Page 1961 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2016
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ACT Health is helping the community to stay informed about the importance of testing for HIV and other blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections with ACT testing month held each November since 2014. ACT testing month has proved popular with almost 300 per cent more people tested in 2015 compared to 2014. This week’s budget also made investments to improve access to sexual health services and blood-borne virus vaccination testing and treatment for vulnerable communities.
Finally, in terms of the health of our people, while we are living longer, Canberrans are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue than their national counterparts. To help address this, in March the ACT government brought into effect the new Mental Health Act 2015. This act gives those in the ACT living with a mental illness greater opportunity to contribute to decisions on their treatment, care and support and creates a legal environment geared towards recovery in accordance with the principle of the least restrictive care alternative.
The Mental Health Act 2015 supports a closer working relationship between people who have a mental illness or disorder, their families and carers and the clinicians and those who deliver their care and treatment. For many who have an ongoing mental illness or disorder that involves repeated episodes of illness, there is likely to be a desire for their illness to be kept in confidence. This right must be respected. However, the act also emphasises the important roles of carers. Again, this week’s budget delivered a significant boost to mental health funding in the ACT.
We also have a growing number of adults in the ACT with chronic diseases. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of death and about 4,100 people in the ACT have dementia. Multiple risk factors often play a role. For example, the risk factors for many chronic conditions, including mental health disorders, are overlapping and include low levels of physical activity, an unhealthy diet and smoking and alcohol consumption. Reducing these common and overlapping risk factors will be an effective means to improve our health outcomes and reduce the burden on our health system.
A more coordinated and holistic approach to effectively manage chronic disease, from prevention and early intervention through symptom control to end-of-life care, is important. That is what our government is focused on. An example of such an approach is the ACT Health’s chronic care program which provides case coordination for people with multiple chronic conditions to allow for information sharing and seamless care planning between specialist services with the individuals centrally involved in decision-making.
In conclusion, I have described some of the key findings in this year’s Chief Health Officer’s report Healthy Canberra, including examples of the ACT government’s initiatives to address our population-based health issues. But the preventative path to a healthier Canberra is not a solitary road; it must be shared amongst the health sector, industry, communities and individual Canberrans as well as the ACT government. Healthy Canberra tells us the status of our health now, creating momentum for change and showing us a positive path into a healthier future.
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