Expectant mothers will have access to free vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from next month under a major expansion of the National Immunisation Program (NIP). RSV commonly causes respiratory infections in people all of ages, but is especially dangerous for ...
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Almost 1 million Australians are LGBTQIA+ – and for the first time, there’s a new national health plan for them
Jennifer Power, La Trobe University; Joel Anderson, La Trobe University; Natalie Amos, La Trobe University, and Ruby Grant, La Trobe University New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) this week shows one in 20 (4.5 per cent) ...
More »Calls to end “age of shame” at NSW Drug Summit
Experts came together last week in a bid to address a “pervasive” issue that “touches all parts of our community”, with calls to end the “age of shame” around drug addiction. The second stage of the NSW Drug Summit kicked ...
More »Public hospitals performing more elective surgeries than ever before
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed that Australia's public hospitals admitted the highest number of elective surgery patients on record during the 2023-24 year. AIHW spokesperson Clara Jellie said that while most elective surgeries are still ...
More »For richer, but not for poorer: how Australia’s mental health system fails those most in need
Joanne Enticott, Monash University; Graham Meadows, Monash University, and Sebastian Rosenberg, University of Sydney Australian pride in our universal health system is partly derived from our belief that services should be most available to those who most need them. Logically, ...
More »Healthscope latest private health provider to bin insurance agreements
Six million Aussies could soon be facing massive out-of-pocket costs at 38 private hospitals, after operator Healthscope tore up agreements with health funds Bupa and members of the Australian Health Services Alliance (AHSA) over a fee dispute. In October, Healthscope ...
More »STI rates are increasing among midlife and older adults. We need to talk about it
Jennifer Power, La Trobe University Globally, the rates of common sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are increasing among people aged over 50. In some cases, rates are rising faster than among younger people. Recent data from the United States Centers for ...
More »Commission says NSW nurses‘ strike “unnecessary”
New South Wales public sector nurses and midwives are preparing to walk off the job again in the latest union-led industrial action for higher wages. The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association has warned that its members will commence a 24-hour ...
More »Gender pay disparity still rife in nursing
New data has shown that the gender of an Australian nursing graduate has a profound effect on how much they will be paid and how quickly their career will progress. Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) have published The gender ...
More »Primary care involves more than GPs. A new review shows how patients can better access care
Stephen Duckett, The University of Melbourne Australians today are more likely than previous generations to live with complex and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression. This means they’re more likely to need health care from a variety ...
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