In this edition: Government Response to the NDIS Tune Review 2019, a new Standard of Practice issued by SHPA, NSW Multicultural Health Week, Criminal proceedings commenced against HEALTHHUB, Michael Gorton AM features in Health.Vic webinar replay and what you need to know about COVID-19 & commercial tenancies arrangements for health providers.
The latest insights from our Health Law team:
NDIS Tune Review 2019 - Government Response
Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) issues a new Standard of Practice
NSW Multicultural Health Week 2020
Criminal proceedings commenced against HEALTHHUB247
Health.Vic webinar recording available, featuring Michael Gorton AM
COVID-19 & Commercial Tenancies Arrangements for Health Providers: What you need to know
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NDIS Tune Review 2019 - Government Response
The Commonwealth Government has responded to the 2019 Tune Review with its support or support in principle for all 29 recommendations.
In 2019, the Department of Social Services commissioned Mr David Tune AO PSM to review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth) (NDIS Act). The Tune Review focussed on making recommendations to reduce red tape in the NDIS system and improve participant experiences.
Some of the recommendations which the Government has supported include:
- (Recommendation 3) maximising participants’ independence and participation in the community by providing information about community and mainstream supports.
- (Recommendation 10) enhancing engagement for diverse and hard to reach populations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people with a psychosocial disability.
- (Recommendation 15) enabling participants to use their funding flexibly across core and capability building supports (though not for capital supports), to increase choice and empowerment for participants.
To read the Tune Review, please click here. You can find the Government’s response here.
If you have any questions about the NDIS, please contact the Russell Kennedy Disability Team here.
Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) issues a new Standard of Practice
The Standard of practice in general medicine for pharmacy services (Standard) has been released by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia following input from the Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand Ltd (IMSANZ).
The purpose of the Standard is to describe the current best care for the provision of general medicine pharmacy services by general medicine pharmacists.
The Standard is intended for use across hospital pharmacy services in Australia, regardless of whether the service is public or private and regardless of the location (metropolitan, regional or rural). While the Standard is intended for hospital pharmacy services, the principles and aspects of patient management discussed within the Standard can be applied to broader pharmacy services.
The Standard has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR) together with a complementary systematic review strengthening the case for broader pharmacist roles to improve medicines-related outcomes through the provision of comprehensive care.
The Standard can be reviewed here and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia’s announcement can be reviewed here. To access the latest issue of JPPR please click here.
NSW Multicultural Health Week 2020
The theme for this year’s Multicultural Health Week was “Health Literacy and Safe Use of Medicines”. Multicultural Health Week was held from 7-13 September, and is in its the eleventh year.
The NSW Ministry of Health reports that research shows that “people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds experience higher rates of adverse outcomes from poor medication management”. The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service has developed a series of resources for Multicultural Health Week, which are available in 28 different languages, including English, such as Arabic, Burmese and Farsi.
These are intended to provide key messages about the safe use of medicines and the role of pharmacists in dispensing medication.
You can read more about the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service here. The Multicultural Health Week resources are available here.
Criminal proceedings commenced against HEALTHHUB247
Criminal proceedings have been commenced against Brisbane-based company, HEALTHHUB247 Pty Ltd (HEALTHHUB) and its director, following an investigation by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as part of its Operation Centaurus.
It is alleged that HEALTHHUB and its director engaged in the manufacture, counterfeit, supply and advertising of performance enhancing products, including Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, which are experimental, prescription only medicines, sometimes used illegally.
The alleged conduct of HEALTHHUB and its director was in contravention of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (the Act), which prohibits the manufacture and supply of therapeutic goods which are likely to harm or injure any person and provides penalties for unlawful advertising and dealing with counterfeit goods, where harm or injury is likely to result. Under the Act, the maximum penalty for the manufacture and supply of these potentially harmful therapeutic goods is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $888,000, where the offences occurred on or after 1 July 2020.
During searches conducted at two Queensland premises, the TGA and the Australian Border Force collected evidence containing products which are allegedly classified in the current Poison Standard including Schedule 4 (prescription only medicines) and Schedule 10 substances (substances of such danger to health as to warrant the prohibition of sale, supply and use).
To read more about the investigation and the charges against HEALTHHUB, click here.
Health.Vic webinar recording available, featuring Michael Gorton AM
The second webinar on Legal Responsibilities and Risks was held on 27 August 2020 and was facilitated by Dr Joanna Flynn, Chair of the Boards Ministerial Advisory Committee. Presentations were made by Mr Jared Heath of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, legal consultant to the DHHS General Counsel, and Mr Michael Gorton AM, Chairperson of Alfred Health and Principal of Russell Kennedy Lawyers.
For more information and to watch the replay click here.
COVID-19 & Commercial Tenancies Arrangements for Health Providers: What you need to know
For more information regarding commercial tenancies, please contact Samantha Taylor or Caroline Snaidr from our Property & Development team.
Learn more about Russell Kennedy's expertise in the Health sector here.
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