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Revolutionary diabetes detection via smartphone: A game-changer in healthcare

<p>In a groundbreaking advancement, scientists from <a href="https://www.klick.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Klick Labs</a> have discovered a method that could revolutionise diabetes detection – using just a 10-second smartphone voice recording.</p> <p>No more travelling to clinics or waiting anxiously for blood test results. This new approach promises immediate, on-the-spot results, potentially transforming how we diagnose type 2 diabetes.</p> <p>The study, published in <a href="https://www.mcpdigitalhealth.org/article/S2949-7612(23)00073-1/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health</a>, involved 267 participants, including 192 non-diabetic and 75 type 2 diabetic individuals. Each participant recorded a specific phrase on their smartphone multiple times a day over two weeks, resulting in 18,465 recordings.</p> <p>These recordings, lasting between six and 10 seconds each, were meticulously analysed for 14 acoustic features, such as pitch and intensity. Remarkably, these features exhibited consistent differences between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, differences too subtle for the human ear but detectable by sophisticated signal processing software.</p> <p>Building on this discovery, the scientists developed an AI-based program to analyse the voice recordings alongside patient data like age, sex, height and weight. The results were impressive: the program accurately identified type 2 diabetes in women 89% of the time and in men 86% of the time.</p> <p>These figures are competitive with traditional methods, where fasting blood glucose tests show 85% accuracy and other methods, like glycated haemoglobin and oral glucose tolerance tests, range between 91% and 92%.</p> <p>"This technology has the potential to remove barriers entirely," said Jaycee Kaufman, a research scientist at Klick Labs and the study's lead author. Traditional diabetes detection methods can be time-consuming, costly and inconvenient, but voice technology could change all that, providing a faster, more accessible solution.</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Looking ahead, the team plans to conduct further tests on a larger, more diverse population to refine and validate this innovative approach. If successful, this could mark a significant leap forward in diabetes management and overall healthcare, making early detection simpler and more accessible than ever before.</span></p> <p>Stay tuned as this exciting development unfolds, potentially bringing us closer to a future where managing and detecting diabetes is as simple as speaking into your smartphone.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Body

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"Unsung heroes" win millions in Lotto draw

<p>A group of 50 hospital workers have had their lives changed for the better after winning a huge stake in Saturday's $20 million Lotto draw. </p> <p>The syndicate of healthcare professionals at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth had one of five division one-winning tickets, worth a staggering $4 million.</p> <p>The prize will be split between 50 hospital employees, with each of the facility’s “truly unsung heroes” set to receive $80,000 each.</p> <p>The syndicate included staff from all areas of the hospital, including nurses, orderlies, cleaners and supply staff. </p> <p>“I immediately ran down the corridor to my boss’s office,” the ticket holder said.</p> <p>“Then I messaged the group chat to let everyone know, and called those who aren’t on social media to share the good news."</p> <p>“This will be life-changing for a lot of people, and some really touching stories have come out of this experience.”</p> <p>The same group of dedicate Lotto ticket buyers have been trying their luck at a big win for more than a year. </p> <p>“I’ve had not much good luck. I lost my husband seven months ago,” clinical nurse specialist Genevieve Stacey said.</p> <p>“This is not just going to change our lives but the lives of our families as well, so it’s nice to have something good happen.”</p> <p>Some among the group will spend their winnings on family holidays and releasing mortgage pressure, while one staff member also plans to start her long-awaited IVF treatment.</p> <p>Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group executive director Neil Doverty said he could not think of a group of people more deserving of the life-changing win. </p> <p>“These staff are often behind the scenes but play a critical role in the day-to-day running of our hospital and caring for our patients,” Doverty said.</p> <p>“They are truly unsung heroes and are incredibly deserving of this win.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

Money & Banking

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A job with a $500K salary and free house has no takers

