Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying bill cleared its latest hurdle. What’s next? The Victorian Government’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill – which successfully navigated the state’s Lower House in October – passed its second reading vote last week, with MPs in the Upper House voting 22 to 18 in favour of allowing the bill to continue to the next stage.
RACGP President wants states to consider patient safety in codeine up-scheduling RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel has called on Australian health ministers to consider patients before making any decisions that will soften codeine regulations.
GPs among leaders in adopting healthcare technology From wearable devices tracking health data to doctors consulting with patients via a computer screen, technology has become an integral part of the modern practitioner’s arsenal.
New injecting room a chance to link patients to a better life Melbourne’s newly approved medically supervised injecting room may provide a chance to get drug-affected patients on the path to improved health and wellbeing, according to a Richmond GP who works with this patient population.
Richmond safe injecting room trial approved by Victorian Government The Victorian Government’s decision to approve a two-year trial of a medically supervised injecting room in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Richmond – the city’s acknowledged heroin capital – has been hailed as a life-saving measure.
Chief Medical Officer slams reports cheap vaccine to blame for record flu season Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, has slammed reports suggesting the use of cheap flu vaccine led to Australia’s worst ever flu season, calling them ‘utterly false’. ‘I could not be clearer – I completely refute this false claim,’ he said in a statement.
World Mental Health Day As the healthcare profession marks World Mental Health Day, a recent RACGP benchmark report has revealed that psychological issues are presenting in almost two-thirds of Australian GPs’ consultations.
Ochre Day 2017 Today marks the beginning of the 2017 Ochre Day Conference (4–5 October) in Darwin, an Aboriginal men’s health initiative developed by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). This year’s events will provide a showcase of best practice health delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and facilitate discussions about how to develop a men’s health strategy on local, state and national levels.
Medication questions for assisted dying While Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying bill successfully passed the state’s Lower House last week, it still faces a number of challenges before becoming law – not least when it comes to the practical matter of medication.
Productivity Commission report recognises importance of general practice in Australian healthcare The Productivity Commission’s latest report, released to the public yesterday, contains detailed recommendations for a significant overhaul of Australia’s health system, including strong recognition of the importance of preventive and primary care.