cairns.com.au.