Month: April 2021

The Greens say that quarantine will be part of managing the pandemic for the foreseeable future and purpose built facilities should be built now.
“The Western Australian Government needs to urgently close the quarantine hotels that have been identified as high risk and improve other areas of its approach to quarantine. These hotels are not fit for purpose and we cannot go any longer using these sub-par facilities that can result in outbreaks.
“Hotels were never made to be medical facilities. While they may have been an emergency solution, we are now over a year into this pandemic and making the same mistakes over and over again.
“Mr McGowan went to the election on a promise of keeping Western Australians safe. At the moment our safety is in jeopardy if we don’t fix hotel quarantine. This is a state and national responsibility.
“There is no doubt that airborne transmission is playing a role in hotel quarantine outbreaks. The Federal Government must urgently update its own guidelines to recommend minimum ventilation and PPE standards that reflect the scientific evidence.
“It’s not good enough after the outbreak in WA last week that we still don’t have updated guidelines. Nor is it sensible to have Covid positive people near other people in quarantine, they shouldn’t be next door, on the same floor and ideally not in the same hotel.
“Under questioning at the Senate Select Committee into COVID-19 last night, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners confirmed that people over 50 years old who have underlying health conditions, including a history of blood clots, can get AstraZeneca. There is a good body of evidence that there are no underlying health conditions that predispose people to the rare side effect of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome.
“The Commonwealth Government must urgently update its messaging and play a role in addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly amongst those who are hesitant because of discussions about the risks of blood clot.
“Australia clearly needs a no-fault vaccine compensation scheme to help increase vaccine confidence and secure other vaccine deals. Having such a scheme in place will ensure people don’t need to pursue compensation through the legal system in the rare event of adverse side effects.”

In a historic first, Australians living with a rare form of epilepsy will have access to a medicinal cannabis drug, which is being listed on Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the first time.
From 1 May 2021, Australians living with Dravet syndrome, will have access to Epidyolex^® (cannabidiol), a new treatment used in combination with at least two other anti-epileptic medicines on the PBS.
Epidyolex^® is only the second medicinal cannabis drug registered for supply in Australia, and the first one to be subsidised by the Australian Government on the PBS.
Dravet syndrome is a rare, genetic epileptic encephalopathy that gives rise to seizures which don’t respond well to the standard medications. The disorder begins in the first year of life in otherwise healthy infants.
About 8 out of 10 people with the syndrome have a gene mutation that causes problems in the way ion channels in the brain work. It is a “new” mutation and is not usually inherited.
Australia’s medicines regulator – the Therapeutic Goods Administration – says that, while there have been very few well-designed clinical trials using medicinal cannabis, the evidence to support its use in the treatment of certain childhood epilepsies is the strongest.
It is estimated that around 116 patients each year will benefit from the listing of Epidyolex^®, who might otherwise pay more than $24,000 per year for the treatment. Instead, they will now pay only $41.30 per script or $6.60 if they have a concession card.
We are also expanding the PBS listing of Asacol^® (mesalazine) for ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, with a new strength tablet designed to dissolve once it enters the intestines.
Inflammation is a normal way for the immune system to defend the body when it’s fighting off invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. Usually, the inflammation disappears once the invaders are destroyed. With ulcerative colitis, a problem with the immune system causes the inflammation to continue, damaging the walls of the digestive tract.
In 2020, over 650 patients accessed a similar form of mesalazine through the PBS, and will benefit from this additional treatment option. Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay more than $1,400 per course of treatment with this medicine.
Each of these listings has been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
Since 2013, the Australian Government has approved over 2,600 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 $13 billion.
The Government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.

