Question 1 = Australia Health System
Efficient Health care system is an essential component of a country. The three levels of healthcare have its scope and benefits to the populace. The primary care is usually referred to as the first point of contact to the health professional. This is basically because of the scope of practice at this level. It is here we find the primary care physicians, family physicians or general practitioner. At this level of service, the patients do not required referral to access services unlike the secondary health care services that required their patient to have seen the primary physicians or require a referral to be able to access the services of the hospital settings. Secondary health care system is a specialist setting with few services unlike the primary care settings wide range of services. Tertiary services are that which is involved in the specialist aspect such as intensive care unit, neurosurgery or coronary care. It is usually with very few area of specialization.
Exploring these levels of healthcare, each has it benefits for the clients and population as a whole. The multiple or wide range of services the primary health care offers is a plus for the community as a whole. This is simply because of the cases that are commoner among the citizens are those that could be properly and effectively managed at the primary level of healthcare. Some of those cases are outpatient’s cases that could be treated. The merits of this healthcare system are that it gives the populace the opportunity to have access to good quality healthcare without the need of going to the next cadre of treatment.
Delivery of the primary healthcare in Australia is done by focusing on strategies such as: Undertaking the need of the community, Promotion of decentralized management of health services, development of balance between health promotion, preventive care and illness treatment, and prioritizing education of the community (Gallagher, 2011). People with chronic illness or special disorders are those been referred to secondary healthcare services. This service is usually provided in form of hospital care or settings. Focus will be on the specialist areas of review and managements. As regards the Tertiary health system, the only services managed are the specialist care surgical cases or intensive care healthcare.
Question 2
Government Organization = A Healthy and Active Australia
The function of organization is to provide various forms of information that can help promote healthy lifestyles, help address the issue of obesity, take preventive measures that will help improve the health of the Australians citizens. This is usually achieved by providing the regular information and initiative on regular physical activity, overweight issues and obesity so as for the Australians to live healthy lives. There are other initiatives through which the health for all is being achieved. Some of those initiatives are: Get set 4 life (Habits for healthy kids), Healthy spaces and places, Healthy weight information and resources (Australian Government Department of Health).
Funding: This is from the Australian Government
Non-Governmental Organization = Child fund Australia
This is a non-governmental organization that has a direct link with the communities and the children of such communities. They see that the children live a long and meaninful life by ensuring that there is long term community development and child right promotion is achieved.
The perception is that every child has a right not to live in poverty. They overcome the child poverty by sponsoring a child, sponsoring the community, providing appeals, donations, fundraising, provision of gifts, volunteer, Business and philanthropy. All these help reduce child poverty by building assets, strengthening protection, amplifying the voice of the children and enabling people to claim their right.
Funding of this Child fund Australia: This usually comes from partnership with the ANCP which is a government based group that provide funds for some NGOs to achieve their goals. Donations also come from different sources that want to help to achieve their goals.
Question 3
Social, Political and economic aspect of Australian healthcare
Social aspect influences health care delivery in a variety of ways in Australia. The social aspect to be considered is that which relates to the social norms and how it affects the healthcare of the Australians. Most social norms evaluated are that which relates to the physical activity and eating, and social customs. People usually comment on seeing others especially their neighbors, doing certain activity that could actually influence their decision to perform such type of activity. That is usually predictor of for a healthy behavior considering the impact of health eating and physical activities on the health of an individual (Ball et al, 2010).
Economy plays an important role on health care delivery in Australia especially in terms of the interaction that does occur between the employment availability, health coverage and costs. The Government economic state usually affects the healthcare delivery especially in terms of employee eligibility or associated benefits and cost sharing. Demand of healthcare on Australian economy is now found to be on the increase. This is as a result of increasing population and advancement in healthcare sector (Novak, Berg & Wilson, 2010).
Politics has no real stand in Australian health system simply because of the absence of the politics of health (Bambra, Fox & Scott-Samuel, 2005). The implication of this is that Australian politics will have no real influence on the health care delivery system. It is important for the people to understand that fact that political nature of health system will help contribute to more effective health promotion strategies and policies. It will also help contribute to more realistic and evidence based public health.
Question 4
Contemporary health issue (OBESITY AND OVERWEIGHT)
Obesity and Overweight is a major contemporary health issues that affects up to 60% of Australians Adults. This increase in prevalence has been continuous for over 30 years. It affects all population groups in Australia with almost highest distribution among those that are among the disadvantaged socioeconomic groups (NHMRC, 2013). The implication of this is that this health problems relating to excess weight affects those that are mostly in the rural areas more when compared to those that are in the city. It also affects the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (NHMRC, 2013). This health issue place a health burden on the affected community considering the aspect of the economic burdens on the individual affected, the families and the community at large. Data has shown the direct cost for overweight and obesity to be in the range of $21 billion in 2005 while indirect cost was estimated to be $35 billion per year (NHMRC, 2010). This will definitely affect the health system indirectly considering the fact that there are several health complications or issues that are usually associated with obesity and overweight. The implication with this is that such will increase the healthcare burden of the community. The risk of diabetes will also increase as the numbers of individual obesity affects are increasing simply because it usually affects obese or overweight patients as a form of complication. The health burden over diabetes is usually even worse than managing obese simply because of the different forms of medications and dietary changes that would be required to manage such kind of individual.
Question 5
- a new framework for funding public hospitals and an investment of an additional $19.8 billion in public hospital services over this decade
- This simply describes the new plan of the government to provide new funds for public hospital to meet the demands of such hospital (NHR, 2013).
- a focus on reducing emergency department and elective surgery waiting times
- waiting times has been a major issue in several hospitals especially the secondary hospitals hence the government is trying to reduce such problems of waiting times so that patient can be seen on time (NHR, 2013).
- increased transparency and accountability across the health and aged care system
- This is just planning to reduce any form of issues with transparency. The aged care system is also being considered to be managed properly (NHR, 2013).
- a stronger primary care system supported by joint planning with states and territories and the establishment of Medicare Locals
- The national health reform agreements focus on establishing a stronger primary care simply because more of the population visits this unit (NHR, 2013).
References
Australian Government Department of Health (2013). A Healthy and Active Australia.
Retrieved 3 November, 2013 from http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/
Ball et al (2010). Is healthy behavior contagious: associations of social norms with physical activity and healthy eating. Research. International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity.
Retrieved 3 November, 2013 from http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/7/1/86
Bambra, C., Fox, D. & Scott-Samuel, A. (2005). Towards a politics of health. Public Health & Epidemiology. Health Promotion International.
Retrieved 4 November, 2013 from http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/2/187.full
Childfund Australia, (2013). The way we work. Home.
Retrieved 3 November, 2013 from http://www.childfund.org.au/way-we-work
National Health Reform, (2013). About National Health Reform. Australian Goverment Department of Health and Ageing.
Retrieved 4 November, 2013 from http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/health-reform-overview#.Ungh7PmsiSo
NHMRC (2013). Obesity and Overweight. Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council.
Retrieved 3 November, 2013 from http://nhmrc.gov.au/your-health/obesity-and-overweight
Novak, J. Berg, C., & Wilson, T. (2010). The impact and cost of health sector regulation.
Retrieved 3 November, 2013 from www.achr.com.au
Segal, L. & Bolton, T. (2009). Issues facing the future health care workforce: the importance of demand modelling. Research. Australia & New Zealand Health Policy.
Retrieved 4 November, 2013 from http://www.anzhealthpolicy.com/content/6/1/12