<p dir="ltr">Healthcare can be hard to access in rural areas, but even one Aussie town’s tantalising offer of a hefty salary and free home has yet to successfully attract any doctors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Julia Creek’s McKinlay Shire Council, located 600km west of Townsville, Queensland, has put together an enticing package for a GP looking to go bush and help their tight-knit community.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite offering a salary of up to $513,620 and a rent-free house on a decent piece of land, the council have had no takers so far.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, temporary doctors fly into the community for two days each week to support local hospital staff - with residents needing care on the other five days of the week forced to travel two hours or 200km to Mount Isa.</p> <p dir="ltr">Deputy Mayor Janene Fegan told NCA NewsWire that the package was first offered three months ago, but their search for a permanent GP in the community has been ongoing for the past 18 months.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not only about the money, it’s also about the lifestyle,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Fegan first moved to the area for a temporary posting to work as a nurse, but three months has since become three decades.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s just a nice, easy, simple lifestyle,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have plenty of room, plenty of space.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-cbd9db93-7fff-6c3b-d448-e7d71e705311"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">With a tight-knit community of 500 residents, Ms Fegan said Julia Creek boasts warm sunny days, a gym that will only set you back $30 a month, and a pool that costs just $2 to use.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGEFjiShND8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGEFjiShND8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by McKinlay Shire Council (@mckinlay_shire_council)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While the council has received two applications so far, both have requested a fly-in, fly-out arrangement.</p> <p dir="ltr">Residents are desperate for the return to having a permanent doctor, which will result in greater stability and access to urgent care when needed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you had a sick child in the middle of the night, they might have to send you on,” Ms Fegan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And some things aren’t quite serious enough to need an ambulance, but serious enough that you want care quickly.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She added that they had survived so far through the good will of neighbours helping each other out.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I guess that’s why we’ve survived so long without the doctor, because we are such a tight-knit community and someone will also help someone else out,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The council has also said it will provide the new GP’s partner with employment if needed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We would definitely make all our effort to find something suitable,” Ms Fegan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And also with the internet, you don’t need to work in the city anymore.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-90122888-7fff-9859-7f6f-add831717807"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @mckinlayshirecouncil</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“A serious chip on her shoulder”: Pauline Hanson refuses to see ‘foreign’ doctors

<p dir="ltr">Pauline Hanson has revealed that she refuses to be treated by doctors trained outside of Australia, claiming that she doesn’t trust them and that they are not up to Australian standards.</p> <p dir="ltr">The controversial leader of the right-wing One Nation party made the revelation while slamming a proposal from Health Minister Brad Hazzard to remove barriers preventing overseas doctors from working in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Hazzard told the <em><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/brad-hazzard-slams-barbed-wire-fence-blocking-foreign-doctors-from-easing-gp-crisis/news-story/c8c2564f2705459be3c745f9fca74c22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Telegraph</a></em> that the “barbed wire fence” of red tape medical graduates trained overseas face to practice in New South Wales has forced hundreds of doctors to quit the industry, even as the country faces a GP shortage that risks creating a healthcare “apocalypse”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This should be ringing alarm bells in the offices of the Federal Health Department and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP),” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em>Sky News</em>, Hanson questioned the red tape Mr Hazzard was referring to and went on to claim that his plan would lower the standards in healthcare.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lowering the standard again which I believe that if you do that and allow these foreign doctors here that are not up to our standards,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well then you're going to play Russian roulette with people's lives.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I personally will not go to a foreign doctor because I don't trust ... the system when I know they've allowed them into this country and most of them don't pass the first test.”</p> <p dir="ltr">To practise medicine in Australia, doctors who have earned medical degrees from overseas institutions need to be registered with the <a href="https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-Graduates.aspx">Australian Medical Council</a>, which can involve passing a written exam and clinical exam, including demonstrating a minimum standard of English speaking skills through proof of education in English or passing one of several exams.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hanson claimed that a lot of overseas doctors had to take the test “a couple of times” and that many couldn’t pass because “they can’t speak English” - though it is unclear which test she was referring to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can't be a doctor in this country if you can't communicate with the patient. It's not good at all,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If we allow these foreign doctors in that can't pass the test, they've already lowered the standard twice.”</p> <p dir="ltr">To combat this lowering of standards, Hanson said the solution should be paying GPs more to prevent them from moving into specialist areas to get a higher wage.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We've got to stop draining doctors from other countries and bringing them out here to Australia because, you know, we have a world standard in (medicine),” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The people (Australia is) bringing over from overseas, we're lowering our standards.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Her comments have come under fire across social media, with many rallying to support internationally-trained doctors and praising them for the care they have provided.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pauline Hanson yet again demonstrated prejudice against foreign trained doctors. Maybe we should fast track our current medical students? Oh that would be lowering standards then as well! And who still has mandates? Misleading bigoted crap once again from this troublemaker!” one person noted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To all my wonderful colleagues, Australian or from other countries, who Pauline Hanson might consider foreign. I am so sorry. You are wonderful,” one emergency physician <a href="https://twitter.com/KristinJBoyle/status/1579640575925837824" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c6079882-7fff-b484-1053-8a117b306bc5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Our health system depends on you. Thank you for working alongside me and for treating me and my family. 🙏”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">My GP came to Australia from overseas, he is an excellent communicator and caring doctor, I thank him for picking up my cancer. What Pauline Hanson is doing is spewing racist bile based on her own prejudices. She is a truly awful human being with a serious chip on her shoulder</p> <p>— Dr Anthony (Tony) Moore 💉💉💉💉 (@PerpetualWinger) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerpetualWinger/status/1579652006733828102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Another doctor wrote: “My GP came to Australia from overseas, he is an excellent communicator and caring doctor, I thank him for picking up my cancer. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What Pauline Hanson is doing is spewing racist bile based on her own prejudices. She is a truly awful human being with a serious chip on her shoulder.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-df35916e-7fff-f4d1-59ed-7d2586e0a100"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Sky News</em></p>

