Health, Healthy Communities and Mental Health
IN SUMMARY:
We believe that the health issues present in our community are all inter-connected.
All issues are both a cause and an effect. For example;
Physical health affects mental health and vice versa. Both mental and physical health can affect housing security and job security. Job security affects housing security, food security, mental and physical health. Mental health can be affected by food security, housing issues, regional specific issues such as farming and water security, social equality issues, bullying and drug use.
Suicide is affected by mental and physical health issues, job, housing and income stress, family law and child safety – housing and financial stress can affect mental health, educational outcomes, pressure of public services and charities.
Regional suicide is affected by employment opportunities, health, social services, banking practices and environmental causes.
The list is endless. Each issue is interconnected with others. Over the years, our government has implemented partial policies and cut funding to others. This has a butterfly effect – impacting people and services exponentially.
You will see from our policies that we have taken a comprehensive approach to the nation’s issues in the hopes of reversing the negative trends now occurring in Australia.
You will see that our policies for employment, social support, health and mental health, regional development, taxation, education and training, and utilities provision, amongst others, are all designed to complement each other and assist in building a more productive, cohesive, healthy and safe Australia. We see health care as a broad issue in need of a holistic approach that is not influenced by vested interests.
MEDICARE
We believe in Medicare and would never support any attempt to erode it. All Australians have a right to access medical care. We support bulk billing and would support an evolving process to guarantee that bulk billing is never removed. We would include bulk billing services for allied health care including pathology and physiotherapy as timely diagnosis and treatment does save lives and saves the health system millions of dollars. Additionally, we know our medical staff and public hospitals are at the centre of our Medicare system. We will seek better funding in this world class system that underpins the very well-being of the people of Australia.
Investing in our doctors, nurses and public hospital system is not only an integral part of maintaining and improving the health of our population, but helps to ensure jobs for Australians and contributes to better physical and mental health outcomes for all. The methodology of hospitals finding would be an area we would push to be reviewed. We would support a federalised funding system which takes the state / federal funding debates out of the political discussion. Hospital funding and public health is too important to be made into a political football.
DENTAL HEALTH
The AWP supports the inclusion of Dental care into the parameters of Medicare. We believe all Australians, no matter their age, location or financial status should have access to Dental care. We would fight for Dental care to be included into the Medicare system. This would save our community in the long run if viewed as a preventive health measure.
MEDICINAL CANNABIS
There are far too many people in Australia suffering unbearable pain each and every day. This pain could be helped, significantly, through the use of medicinal cannabis.
This relief from debilitating conditions should not be subject to ideological viewpoints, or be dependent on the state or territory a person lives in. Therefore we believe a national approach to regulated industry is required.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
Suicide has reached epidemic proportions in Australia and requires a national strategy to help address it. We cannot continue to ignore the tragedy that affects so many. We are currently averaging 8 suicides a day in Australia, and for every reported suicide, there are dozens more who have attempted. Men represent more than three quarters of reported suicides.
We believe in addressing some of the fundamental causes through effective sentencing reform for violent and sexual offenders, Family Law and Child Safety law reform, reinvesting in frontline services for domestic violence, investing in emergency accommodation and affordable housing, and ensuring people are able to continue to have access to Medicare funded mental health reviews and psychological services.
Improving funding to mental health services through our public health system and ensuring regional areas are provided with sufficient services to meet the demand are also a priority.
There must also be a targeted focus on men’s mental health and indigenous mental health, as well as the reduction in the social stigma attached to this issue.
We will be supporting, both through our health and regional development plans, to establish more services in regional areas through providing medical and psychological health professionals with the opportunity to eliminate their Hecs debts in return for 3 years service in regional areas.
Youth suicide will be targeted through increased availability of services, reinvestment in apprenticeship and traineeships to increase employment opportunities, social and human rights equality, and anti-bullying campaigns through schools.
We also believe that suicide prevention training should become a pre-requisite for all teachers, health care providers, child safety and law enforcement officers, to assist in the recognition of signs and assist in intervention.
Medical Science and Research.
We believe Australia could be at the forefront of medical scientific research and advancement if governments saw this as a priority and increased funding. There is potential in this not just to address medical issues and community health but as a potential job creator in an expanded industry. So often we see our greatest scientific minds go overseas. We feel that government has a responsibility to ensure we have a growing and vibrant medical R & D industry and that Australian leads the world in medical science.
