BRUCE SIMMONS

Bruce Simmons has recently retired as a dentist manager with the Northern Territory Oral Health Service in Alice Springs. He enjoyed a career focussed on public health dentistry and Indigenous health care combined with a strong interest in public policy and advocacy.
Current Appointed positions:

Member of AHCRA Executive Committee nominated by the National Rural Health Alliance
National Convenor of Oral Health Special Interest Group of PHAA
Member of the National Oral Health Alliance committee
Member of the Oral Health Working Group of the World Federation of Public Health Associations
Member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of the Australian Dental Council
Convenor of Alice Springs Community Garden

Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

5 days ago

Beyond GDPAn historic moment for the government to build a well-being economy for Australia.It's something that the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (AHCRA) and other respected bodies have raised in the past. https://bit.ly/3Ozb3NmTreasurer Jim Chalmers and an Australian 'wellbeing budget' https://bit.ly/3A4L8Jl ... See MoreSee Less

Beyond GDP: Jim Chalmers' historic moment to build a well-being economy for Australia

theconversation.com

Australia’s treasury helped inspire NZ and other governments to adopt well-being budgets – now, years later, we look set to get one too. So what are the challenges ahead?

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Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

1 week ago

Realistic MedicineScotland's Chief Medical Officer Prof Sir Gregor Smith has released his Annual Report for 2021-2022. Realistic Medicine: A Fair and Sustainable Future outlines relentless action on the challenges of inequity, sustainability and workforce experience / wellbeing. https://bit.ly/3xItvfCWhile life for many is becoming less restricted, COVID-19 has not gone away and the pandemic will continue to impact people now and in the future and place significant strain on the health of the community, the workforce and our health and care systemProf Sir Gregor Smith has focussed on five key areas:1. Collaborating for a healthier, fairer Scotland2. Personalising care through understanding3. Innovating for a more sustainable system4. Supporting our workforce5. The health of our nation.It's a good summary of the challenges facing many jurisdictions and health systems, including Australia, with several lessons for sustainability, innovation and workforce wellbeing. ... See MoreSee Less

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Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

2 weeks ago

Tasmania's Healthcare FutureGiven the shared/split responsibilities for policy, funding and implementation, it's useful to look at what is happening on health policy at the state level from time to time. You'll find there's often significant action to drive a better health system.The Tasmanian Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff has just released a key document outlining a vision for healthcare within the state. The Exposure Draft of “Our Healthcare Future: Advancing Tasmania’s Health” sets out a shared vision and policy direction for the future of health services in Tasmania over the next 20 years. https://bit.ly/3aR6tv7Enabling people to receive healthcare in the right place is vital to addressing the challenges. While there will always be a need to invest in acute hospital facilities, enabling care to be provided in alternative settings when appropriate, such as in the home or community, will lead to better patient outcomes and at lower cost to the health system. “Our Healthcare Future: Advancing Tasmania’s Health” sits alongside the Healthy Tasmania Five-Year Strategic Plan, which was released in March 2022 to guide preventive health initiatives across all levels of government and in partnership with communities. https://bit.ly/3QlLaCiA companion document, "Drivers of Tasmania’s Future Population Health Needs" provides further information on key trends which will influence health planning into the future. https://bit.ly/3xVWm1pAnother useful document is that published by Primary Health Tasmania. in November 2021. "Health in Tasmania" provides a good snapshot of primary health needs assessment for 2022–23 to 2024–25 and is here: https://bit.ly/3QsDnTuPublic Consultation: Community stakeholders are invited to provide comments and feedback by 4 July 2022 to ourhealthcarefuture@health.tas.gov.au Further information is available at: www.health.tas.gov.au/ourhealthcarefutureSuccessfully implementing Health Workforce 2040 will require the Tasmanian Government, the private sector and educational institutions to work in partnership to develop shared research, educational, recruitment and employment strategies. ... See MoreSee Less

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Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

2 weeks ago

An Australian centre for disease controlWhat should an Australian centre for disease control (CDC) look like? And how can it improve our response to future infectious disease outbreaks?Writing in The Conversation, Ben Marais, Jocelyne Basseal, Lyn Gilbert and Tania Sorrell from the University of Sydney outline some of the issues.Among their suggestions are more effective mechanisms for data collation and sharing between states and territories, as well as workforce upskilling and building of core capacities; sufficient funding and a governance structure that allows effective engagement with academic experts and policy makers, with protection from government interference; transparent processes that provide independent evidence-based advice to government; and effective coordination between human and animal disease surveillance. ... See MoreSee Less

How should an Australian 'centre for disease control' prepare us for the next pandemic?

theconversation.com

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to create an Australian centre for disease control-style organisation to manage future pandemics. Here’s what it needs to do.