News

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Pioneering a new way to retire

<p>For a new generation of Australians, being retired doesn’t mean what it used to. From rediscovering passions and hobbies left behind in the hustle and bustle of daily life to packing a bag and exploring the world, pursuing the lifestyle of your dreams is simply not restricted by age.</p> <p>Having a sense of security, whether it’s related to feeling at home where we live or trusting that we can access the care we need as our health changes, is another priority for this generation.</p> <p>Then when it comes to how and where we live, easy maintenance, independence and cost effectiveness are the <a href="https://www.seniors.com.au/news-insights/australian-seniors-series-quality-of-life-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three top considerations for Aussies</a> according to the latest Australian Seniors Quality of Life report.</p> <p>With all of these considerations in mind, it can feel daunting to figure out whether living at home or moving into a retirement village suits our wants and needs – which is where<a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Ryman Healthcare</a> comes in.</p> <p>Ryman has been pioneering retirement living for over three decades and challenging the status quo when it comes to how Aussies live in retirement.</p> <p>If you are trying to figure out this next exciting phase of life means for you, here are three ways Ryman Healthcare stands out from the crowd, ensuring you can live life the way you want to.</p> <p><strong>Ultimate freedom to lock and leave</strong></p> <p>If you’re anything like <a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/pioneers/cindy-and-del" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cycling duo and Ryman Pioneers Cindy and Del</a>, adventure is in your blood.</p> <p>When they moved into their apartment in a Ryman village several years ago, it served as an even greater opportunity for them to live out their motto: “Do it while you can!”</p> <p>While many of us might worry about leaving our belongings and home unattended for long stretches of time, Cindy and Del say the security and maintenance services provided by Ryman means they have the peace of mind to live life to the fullest – and that it’s as simple as shutting their front door.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/Ryman_Healthcare_Cindy_and_Del_01_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Endurance cyclists Cindy and Del say Ryman has given the security to embrace their motto of doing it while they can. </em></p> <p>“We did feel a little bit nervous about leaving the house, but not here – not at Ryman,” Cindy says. “We just come and go as we please, and we know that the place is safe and secure.”</p> <p>“A big thing about the apartment is, we just close the door and come back a couple months later and it’s just the same,” Del adds. “We don’t have to worry about security. We don’t have to worry about maintenance or gardens. It’s all done.”</p> <p>When they aren’t circumnavigating the country, Cindy and Del can be found planning their next adventure or getting involved in the activities available through Ryman – think everything from dance lessons to playing bowls, creating charcoal art and more.</p> <p>They’re not the only ones taking advantage of these opportunities either, or the sense of community created and put front and centre by Ryman.<strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>A community like no other</strong></p> <p>Engaging in activities with others and staying connected with the local community is beneficial not just for our mood, but also our mental and physical health, no matter whether we’re retired or working.</p> <p>Ryman retirement villages champion this by removing the stress that comes with maintaining a family home, allowing residents to pursue their passions, connect with fellow residents, and stay active mentally and physically through regular events, activities and trips.</p> <p>For <a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/pioneers/lynette" target="_blank" rel="noopener">yoga lover Lynette</a>, living in the Ryman community has seen her continue her decade-long practice of mindful yoga and embrace her love of walking. With walking being one of the many social activities in the village, Lynette has made plenty of friends through Monday outings with her walking group.