The rates of children who are fully vaccinated across our region has been declining over recent years. Our most recent figures estimate that less than 90% of children in our region are fully vaccinated at two years of age, below the national target of 95% coverage. There remains a gap in coverage for First Nations children and there are several geographic areas with relatively low rates.

The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care is inviting accredited general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to take part in the Patient-Reported Indicator Survey (PaRIS).

The annual NQPHN surveys are now open for general practice, allied health and pharmacy, Hospital and Health Services, and the North Queensland Health Workforce Alliance.

The University of Sydney is carrying out national surveys to understand the emergency preparedness of individual health care frontline workers and volunteers, and social care organisations.

Queensland Lived Experience Workforce Network (QLEWN), Queensland Alliance for Mental Health (QAMH), and Brisbane North PHN are working together to explore the supply and demand, and most importantly the quality of available training in Queensland for the relatively new and growing peer workforce.

The Australian Government Department of Health is currently undertaking a project to study Australia’s palliative care workforce and project the demand for, and supply of, palliative care services into the future. As part of this work, HealthConsult has been engaged to analyse the composition of the palliative care workforce, undertake workforce demand and supply modelling, and develop strategies to address findings. This analysis will directly support and guide future palliative care workforce policy and strategies.

Are you an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker or Practitioner? Do you work with or employ Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers or Practitioners? The Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) is currently looking at diabetes-specific educational opportunities for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners.

Now more than ever, there is a need for the Commonwealth to play a stronger role in setting digital health policy that delivers better health outcomes and experiences for consumers, while empowering health providers and creating efficiencies in their delivery of services. 

Last year, the Department of Health commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to undertake a review of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

Nurses, this is your chance to tell it like it is. The 2020 APNA Workforce Survey needs your input so a comprehensive picture can be painted for the Government of the working conditions and professional concerns of primary health care nurses across Australia.