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Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

2 weeks ago

Challenges loom to implement changeDr Tim Woodruff writes about the need for changes in Australia's approach to health and the policy settings and structural arrangements that entails.He opines that the overall aim should be a health system which delivers timely high quality care to everyone and emphasises that prevention of illness and promotion of health at every level can do much more to improve health as well as productivity, and realise a society which recognises that poor health is frequently a result of structural inequalities in that society. ... See MoreSee Less

Letter to new Health Minister Mark Butler - Pearls and Irritations

johnmenadue.com

Congratulations on your impressive achievement. It is now time for policy implementation. I hope you have a huge agenda. Supporting Medicare is not enough. Our health needs have changed and we know mu...

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Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

3 weeks ago

Mental health a challenging priorityStephen Duckett and Graham Meadows write about how Medicare spending and out-of-pocket mental healthcare costs are increasing but those most needing care aren’t getting it. They highlight how the new government needs to address the mental health triple-whammy of spending, costs and areas of need. https://bit.ly/3NDLgDvThey opine that the mismatch between need and services follows from a market-driven service model. with most Commonwealth government mental health-care support provided through Medicare rebates – supporting services by GPs, psychiatrists and psychologists. Medicare rebates are for services provided by individual clinicians, rather than oriented toward team-based care. A GP can unlock additional mental health support through a “mental health treatment plan”, or a psychiatrist referral, allowing Medicare rebates for visits to psychologists or other professionals. That often requires out of pocket payments that result in psychologists and psychiatrists commonly being out of reach for people on low incomes.The current view of what the mental health system should look like is outlined in the national mental health strategic planning framework. But this does not consistently guide planning and it needs revision. It should incorporate how social drivers of health, including relative disadvantage, affect community mental health-care needs.The government also needs to decide whether it will direct more money into mental health, whose needs – especially for people on low incomes – are not being met. Without extra money, redistribution of funding will be required. These issues have been recognised in numerous extensive inquiries across the nation including the recent Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into the opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders. https://ab.co/3NUlzhU That Inquiry found a lack of spending on support services and a dramatic rise in 000 calls from people in crisis. The committee made 57 recommendations including increasing the role of allied health professionals in primary health care settings with the process receiving input from general practitioners and people with lived experience. Amber Schultz writing in Crikey quotes the CEO of Community Mental Health Australia Bill Gye who says: "Mental distress has been on the rise since before the pandemic.... His ongoing research has shown the main stressors are finances, housing, employment, discrimination and stigma, and climate change."The impact of social determinants across the spectrum of health has been raised by AHCRA on many occasions. https://bit.ly/3NEDMQVProfessors Duckett and Meadows note that Labor’s pre-election Strengthening Medicare policy provides new context and the potential for a more integrated response to mental health needs. In the next five to ten years, block payments to GPs for patients enrolled with their practice will supplement fee-for-service and performance payments. But where will mental health fit in? And what opportunities might enrolment present for improving access to integrated primary mental health care for everyone? Mental health status should be assessed as a health factor in the new formula. They propose that funding should allow allied health professionals such as social workers and occupational therapists to use their discipline-specific skills. GPs would be able to employ psychologists and other providers directly or subcontract them. Primary health networks might also have a role here in accrediting services or developing service networks with GPs.A new funding model, involving funding weighted for those in greatest need, and more closely integrated into general practice, could transform access to mental health services. It would be more equitable and seamless, leading to higher quality care for the same cost. It's something to form part of the new government's policy deliberations. ... See MoreSee Less

Mental distress is rising, especially for low-income middle-aged women. Medicare needs a major shakeup to match need

bit.ly

The rate of very high psychological distress is rising most steeply in the middle aged, especially in middle-aged women on low incomes. New funding should match this need.

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Contact

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The Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (AHCRA) is a coalition of peak health groups working towards a better health system for Australia’s future.