The Health News – 9 February 2017

Overview:
• Dr Lou Lewis was not happy when the fight continued after Green was concussed by a controversial blow from Mundine in the first round. Doctors said that another hard blow to Green could have been fatal.

• The South Australian Government plans to outsource in-home care services for the elderly and some disability services to the private sector. According to the Goverment, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and changes to federal funding for aged care make the areas best suited to the private sector.

• Child Dental Benefit Scheme allows parents to claim a rebate of up to $1,000 per child every two years’ for dental care, which the Government moved to reduce to $700 per child.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the  9th of February 2017. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/green-mundine-doctor-lou-lewis-quit/8253066

The organisation which sanctioned the boxing rematch between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green says the ringside medic who quit his role during the fight was not the official doctor.

Dr Lou Lewis said he was angry the fight continued after Green was concussed by a controversial blow from Mundine in the first round.

Dr Lewis said he quit because his opinion was overruled by the other doctor in the ring, John O’Neill, and referee Frank Garza.

Green later told reporters he knew he was concussed at the time but had wanted to keep fighting.

He even admitted he was so dazed he combined the names of the doctors and had referred to Dr O’Neill as Dr Lou O’Neill.

The decision to continue the fight for nine more rounds has been criticised by the Australasian Ringside Medicine Association and the Australian Medical Association, doctors warning a further blow to Green could have been fatal.

The ABC has not been able to get a comment from Dr O’Neill.

Green controversially won the fight on points in a majority decision, …

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/elderly-and-disability-care-services-outsourced/8252820

In-home care services for the elderly and some disability services are to be outsourced to the private sector by the South Australian Government, but a union has raised the prospect unscrupulous providers might rort the system.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and changes to federal funding for aged care make the areas best suited to the private sector, the Government said.

About 380 staff and 6,000 clients in the …care area are expected to be affected by the changes, along with about 700 staff and 10,000 clients in disability services.

South Australia’s Minister for Ageing Zoe Bettison said current staff would not lose their jobs.

Dignity Party MLC Kelly Vincent criticised the planned changes, saying the focus needed to be on helping people with disabilities get independent advice about their best options for future care.

…Public Service Association secretary Nev Kitchen said he had grave concerns the changes might let any unscrupulous providers rort the system.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/government-keeps-child-dental-scheme-at-$1,000-per-child/8252826

The Federal Government has abandoned its cuts to the Child Dental Benefit Scheme amid fierce criticism from dentists’ groups.

The scheme allows parents to claim a rebate of up to $1,000 per child every two years’ for dental care, which the Government moved to reduce to $700 per child.

But it faced fierce criticism from dentists’ groups and the Opposition had moved to block the cut in the Senate.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said most families claimed less than a third of the full rebate — about $312 — on average.

“In light of this, the Government had previously set the cap at $700 per child over a two-year period, which would still allow children to visit a dentist regularly,” he said in a statement.

“However, following consultation with the Australian Dental Association, I have decided to reinstate the cap at $1,000.

“I have signed this into law …”

The vice-president of the Australian Dental Association…said it was a common sense decision by the Government.

He said the low amount claimed on average could be attributed to a lack of awareness of the scheme.