New website helps breast cancer sufferers after mastectomy

A research team at the University of Sydney in collaboration with Cancer Australia and Breast Cancer Network Australia, has developed a new online resource that takes women through the process of breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.

The online resource, hosted on the Cancer Australia website, provides a comprehensive guide for women considering surgical breast reconstruction and helps guide them through the challenging decision-making process.

It covers essential information on the types of breast reconstruction available, deciding whether or not to choose reconstruction surgery, and living with a breast reconstruction.

The new website supplements a large range of resources on all Cancer types available on the Cancer Australia website.

The key standards to achieving a Triangle of Care in dementia

The Triangle of Care - a guide to improving dementia care has been developed by the Royal College of Nursing and the Carers Trust and funded by the RCN Foundation. This guide identifies 6 key standards required to achieve better collaboration and partnership with carers.

Each standard is supplemented by good practice examples and resources that may be helpful.

The 6 key standards state that:

* Carers and the essential role they play are identified at first contact or as soon as possible thereafter.

* Staff are 'carer aware' and trained in carer engagement strategies.

* Policy and practice protocols regarding confidentiality and sharing information, are in place.

* Defined post(s) responsible for carers are in place.

* A carer introduction to the service and staff is available, with a relevant range of information across the care pathway.

* A range of carer support services is available.

Press release

6th Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium

The 6th Australian Rural Remote Mental Health Symposium will be held in Albury on 12-14 November, 2014. The conference themes are :

* What is the lived experience of the practitioner in a rural or remote setting?

* How can the voice of these practitioners be heard when decisions are made?

* Can we ensure that rural and remote practice is considered in the distribution of resources?

* In what ways can a practitioner be an effective voice for consumers located in rural and remote settings?

* What are the barriers and enablers in attaining training for continued professional development points in rural and remote Australia?

* Rural practitioners experience of the new graduate. Work ready or not?

 

The symposium will include keynote speakers, concurrent sessions and workshops that develop skills related specifically to the mental health needs of our rural and remote communities, and ways to effectively prepare mental and other health professionals to meet future challenges.

For further details visit the Symposium website.

KICA-Dep : culturally sensitive depression screening tool

The first of its kind culturally acceptable screening tool for depression among older living Indigenous Australians in remote areas has been developed.

The tool was endorsed via a cross-sectional survey of adults aged 45 years or over from 6 remote Indigenous communities in the Kimberley. 30% of adults were in Derby. It has been named Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment of Depression (KICA-dep) after the place where it was developed.

A paper on the tool has been published in the journal PLOS ONE.

A free download of the KIHA-Dep tool is available from the KICA Resources page which also features other KICA cognitive assessment tools.

Media release

IDF Global Guideline for Managing Older People with Type 2 Diabetes (International Diabetes Federation, 2013).

The Guideline for Managing Older People with Type 2 Diabetes was considered a necessary development following the launch of the International Diabetes Federation 2012 Global Guideline for Type 2 Diabetes.

This most recent Guideline is unique as it has been developed to provide the clinician with recommendations that assist in clinical management of a wide range of older adults such as those who are not only relatively well and active but those who are functionally dependent. We have included practical advice on assessment measures that enable the clinician to categorise all older adults with diabetes and allow the appropriate and relevant recommendations to be applied. The Guideline has been structured into main chapter headings dealing with expected areas such as cardiovascular risk, education, renal impairment, diabetic foot disease and so on, but also includes commonly addressed areas such as sexual health. Also included is a section of 'special consideration' where areas such as pain and end of life care are addressed.

The Excellence and Innovation in Healthcare Portal

The Excellence and Innovation in Healthcare Portal is a joint initiative of the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) and the Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC)

The Portal has been established as a centralised, standardised, first-step resource on ACI and CEC initiatives, programs and projects.

Activity Based Funding

The Centre for Health Service Development at the University of Wollongong has produced a series of short papers on Activity Based Funding. Subjects covered to date include :
What is ABF? ; Rural & regional hospitals ; ABF in USA ; the cost of public hospitals (the states compared) ; Counting inpatient care ; Research and Training; Subacute care ; and Mental health.

Causes of Death Australia report 2012 reveals 10 year high in suicide statistics.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently released the Causes of death Australia 2012 report, which included data on deaths by self-harm.

A total of 2535 people committed suicide in Australia in 2012, a 10-year peak.

"Heart disease is still the leading cause of death, with 20,046 deaths in 2012, however this has fallen steadily since 2003. Heart disease accounted for 14 per cent of all deaths in 2012 compared to 19 per cent of all deaths in 2003," said James Eynstone-Hinkins, ABS Director of the Health and Vitals Statistics Unit.

"There were 10,779 deaths from Cerebrovascular diseases (including haemorrhages, strokes, infarctions and blocked arteries of the brain) in 2012, making these the second most common cause of death.

"Dementia and Alzheimer's disease was the third leading cause of death, accounting for 10,369 or seven per cent of all deaths in 2012. Most (95 per cent) of these deaths occurred in people aged 75 or over.

"For women, dementia and Alzheimer's disease has overtaken Cerebrovascular diseases as the second leading cause of death in 2012, while breast cancer remained the sixth most common cause of death.

"Suicide was the 14th most common cause of death in 2012 overall, but remains the 10th leading cause for men. Suicide is the leading cause of death for males and females aged between 15 and 44.

"Overall, the death rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders was double that of non-Indigenous Australians. The leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was heart disease, with diabetes ranked as the second leading cause." said Mr Eynstone-Hinkins.

Media release

Report paints sad picture of suicides, especially in regional areas (Central Western Daily)

Calls for renewed funding as figures reveal suicide rate highest in 10 years  (ABC)