Achieving affordable healthcare through sensible policy change

The cooperative approach demonstrated by participants in the Australia’s Health 2040 report augurs well for the future of Australia’s mixed public private health system.

Value-based health care: how and why it can work in Australia

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association recently launched the Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care to bring together educational and training opportunities, quality research, best-practice case studies and similar resources.

Are pharma handouts to nurses affecting your healthcare?

Substantial pharmaceutical industry payments to Australian nurses and pharmacists are raising questions around their influence and Substantial pharmaceutical industry payments to Australian nurses and pharmacists are raising questions around their influence and prompting calls for greater transparency.

Improving Australia’s health system beyond the election

While Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, the major political parties are failing to address its long term sustainability at a time of demographic and technological change.

Tackling the ‘toxic trio’ behind coeliac disease

The current treatment for coeliac disease is a gluten-free diet, but researchers want to ‘train’ the body to tolerate the toxic gluten protein as a new way to treat the disease.

Empowering everyone to improve their own health

Professor Charles Abraham spent many years in the UK designing and evaluating behaviour change interventions. Now, he hopes to help improve Australia’s health by continuing his work here in Australia.

Stay healthy for a happier Christmas and New Year

VicHealth has put together some handy tips to help Australians have a healthy and happy Christmas and improve their well being in the New Year.

The facts and fictions of hangover cures

Three out of four people who drink to the point of intoxication will have some form of hangover the next morning. Prevention is better than cure, however, as the folk remedies which people swear by have little impact on the problem.

Older Australians aren’t getting the exercise they need to stay healthy

A national survey by Australia’s national science agency has today revealed how the health of older Australians could suffer if they don’t flex their muscles at least twice a week.

Attracting and retaining Australia’s rural health workforce

The retention of health professionals in country areas needs to become a policy focus and rural health services need to be supported to work with local communities on strategies that support health workers to stay in rural areas at different ages and life stages.

South East Queensland’s green beacon in health care

The healthcare sector must strive for better environmental stewardship as a part of its efforts to cut costs, prevent disease and improve wellbeing and a new hospital in Queensland is leading the way.

Gene therapy is still in its infancy but the future looks bright

Once genetic lesions for diseases such as cystic fibrosis and haemophilia were identified, the idea of replacing or correcting defective genes grew into what we now call “gene therapy” but when will the promise of cures become a reality?