</p> <p>“A lot of people still believe that you’re going to a rest home,” she says. “They don’t know the concept of a retirement village. You go there, it’s beautiful. You’ve got facilities. You’ve got activities. And you don’t stop <em>living</em>.”</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/Ryman_Healthcare_Lynette_02_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Lynette, a former corporate high-flyer turned yoga lover, says Ryman’s sense of community has helped her when she needed it most. </em></p> <p>Having this strong social network also helped her adapt to life after her husband’s passing.</p> <p>“My husband passed away exactly a year ago, so walking was fantastic because it cheered me up to see the flowers and the gardens and meet people,” she says of the group she now considers to be as close as family.</p> <p>Lynette and her husband moved into the village with the knowledge that “one would go before the other”, but living there has helped her find inner peace and support when she needed it most.</p> <p>“I’m so pleased that we moved because I’ve had a chance to make a lot of friends,” she says.</p> <p>“I’ve had a chance to get to know pretty much everyone in the village team. And everyone has been so supportive, particularly over the last year, that it’s my family now.”</p> <p>Having that level of support also provides Lynette and other Ryman residents with peace of mind when it comes to their health.</p> <p><strong>Rest assured that your future is in good hands</strong></p> <p>With four in five Aussies prioritising good physical and mental health, Ryman’s comprehensive care options give residents the confidence to live life with the knowledge that there is care available as their needs change.</p> <p>With aged care built into the fabric of their villages, Ryman offers living options ranging from independent and assisted living to residential aged care and specialist dementia care.</p> <p>For <a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/pioneers/brian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian and Pauline</a>, who have been married for more than half a century, these options have ensured they can stay together and still access care for their differing needs.</p> <p>After Pauline received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s shortly after they moved in, Brian has stayed in their apartment while Pauline moved into the village’s specialist dementia care just a short walk away.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/Ryman_Healthcare_Brian_03_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Brian’s apartment and the care centre are mere steps away, making it easy for Brian and family members like his grandson Tom to visit every day.</em></p> <p>“Our apartment is just a few steps away, on the same floor, so it’s very easy to pop in and see my wife or nip around and get something for her,” Brian says. “It’s been very, very good.”</p> <p>Having the support of the village’s nursing team has also been invaluable, allowing Brian to enjoy the village’s sense of community while trusting that his wife is in good hands.</p> <p>“My wife’s cared for, and we can still be together,” he says. “It’s a great relief.”</p> <p>All of these Ryman residents – each one a pioneer of a new way of living – are enjoying their lives in retirement to the full. So if you’re still trying to decide your future, get ready to <a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/the-ryman-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explore the possibilities</a>.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MqECwJ0symg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></p> <p><em>All images: Ryman Healthcare</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with </em><a href="https://www.rymanhealthcare.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Ryman Healthcare</em></a><em>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Moral injury: what happens when exhausted health workers can no longer provide the care they want for their patients

