Bega Town Hall, Bega
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, Warren Snowdon met with local health industry professionals to discuss health reform at a consultation at Bega Town Hall on Thursday 14 January 2010.
Also in attendance was the Integrated Service Manager of Greater Southern Area Health Service, David Jeffrey, local member Mike Kelly, and Bega Valley Shire Mayor Tony Allen.
A major issue discussed was the shortage of training placements for health graduates in rural areas. Participants called for better cooperation with colleges and universities to develop strategic plans to ensure sufficient placements for all medical, allied health and nursing graduates.
Other key themes discussed included:
- The lack of public dental services on the South Coast
- Preventative health issues, including community capacity building and tackling social determinants of health
- Reviewing transport options for patients in regional areas
- The long time frames involved in seeing the benefit of government health prevention measures and health promotion initiatives.
| Videos |
|---|
 Minister for Health and AgeingNicola Roxon talking about the National Health and Hospitals Network on Wednesday 3rd March 2010. |
 Youth views (public submission)Young people in Canberra were interviewed on their views about the Australian health system. Video was submitted by Senator Kate Lundy’s office. |
 DerekDerek says the reform process offers a great opportunity to free up emergency departments in hospitals by creating a special service to diagnose and treat older people who now come into emergency when something is wrong. |
| Events |
|---|
CloncurryThe Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, Warren Snowdon, held a roundtable discussion on health reform at Cloncurry in Northern Queensland on Wednesday 27 January 2010. |
ACTU MelbourneParliamentary Secretary Mark Butler hosted a health consultation on Thursday 28 January 2010 at the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) offices in Melbourne. |
Mount Isa Base Hospital, Mount IsaOn Wednesday 27 January 2010, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, Warren Snowdon, held a health reform consultation at Mount Isa Base Hospital, in North Western Queensland. |
The implementation plan provides details of implementation activities over coming months and years, including timelines and major milestones to implement the major health reform agreed by COAG in April 2010.
On 19 and 20 April 2010, an historic agreement was reached by the Council of Australian Governments, except Western Australia, to the establishment of a National Health and Hospitals Network.