Increasing numbers of doctors are training to become GPs in regional, rural and remote areas, which will deliver significant benefits to patients and communities in the bush.
The Australian Government’s 2021 Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program selection process has seen the largest number of acceptances – 1,434 doctors – in several years, more than 100 additional doctors than last year’s intake.
Of these, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine is allocated 150 training places, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is allocated 1,350.
Federal Regional Health Minister, Mark Coulton said almost 700 of these doctors will undertake their training in regional, rural and remote locations across the country.
“The evidence does tell us that if you train in the regions you are likely to stay in the regions and that’s why we are focused on supporting the rural training pipeline,” Minister Coulton said.
“Rural and remote communities want safe and high quality primary healthcare services delivered by well- trained GPs with training in an extended rural skill set.
“Through work which is underway on long-term workforce and training reforms we want to look at opportunities to provide greater supervision and support for doctors and practical ways to build a sustainable and highly trained medical workforce.”
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the Australian Government is strongly committed to bridging the city-country divide in providing health services to all Australians, by continuing to build the rural medical training pipeline.
“The AGPT Program is a central element in this and this latest intake means more doctors studying, training and working in regional, rural and remote locations,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister Coulton said the Federal Government understood that doctors who study and train in rural locations are more likely to choose to work and live there permanently, enjoying the benefits of a rural lifestyle.
“These high acceptance numbers show the AGPT program is working, with particular benefits for communities who may struggle to attract a GP,” Minister Coulton said.
The AGPT Program is for doctors interested in training to become a GP in Australia. Doctors can be placed anywhere – in cities or regional, rural and remote areas. Most successful applicants in this latest intake have already started training, with the rest to start in the next three months.

Queensland Health’s Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, Adjunct Professor Shelley Nowlan, took on a new role this week as Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner, which will see her play a key role in the Federal Government’s agenda to increase access to rural health services and address rural workforce shortages.
Federal Rural Health Minister, Mark Coulton, and National Rural Health Commissioner, Prof Ruth Stewart, met with Prof Nowlan today in Brisbane to congratulate her and discuss priorities for the role.
Minister Coulton welcomed Prof Stewart’s engagment of Prof Nowlan, recognising the wealth of experience and expertise Prof Nowlan brings to the position.
“I welcome Shelley Nowlan’s appointment as Deputy Commissioner. A registered nurse with more than 30 years’ experience, Prof Nowlan holds a longstanding interest in the health outcomes of rural and remote Australians.
“Prof Nowlan’s professional qualifications and practical experience will provide real-world knowledge and insight to healthcare challenges in country Australia.”
Professor Ruth Stewart said Prof Nowlan had worked for decades to ensure nurses and midwives met the needs of people living in rural and regional Australia.
“Prof Nowlan’s work in strategic health policy, health reform, innovation, and program evaluation has supported the delivery of nurse and midwifery care in communities across Queensland,” Professor Stewart said.
“I look forward to working with Shelley to develop new and innovative ways to provide health services to people in rural and remote Australia and make it an even better.”
Minister Coulton said the appointment of Deputy Commissioners is part of the Government’s expansion of the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner to elevate its effectiveness and capacity to engage with rural challenges in a more holistic manner.
“By engaging two Deputy Commissioners to provide expert advice on allied health, nursing, and Indigenous health disciplines and making the National Rural Health Commissioner a permanent office, we are ensuring rural challenges receive the attention and the expertise they deserve.
Prof Nowlan is the second of two Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner to be announced. Associate Professor, Dr Faye McMillan, was announced last month as a Deputy Commissioner. Prof Nowlan is engaged as Deputy Commissioner until 30 June 2022.

Australia’s Foreign Arrangements Scheme has been in operation since 10 December 2020. The Scheme requires states and territories, local governments and Australian public universities to notify the Minister for Foreign Affairs of existing and proposed foreign arrangements. I have so far been notified of over 1,000 arrangements.
States and territories have now completed their initial audit of existing arrangements with foreign national governments.
The more than 1,000 notified so far reflect the richness and breadth of Australia’s international interests and demonstrate the important role played by Australia’s states, territories, universities and local governments in advancing Australia’s interests abroad.
I thank the states and territories for their cooperation and for what is developing as a cooperative approach under the Scheme.
Following review and consideration of arrangements, I can advise that the following four will be cancelled:

• Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Education and Training (Victoria) and the Technical and Vocational Training Organisation, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Islamic Republic of Iran, signed 25 November 2004.
• Protocol of Scientific Cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education in the Syrian Arab Republic and the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Training of Victoria, signed 31 March 1999.
• Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Victoria and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation within the Framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, signed 8 October 2018.
• Framework Agreement between the Government of Victoria and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China on Jointly Promoting the Framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, signed on 23 October 2019.

I consider these four arrangements to be inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations in line with the relevant test in Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Act 2020.
I have also decided to approve a proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Human Resources Development in Energy and Mineral Resources Sector between the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation of the Government of Western Australia and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia.
I will continue to consider foreign arrangements notified under the Scheme. I expect the overwhelming majority of them to remain unaffected. I look forward to ongoing collaboration with states, territories, universities and local governments in implementing the Foreign Arrangements Scheme.