POST-FEDERAL BUDGET RESPONSE: AUSTRALIAN THYROID FOUNDATION 1 million Australians with undiagnosed thyroid disorders remain at risk of irreparable damage
At the Post Budget Breakfast hosted by AIPS and Medicines Australia, the Honourable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care spoke about the health priorities of the Federal Budget 2024-25.
As with all Federal Budgets, there is a submission process to lodge requests by January of each year. For the Federal Budget this year, there were 788 submissions lodged, one of which was by the Australian Thyroid Foundation (ATF).
The ATF is a national not-for-profit organisation with charity status aimed at patients and the healthcare community. The ATF’s focus is to support and educate its member base and promote our Good Thyroid Health Messaging throughout the Australian Community.
Australian Thyroid Foundation, CEO Beverley Garside attending the breakfast gave her response to the Federal Budget and the Foundation’s pre-budget submission, which was not granted.
The 3 requests for funding were for,
1. Education tool kit for health care professionals, to use during patient presentations
2. Broad media campaign aimed at young families moving away from standard dietary choices and awareness about the importance of iodine and thyroid health
3. Dietary book for senior Australians with an iodine slant to improve health outcomes, with healthy living choices.
According to the Australia Thyroid Foundation, over 1 million Australians are living with an undiagnosed thyroid disorder. These disorders can affect children, pregnant women, families and the elderly.
-
Rural allied health mentorship program creates opportunities for students and practice
Melanie Roll, a director and physiotherapist at Gen Health Hamilton, is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of allied health professionals. Gen Health’s support begins with a work experience program for local secondary school students, where they can observe a variety of health services and participate in an annual careers night to explore allied health career pathways.
Upon moving to tertiary education, students are offered placements through a five-week program designed to transition them from observation to supervised practice and ultimately to seeing their own patients. In their final study year, they can apply for the mentorship program, which aids the transition into private practice.
-
Lasers in dental treatment without needles and drills
In 2017, Dr. Omar Zuaiter and Alaa Habeb launched Dentroid, a dental technology startup with a mission to make dentistry a kinder and friendlier experience for patients and dentists using photonics (using laser technology) and robotics, as alternatives to needles, drills and sprays. The vision for the startup is to have dentistry adopt laser technology, addressing the root causes of dental pain & anxiety, and create a pain-free dental experience.
-
Medical colleges reform to address accessibility, affordability and rural challenges
Australia’s specialist medical colleges are introducing significant changes to their training selection processes to tackle the ongoing shortage of specialist doctors in rural and remote areas. The Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges (CPMC), in collaboration with the National Rural Health Commissioner, has unveiled new guidelines that prioritise candidates with rural backgrounds and experience during trainee selection.
