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promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
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Back to AICAFMHA Homepage / News in Brief Index / Issue 21
National Rural Health Alliance E-forum - 2 August 2002
In this issue:
* Bulk Billing in Decline, Especially in Regional Areas
* IT in Regions - the best of what is - ITiRA 26-29 August
* International Rural Conference, Inverness June 2003
* Bush Crisis Line
* KIDSAFE
* NSW RDN: Director (Recruitment and Retention)
* 7th National Rural Health Conference
* Contribution and subscription information and disclaimer
BULK BILLING IN DECLINE, ESPECIALLY IN REGIONAL AREAS
New figures obtained by the Federal Opposition through Senate Estimates show that the rate of bulk billing throughout Australia is in decline. According to Opposition Health spokesperson, Stephen Smith, the rate of bulk billing by GPs peaked at more than 80% shortly after the Howard Government came to office. Now however more than three million fewer services a year are being bulk billed compared to 1996
Mr Smith quoted figures showing that the rate of bulk billing had fallen to under 50 percent in some rural areas, which he described as ?of critical proportions?. Mr Smith said there are more worrying signs for bulk-billing on the horizon as with GPs facing rising medical indemnity insurance premiums, there is a real danger that declining rates of bulk-billing could go into free fall.
The full text of Mr Smith?s statement is available at http://www.alp.org.au/media/0702/20001654.html
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Interested in becoming a ?friend? of the Alliance? Become more involved with the work of the Alliance by becoming a ?friend?. ?friends? support the Alliance by being an integral part of the Alliance?s policy and evaluation process. They also receive other benefits. For more information on membership see http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/friends.htm
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +From: Wal Taylor <w.taylor@cqu.edu.au>
Subject: IT in Regions - the best of what is - ITiRA 26-29 August
Hear, meet and discuss this topic with the best practitioners, opinion setters, researchers, community developers and policy makers from across the globe, from our backyard, from developing countries and from regions in the developed world.
Susana Finqueliviech (Argentina), Peter Day (Brighton, UK), Mike Gurstein (Canada), Gene Crick (Texas), Frank Odaz (Montana), Robyn Kamira (New Zealand) and Robin Williams (Melbourne)will provide the setting as keynote speakers and presenters from 15 countries will provide the lessons from their local experiences.
This is the only international conference which focuses on the impact of IT on regions. It is designed for Community Leaders, IT Managers & Project Leaders, Funders, Policymakers, Researchers, Government Officials and Regional Community Development Groups.
The ITiRA 2002 Conference is hosted by the Faculty of Informatics and Communication, Central Queensland University and will be held at Kershaw House Rockhampton, Queensland, 26 - 29 August 2002. Conference details can be found at: http://itira.cqu.edu.au.
The overall purpose of the Conference is to examine strategies, research and applications for the introduction and use of Information Technology in Regional Areas. Current experience indicates that regional areas are lagging behind cities in the adoption of IT and that there are specific issues relating to the use of IT in regions.
IITiRA has seven major themes: Community Informatics, IT for Regional Health, IT for Regional Industry and e-Economy, IT for Regional Education and Training, IT for Developing Countries and Indigenous People, IT For Regional Culture, Media and The Arts and E-Democracy
For general information on the conference contact itira2002@cqu.edu.au
Wal Taylor
Community Informatics Research
COIN Internet Academy
Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, 4702
TEL + 61 7 4923 2568 M 0409 456 115
Fax + 61 7 4927 0700
PARTYline is the official newsletter of the National Rural Health Alliance. Keep up to date with rural health policy information and good news stories on living and working in the rural health community. Available online on http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/partyline.htm or receive a hard copy by emailing michele@ruralhealth.org.au
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +From: David McSwan David.McSwan@jcu.edu.au
Subject: International Rural Conference, Inverness June 2003
Taking Charge: Rural Community Empowerment in Rural Development, Rural Health and Rural Education
This Conference and exchange of experience is organised by the Arkleton Centre for Rural Development Research at the University of Aberdeen and the UHI Millennium Institute based in Inverness, on behalf of the International Rural Network.
