The Health News – 8 May 2017

Overview:

• Doctors interfering in domestic violence situations could be doing more harm than good, warned by the Australian Medical Association.ood.

• Stephen Wade said SA Health figures showed more influenza cases had already been reported this year, prompting the South Australian Government to rule out moving the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) this winter

• Children with bone cancers and tumours will have access at South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), a cancer treatment facility to be operational in Adelaide by 2020.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the  8th of May 2017. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-07/doctors-worried-about-new-domestic-violence-powers/8504366

The Australian Medical Association has warned doctors about the risks of interfering in domestic violence situations, saying they could be doing more harm than good.

The NSW Government today announced the state’s doctors now have the power to report patients who they suspect may be victims of domestic violence to welfare services with or without the patient’s consent.

It said doctors who have evidence or hold suspicions about family violence can connect victims directly to services run by non-Government organisations.

But the move is an unwanted one, according to the state’s peak medical body.

AMA NSW vice-president Kean-Seng Lim said he had concerns about non-consensual disclosure.

“It’s already a very difficult situation for a victim of domestic violence, and we would want to make sure we are not disempowering someone or making the situation more difficult by disclosing something without the victim’s consent,” Dr Lim said.

The State’s Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Pru Goward, said it would help many victims who felt they could not speak out.

“For victims who don’t want to report to the police, we’ve never had a way of being able to reach out and provide support,” she said.

The LCP is a referral service that connects victims with services like welfare, counselling and housing.

Ms Goward said many victims of domestic violence were more likely to speak to their doctor before reporting incidents to police.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-07/flu-cases-make-move-to-new-royal-adelaide-hospital-risky/8504352

One of the worst starts to the flu season in six years should prompt the South Australian Government to rule out moving the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) this winter, the Opposition has said.

Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade said SA Health figures showed more than 1,000 influenza cases had already been reported this year, up from 615 cases at the same time last year.

The State Government has previously said it would delay moving into the new hospital until after winter if this year’s flu season proved to be worse than usual.

But Mr Wade said the Government should officially delay the move until after winter to give patients and staff more certainty.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/story-streams/federal-budget-2017/2017-05-06/federal-budget-2017-cancer-facility-flagged-for-adelaide/8502564

Infants and children with bone cancers and inoperable tumours will be able to access treatment at an Australian-first cancer treatment facility to be operational in Adelaide by 2020.

Tuesday night’s federal budget will include a $68-million investment into a proton beam therapy facility at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

The institute hopes the technology will be housed in a second yet-to-be-built building, to be known as SAHMRI two.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said SAHMRI was an exceptionally advanced research institute, making it an ideal fit to host the cancer treatment centre.

“[Proton beam therapy] especially applies to patients suffering from cancer in skulls, in the spinal column, in the pelvis, and in particular for treating specific tumours in infants and young children,” Mr Hunt said.

“They are very expensive, but this is incredibly important.

Mr Hunt said there were more than 100 such facilities around the world, but none in Australia.

He has written to the National Health and Medical Research Council to seek advice on further facilities being developed across the country.

Premier Jay Weatherill said securing federal funding for the development of the new facility was a “massive win for South Australia”.

Mr Weatherill said the State Government would consider its funding contribution as part of this year’s state budget.