<p>Healthcare workers in New Zealand already face life-and-death decisions daily. But as multiple winter illnesses add pressure to a system already stretched by COVID, staff now also have to deal with <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300534812/covid19-union-and-frontline-worker-say-staff-at-middlemore-hospital-facing-increasing-abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daily abuse</a>, acute <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/05/christchurch-hospital-cancels-surgeries-as-it-hits-112-pct-capacity.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staff shortages</a> and <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/06/17/dhb-clashes-with-union-over-stretched-palmerston-north-ed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unsafe working conditions</a>. At times, they cannot provide the care they would like for their patients.</p> <p>The impact on health workers is often described as <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/great-minds-health-workers-on-covid-19-frontlines-burnt-and-bled-by-two-years-of-virus/T7JXOXGXEKKCICUNOMUJYT4QWM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stress and burnout</a>. The consequences of this prolonged pressure can be seen in the number of <a href="https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/acem-welcomes-111b-health-nz-budget-urges-fixes-health-workforce-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doctors</a>, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nursing-shortage-nurses-broken-while-sector-faces-thousands-of-vacancies/L7NUXOPG4AB472OKXOH5QJSUMU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nurses</a> and other <a href="https://capsulenz.com/be/therapist-shortage-nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health professionals</a> leaving their jobs for overseas positions and the private sector, or being lost to their professions completely.</p> <p>Many of these healthcare workers may well be suffering from a more serious form of psychological distress than burnout: moral injury.</p> <p><a href="https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Moral-Stress-Healthcare-Workers-COVID-19-Guide-to-Moral-Injury.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moral injury</a> refers to the psychological, social and spiritual impact of events on a person who holds strong values (such as caring for patients) and operates in high-stakes situations (hospital emergency care), but has to act in a way inconsistent with those values.</p> <p>Examples include having to turn patients away despite them being in pain or discomfort; being unable to provide adequate care due to staff shortages; having to care for a dying patient isolated from their loved ones while wearing full protective gear.</p> <p>Symptoms of moral injury can include strong feelings of guilt and shame (about not being able to uphold healthcare values, for example) as well as high levels of anger and contempt towards the system that prevents proper care.</p> <p>High levels of self-criticism, loss of trust in people and organisations and a weakening of personal relationships are further <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00113-9/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">symptoms</a> of moral injury.</p> <p>It can be viewed as a <a href="https://www.afta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Physicians-aren%E2%80%99t-%E2%80%98burning-out.%E2%80%99-They%E2%80%99re-suffering-from-moral-injury..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more severe form of burnout</a>. But while burnout can happen in most workplaces, moral injury requires the three core components listed above.</p> <p><strong>From war to the operating table</strong></p> <p>The term moral injury arose in <a href="https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/moral_injury.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military psychology</a> to refer to situations where, for example, soldiers were unable to intervene to save lives in case they risked breaching the rules of engagement. More recently, the term has been adapted to apply to healthcare.</p> <p>Viewing the experiences of health workers through this lens can help us understand why they may experience a seesawing emotional state and the confusing conflict of simultaneously wanting to be at work while wishing they were anywhere but.</p> <p>For healthcare workers, understanding the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6752815/#:%7E:text=Over%20time%2C%20these%20repetitive%20insults,is%20in%20some%20way%20deficient" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concept of moral injury</a> may help reframe it as something that is happening to them rather than because they don’t have the skills to cope. The latter can sometimes be a mistaken implication of the term burnout.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471254/original/file-20220627-22-u7c2tg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Exhausted nurse" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Staff shortages can take health workers beyond exhaustion and burnout.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>While healthcare workers are largely at the mercy of the organisations they work for, there are some steps individuals can take to alleviate moral injury. Firstly, simply recognising they may be suffering from this condition can reduce confusion and validate their experiences.</p> <p>Secondly, reconnecting back to an individual’s values and beliefs can help refocus and re-energise, at least temporarily. Reminding themselves why they got into this job in the first place is a useful place to start.</p> <p><strong>Organisational responses</strong></p> <p>Organisations and businesses must play a lead role in preventing and treating moral injury. Many of the factors leading to it (lack of resources or staff, a pandemic or peak flu season) are outside the control of individuals.</p> <p>Most modern businesses will be aware they have a legal responsibility under the 2015 <a href="https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2015/0070/latest/DLM5976660.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health and Safety at Work Act</a> to look after their employees’ mental and physical well-being.</p> <p>At a high level, organisations can advocate for systemic change and increases in funding and resourcing, where needed. But these higher-level changes take time to achieve. In the meantime, it is important healthcare workers are protected and supported.</p> <p>Broad steps an organisation can take to prevent or reduce moral injury include removing the burden of difficult ethical decisions from frontline workers and instead adopting evidence-based policies to guide an organisation-wide response. Where possible, rotating staff between high and low-stress environments may help.</p> <p>Providing funding for workers to access professional psychological supervision is another practical step businesses can consider. At a team level, it can be helpful to have leaders who are visible, validating and can help make sense of the moral conflict. Leaders can also play a role in keeping alive professional values and modelling their own struggles with the situation.</p> <p>The general public also has a role to play in supporting healthcare workers. Any steps we can take to protect our own health and thereby reduce pressure on the system can have a cumulative effect on the well-being of doctors, nurses and allied health clinicians. The health of our nation rests with those who work in this field and it is in all our interest that their health is protected and prioritised.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185485/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dougal-sutherland-747623" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dougal Sutherland</a>, Clinical Psychologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/moral-injury-what-happens-when-exhausted-health-workers-can-no-longer-provide-the-care-they-want-for-their-patients-185485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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$3,000 bonus for one group of workers