Building on previous events in Queensland, Australia and Vancouver Island, Canada the 5-day Conference aims to bring together practitioners from rural communities with rural policy makers and scholars. The emphasis of the event is on sharing practical experiences and highlighting the way in which communities have exerted power over education, health, welfare, environment, quality of life, governance, and economic development to provide positive outcomes for the people living in them. In keeping with the aims of the Conference, the agenda is being developed from the bottom up. Suggestions for workshops and presentations are being sought from participants and these can be forwarded to the co-ordinators via the Conference website at <http://workforce.cup.edu/wyman>
If you would like to Register to attend the Conference or have suggestions for workshop topics please go to the website at http://workforce.cup.edu/wyman Alternatively, you can send an email to takingcharge@abdn.ac.uk or send a fax to Rhys Evans at +44 (0) 1224 273902
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +BUSH CRISIS LINE - 1800 805 391
Bush Crisis Line is a twenty-four hour confidential telephone support and debriefing service for multi-disciplinary remote health practitioners and their families. It is staffed by qualified psychologists with remote and cross-cultural experience, is toll free and available from anywhere in Australia. For more information <http://www.crana.org.au/pandp_psn.html>
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +From: Ron Smith ronsmith@bigpond.net.au <mailto:ronsmith@bigpond.net.au>
Subject: KIDSAFE
Safe Talk emails are the latest weapon against child injury in Australia that claims 300 lives and hospitalises 60,000 children annually, leaving many children and families with difficult personal situations. The Safe Talk emails, have been released by Kidsafe Victoria nationally.
Mr Robert Caulfield, President of Kidsafe Victoria said "The Safe Talk emails covered general home safety and had links back to fact sheets that could be printed out and used in schools, preschools, and at home as safety reminders.?
People can get the special Safe Talk emails from the Kidsafe website at www.kidsafe.com.au <http://www.kidsafe.com.au>.
Ron Smith
Corporate Media Communications
(03) 98185700
The ?Australian Journal of Rural Health? is a refereed journal with a national and international reputation for quality scholarship. Its focus is multi-disciplinary and it includes articles of interest to general practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, health administrators, universities and rural health units. Reduced rates apply to members of some organisations. For more information see http://www.blackwell-science.com/ajr
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +From: Mark Lynch <mlynch@nswrdn.com.au>
Subject: NSW RDN: Director (Recruitment and Retention)
The NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is seeking to appoint a Director, Recruitment and Retention. This new position, located in Newcastle, will have overall responsibility for activities that include domestic and overseas recruitment and ongoing support for rural doctors and their families. Applications close 19 August. Detailed information package is available under ?RDN Jobs? at <http://www.nswrdn.com.au> or from Margaret Smith at msmith@nswrdn.com.au <mailto:msmith@nswrdn.com.au> (Ph 02 4929 1811).
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +7th NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
The 7th National Rural Health Conference is to be held at the Grand Chancellor in Hobart Tasmania from 1 - 4 March 2003. Registration for the Conference will be available in September 2002. This will include online registration for the first time. The Conference website is at http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/seventhconf/seventhconf.htm
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +CONTRIBUTION AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMER
The NRHA e-forum is edited by a third party moderator, Jim Groves. Contributions are sought on any topic relevant to rural health concerns. Please send contributions to the moderator at grovesc@winshop.com.au.
As such, the Alliance does not control postings and the contents do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alliance. Nor do postings necessarily reflect the view of Jim Groves or any organisation he is associated with. Jim Groves can be contacted at grovesc@winshop.com.au.
The e-forum is sent to a mailing list of the Alliance and those have indicated interest through the subscription box at the NRHA Web site (http://www.ruralhealth.org.au). This issue is going to 1,153 recipients. Please forward a copy to any colleague you think may be interested.
To subscribe, send a message saying ?subscribe NRHA eforum? to grovesc@winshop.com.au. To unsubscribe, send a message saying ?unsubscribe NRHA eforum? to grovesc@winshop.com.au. The archive of the newsletter is available at http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/newsletter.htm
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