Mental Health.
The Australian Workers Party believes that funding into mental health care is inadequate. Most of us will be touched directly or indirectly with mental health issues over the course of our lives. It is an issues that has or will touch us all. With greater education, research and direct care, our nation could better respond and assist those citizens with mental health issues. We will advocate for greater funding into responding to mental health in general but with a greater emphasis on prevention and early onset management.
Allied Health: The Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industries.
While we support medical advancements, the AWP does not support political lobbying and pressure of the insurance or pharmaceutical industries into public health. We see greater checks and balances as vital to ensure we do not slide towards an Americanisation of our heath system or an erosion of our high standards of public health. We would advocate for greater controls over the direct political involvement of any for-profit organisations that may unduly influence government policy in health or health related matters.
Healthy Communities.
We believe that encouraging fitness for citizens of all ages, plus healthy eating programs would go some way to promote a preventative health culture and the enjoyment of life.
Our view is that by encouraging preventative health measures, our health system would be better able to be sustained and functioning at optimum levels of capacity. We would support increases of funding into pro-active health programs that make real gains for people across the nation. We would also support educative programs that address the issues of obesity and sedentary lifestyles, the effects of negative relationships, poor dental health, detrimental mental health causes and substance abuse issues. Our view would encompass a coordinated effort, linking all aspects of society, environment and infrastructure such as the school curriculum, the aged care sector, workplace health & safety standards, roads & public transport and of course Medicare, to work in unison with pro-active community health programs, in a measurable way, that is supported with scientific fact and not political expedience. We would not support the intervention or lobbying of the pharmaceutical industry or the fast food industry into any aspect of community health policy or application. In fact, we would push to legislate against any such intervention.
- We would support a shift to a preventative rather than reactive health care system.
- We would fight to stop the Americanisation of our health system.
- We support a well funded and enduring Medicare system for all citizens and fight for the continuance and expansion of bulk billing services.
- We support the inclusion of dental care into the Medicare system for all citizens.
- We would advocate that pathology and physiotherapies be included under Medicare.
- We support the use of medical Cannabis.
- We support the immediate implementation of evidence based nurse / patient ratios across the acute, aged care & community care sectors
- We support a greater focus upon suicide prevention, with properly funded programs targeting those age groups most at risk.
- We support greater education for a healthier communities cultural shift.
- We would push for greater funding into research, crisis management and preventive strategies on issues relating to mental health.
- We would call for a greater investment into medical science and research to make Australia a world leader in the field.
- We would advocate for greater checks & balances for health insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
- We support a greater emphasis on whole community health issues (such as obesity, alcohol and drug abuse and the affects of technological advances on health).
We believe that the health issues present in our community are all inter-connected.
All issues are both a cause and an effect. For example;
Physical health affects mental health and vice versa. Both mental and physical health can affect housing security and job security. Job security affects housing security, food security, mental and physical health. Mental health can be affected by food security, housing issues, regional specific issues such as farming and water security, social equality issues, bullying and drug use.
Suicide is affected by mental and physical health issues, job, housing and income stress, family law and child safety – housing and financial stress can affect mental health, educational outcomes, pressure of public services and charities.
Regional suicide is affected by employment opportunities, health, social services, banking practices and environmental causes.
The list is endless. Each issue is interconnected with others. Over the years, our government has implemented partial policies and cut funding to others. This has a butterfly effect – impacting people and services exponentially.
You will see from our policies that we have taken a comprehensive approach to the nation’s issues in the hopes of reversing the negative trends now occurring in Australia.
You will see that our policies for employment, social support, health and mental health, regional development, taxation, education and training, and utilities provision, amongst others, are all designed to complement each other and assist in building a more productive, cohesive, healthy and safe Australia. We see health care as a broad issue in need of a holistic approach that is not influenced by vested interests.
MEDICARE
We believe in Medicare and would never support any attempt to erode it. All Australians have a right to access medical care. We support bulk billing and would support an evolving process to guarantee that bulk billing is never removed. We would include bulk billing services for allied health care including pathology and physiotherapy as timely diagnosis and treatment does save lives and saves the health system millions of dollars. Additionally, we know our medical staff and public hospitals are at the centre of our Medicare system. We will seek better funding in this world class system that underpins the very well-being of the people of Australia.
