Whooping cough epidemic reaches record numbers GPs are urged to ensure patients have had their vaccine, as ‘staggeringly high’ cases soar to a record-breaking 41,772 so far this year.
‘Practical barriers’ central to low childhood immunisation rates High costs and lack of appointments are the top reasons stopping Australian parents from vaccinating their kids, says groundbreaking new research.
Australian child vaccination rates continue to fall Many jurisdictions are close to the herd immunity threshold for highly infectious diseases like measles, with some areas especially vulnerable.
Inappropriate medicines list updated for first time in 15 years Authors of a recent study, specific to Australia, have identified 19 medications which may cause more harm than benefit among older people.
Increasingly complex presentations pile pressure on GPs Excessive red tape, business sustainability and staff shortages are also causing issues, according to a recent newsGP poll.
Could ‘nurse navigators’ help the severely mentally ill? People with serious mental illness are dying much earlier than average from entirely preventable diseases, a situation a new policy aims to improve.
Vaccination far lower for people with intellectual disability: Study Researchers say urgent action is needed to address what they describe as systemic neglect.
GPs ‘horrified’ at latest pharmacy proposal The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has suggested ‘non-urgent’ emergency department presentations be directed to community pharmacy.
EDs continue to be clogged with non-urgent presentations One-third of presentations classified as lower urgency could be managed by a GP – and the trend is persisting – a new report confirms.
Preventable hospitalisations reveal access gaps between states, PHNs The data supports findings that areas of lower socioeconomic advantage and higher levels of remoteness need better access to quality primary care.