Hospitals unprepared for surrogacy births: Calls for national guidelines
Fewer than one in 10 hospitals in New South Wales and Victoria have policies to guide surrogacy births, prompting urgent calls from experts for national standards. The research, published in the Journal of Law and Medicine, reviewed 112 metropolitan hospitals across both states and found only 10 had surrogacy birth care policies. The lack of clear […]
Modernising My Health Record: Improved access to pathology and diagnostic imaging results
Australia is taking significant strides in modernising its healthcare system with My Health Record. This move is part of a broader effort to ensure better and faster access to health information for all Australians. In February this year, legislation was passed to provide a framework for sharing information with My Health Record by default. This […]
Culturally safe and accessible pregnancy care clinic opens for Aboriginal women in metro WA
A culturally safe and accessible pregnancy clinic is now available for Aboriginal women and their families in Perth’s southwest. The Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH) Boodjari Bidi clinic, meaning ‘the pregnancy path’ in Noongar language, was renamed with community consultation and offers culturally safe pregnancy care by midwives supported by maternity Aboriginal Health Practitioners (AHPs). The […]
Landmark reforms expand scope of practice for ACT nurse practitioners
Proposed new legislation will strengthen the role of nurse practitioners in the Australian Capital Territory enabling them to certify cause of death certificates. New legislation has been introduced to give nurse practitioners (NPs), endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), the legal practice authority to issue cause of death certificates and witness non-written health directions. The Nurse […]
My Aged Care failing older Australians: Inspector-General report
A significant number of older Australians struggle to navigate My Aged Care, leaving them unable to access the support they need, when they need it. My Aged Care is poorly understood, insufficiently promoted, onerously complex to navigate and not appropriately tailored to the needs of the whole of the target population, a scathing report by […]
Nurse-led support needed for men undergoing hormone therapy for prostate cancer
Tailored, nurse-led support for men undergoing hormone therapy for prostate cancer is urgently needed, according to a new study. Men with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also known as hormone therapy, are calling for greater education and more personalised, ongoing support to manage the treatment’s often debilitating side effects, according to a new […]
Australian study explores sexual dysfunction in women at midlife
Almost 50% of Australian women in midlife have poor sexual wellbeing, including a doubling of the likelihood of desire and arousal dysfunction in early perimenopause. There has been substantial uncertainty regarding the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) at midlife in women aged 40-69 years. A Monash University-led study believed to be the largest of […]
Why your perfect travel partner might not be your family
As Australians gear up for the holiday season, new research has revealed what really makes for the perfect travel companion, and it turns out, it might not be your family after all. An Edith Cowan University (ECU) study offers an insightful look into the personality traits that can make or break a trip, helping travellers […]
New report links ageism to serious healthcare harms
Older Australians are feeling dismissed, excluded and stereotyped in healthcare settings, putting their access to life-saving care at risk, according to a new report. The Australian Human Rights Commission The age barrier: older adults’ experiences of ageism in health care, report draws on the lived experiences of older patients, their families and sector experts, supported by a comprehensive literature review. Perceptions of ageism are widespread across […]
‘Space for You’ resources to support new mums’ mental health in an Australian first
Aiming to improve outcomes for mothers and their families, Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH) is participating in an Australian-first maternal mental health promotion pilot project, called Space for You. The project officially launched today at the FSH Family Birth Centre during Perinatal Mental Health Week. It will trial the use of evidence-based, co-designed health promotion resources […]