Investing in our doctors, nurses and public hospital system is not only an integral part of maintaining and improving the health of our population, but helps to ensure jobs for Australians and contributes to better physical and mental health outcomes for all. The methodology of hospitals finding would be an area we would push to be reviewed. We would support a federalised funding system which takes the state / federal funding debates out of the political discussion. Hospital funding and public health is too important to be made into a political football.
DENTAL HEALTH
The AWP supports the inclusion of Dental care into the parameters of Medicare. We believe all Australians, no matter their age, location or financial status should have access to Dental care. We would fight for Dental care to be included into the Medicare system. This would save our community in the long run if viewed as a preventive health measure.
MEDICINAL CANNABIS
There are far too many people in Australia suffering unbearable pain each and every day. This pain could be helped, significantly, through the use of medicinal cannabis.
This relief from debilitating conditions should not be subject to ideological viewpoints, or be dependent on the state or territory a person lives in. Therefore we believe a national approach to regulated industry is required.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
Suicide has reached epidemic proportions in Australia and requires a national strategy to help address it. We cannot continue to ignore the tragedy that affects so many. We are currently averaging 8 suicides a day in Australia, and for every reported suicide, there are dozens more who have attempted. Men represent more than three quarters of reported suicides.
We believe in addressing some of the fundamental causes through effective sentencing reform for violent and sexual offenders, Family Law and Child Safety law reform, reinvesting in frontline services for domestic violence, investing in emergency accommodation and affordable housing, and ensuring people are able to continue to have access to Medicare funded mental health reviews and psychological services.
Improving funding to mental health services through our public health system and ensuring regional areas are provided with sufficient services to meet the demand are also a priority.
There must also be a targeted focus on men’s mental health and indigenous mental health, as well as the reduction in the social stigma attached to this issue.
We will be supporting, both through our health and regional development plans, to establish more services in regional areas through providing medical and psychological health professionals with the opportunity to eliminate their Hecs debts in return for 3 years service in regional areas.
Youth suicide will be targeted through increased availability of services, reinvestment in apprenticeship and traineeships to increase employment opportunities, social and human rights equality, and anti-bullying campaigns through schools.
We also believe that suicide prevention training should become a pre-requisite for all teachers, health care providers, child safety and law enforcement officers, to assist in the recognition of signs and assist in intervention.
Medical Science and Research.
We believe Australia could be at the forefront of medical scientific research and advancement if governments saw this as a priority and increased funding. There is potential in this not just to address medical issues and community health but as a potential job creator in an expanded industry. So often we see our greatest scientific minds go overseas. We feel that government has a responsibility to ensure we have a growing and vibrant medical R & D industry and that Australian leads the world in medical science.
Mental Health.
The Australian Workers Party believes that funding into mental health care is inadequate. Most of us will be touched directly or indirectly with mental health issues over the course of our lives. It is an issues that has or will touch us all. With greater education, research and direct care, our nation could better respond and assist those citizens with mental health issues. We will advocate for greater funding into responding to mental health in general but with a greater emphasis on prevention and early onset management.
Allied Health: The Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industries.
While we support medical advancements, the AWP does not support political lobbying and pressure of the insurance or pharmaceutical industries into public health. We see greater checks and balances as vital to ensure we do not slide towards an Americanisation of our heath system or an erosion of our high standards of public health. We would advocate for greater controls over the direct political involvement of any for-profit organisations that may unduly influence government policy in health or health related matters.
Healthy Communities.
We believe that encouraging fitness for citizens of all ages, plus healthy eating programs would go some way to promote a preventative health culture and the enjoyment of life.
Our view is that by encouraging preventative health measures, our health system would be better able to be sustained and functioning at optimum levels of capacity. We would support increases of funding into pro-active health programs that make real gains for people across the nation. We would also support educative programs that address the issues of obesity and sedentary lifestyles, the effects of negative relationships, poor dental health, detrimental mental health causes and substance abuse issues. Our view would encompass a coordinated effort, linking all aspects of society, environment and infrastructure such as the school curriculum, the aged care sector, workplace health & safety standards, roads & public transport and of course Medicare, to work in unison with pro-active community health programs, in a measurable way, that is supported with scientific fact and not political expedience. We would not support the intervention or lobbying of the pharmaceutical industry or the fast food industry into any aspect of community health policy or application. In fact, we would push to legislate against any such intervention.