IMPROVED ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY NEEDED FOR PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES NEEDING INSULIN National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) disparity in subsidised access to CGM systems
Australian Health Journal segment
Filmed in Canberra | March 2025
With
Susan Davidson, CEO
Australian Diabetes Educators Association
Sahar Awais,
NSW Registered Nurse
Susan Davidson is the CEO of the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA), the leading body for diabetes education in Australia. ADEA plays a crucial role in accrediting credentialed diabetes educators and providing essential training for all health professionals, as roughly 25% of individuals seeking healthcare are affected by diabetes.
In Australia, around 1.5 million people are diagnosed with diabetes, with an additional estimated 500,000 undiagnosed cases of Type 2 diabetes. Among those diagnosed, approximately 140,000 have Type 1 diabetes, while 1.3 million live with Type 2 diabetes, and about 65% of these individuals use insulin. The increasing prevalence of diabetes highlights the need for consistent education among healthcare providers to aid patients in managing their conditions effectively.
To address the evolving nature of diabetes management and technology, ADEA has recently introduced micro-credentials for healthcare professionals, enhancing their understanding of diabetes care. Consistent messaging from various healthcare providers is vital, as conflicting information can lead to patient confusion and disengagement from care.
The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) provides subsidised products for diabetes management; however, disparities exist in access to technology between those with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. While continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are subsidised for Type 1, they are not available for Type 2 diabetes. ADEA advocates for equitable access to these essential tools, emphasising that all individuals with diabetes deserve the resources necessary for optimal management and reduced risk of complications. Without such technologies, many are forced to rely on finger pricking, which can be inconvenient and unsafe in settings such as the workplace and in higher education.
Source: Rewritten from transcript
-
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & data skilling clinicians
In this first release, world renowned AI and medical data science experts Dr Anthony Chang and Professor Enrico Coiera spoke to Australian Health Journal reporter Anne Dao at AIMed 2019 Sydney. The conference aimed at clinicians and non-clinicians discussed current clinical applications of Artificial Intelligence in medical imaging, decision support, use of predictive healthcare and machine learning.
-
Pharmacy led men’s urological health
Men’s urological needs refer to the medical and surgical conditions that affect the male urinary tract system and reproductive organs.
A urologist can address these concerns, however a pharmacy-led model of care developed by Brad Butt, called Mens Health Downunder has offered an alternative to certain urological needs of the male adult population over the past 10 years.
Australian Health Journal met with Brad to hear about his journey, Mens Health Downunder and the impact the pharmacy-led model of care has had on patient’s urological as well as mental health.
-
Lens on patient care & allied health workforce across settings
The CEO of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), Bronwyn Morris-Donovan spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
The structure and priorities for AHPA
The setting and disciplines in Allied Health
Allied Health representation in the Strengthening Medicare Task Force
Importance of a data strategy and interoperability in delivery of allied health services
Key allied health priorities hopefully addressed in Federal Budget.In the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