<p dir="ltr">The NSW government has announced a one-off $3000 payment for health workers to thank them for their ongoing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the decision on June 6, adding that the state’s health workforce would see a major boost of over 10,000 staff over the next four years, per <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/3000-cash-bonus-to-one-group-of-workers-for-efforts-during-covid19-pandemic/news-story/2f5b90844a5a495e0eae05881e6b8dec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to pay special tribute to our health workers who over the past two years have done an outstanding job,” Mr Perrottet said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Paramedics and nurses will also be receiving a boost to their annual wage increases, with the wages of all public service workers being lifted from a 2.5 percent to a 3 percent increase this year, followed by a 3.5 percent increase in the next financial year.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-48fdc0b7-7fff-1c2a-c5b8-f9c6cf3944bc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s up to 6.5 percent pay increases for our public servants over the next two years,” Mr Perrottet said.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHealthServicesUnionNSW%2Fvideos%2F551732946613372%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">The increase comes as an addition to natural progression within the public sector and will apply to new industrial agreements made from July 1, 2022.</p> <p dir="ltr">The one-off payment will be available to permanent staff employed by the NSW Health Service, including paramedics, midwives, and cleaners.</p> <p dir="ltr">Between now and 2026, the government will spend $4.5 billion on bringing new doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health staff into the system.</p> <p dir="ltr">The NSW Health Services Union welcomed the influx of staff that has come as a result of ongoing “pressure” placed on the government, which has followed calls from many in the industry for better pay and working conditions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve been fighting nonstop for two years: fighting an international pandemic; fighting for recognition; fighting for what we’re worth,” the organisation wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Significant staffing increases will be welcomed by tired HSU members, but we’re not taking the pressure off. We need real pay rises from this government.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c53f3ca8-7fff-3205-a036-3c2b6d6d4996"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: NSW Health Services Union (Facebook)</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Can mental healthcare be automated?

<p>Depression is predicted to become the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0030442" target="_blank">leading global cause of loss of life years</a> due to illness by 2030, yet <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5288082/" target="_blank">fewer than one in five people</a> who suffer depression receive appropriate care. And there are <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02143-7/fulltext" target="_blank">worrisome signs</a> the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating triggers of the disease.</p> <p>As the burden of disease rises around the world, mental healthcare systems, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.who.int/news/item/08-10-2021-who-report-highlights-global-shortfall-in-investment-in-mental-health" target="_blank">many of which are already patently inadequate</a>, will be stretched thin.</p> <p>That’s why many experts are turning to digital interventions to help manage surging demand, packaging up psychotherapeutic treatments into computer programs and apps that can be used at home. But how effective are digital interventions? And will people accept therapy without a human face?</p> <p>These are the questions an international team of researchers from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy sought to answer through a systematic review and meta-analysis <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000334" target="_blank">published today</a> in <em>Psychological Bulletin.</em> The team analysed 83 studies published between 1990 and 2020, reporting on 15,530 individuals, making it the largest and most comprehensive analysis of digital mental healthcare to date.</p> <p>The findings, while mixed, are promising.</p> <p><strong>Software alone not enough</strong></p> <p>The data suggests that digital interventions <em>are </em>effective in the treatment of depression, but the best results come when a digital program is augmented by support from an actual human. That’s when digital therapy can actually rival the effectiveness of face-to-face therapy.</p> <p>“Digital interventions could provide a viable, evidence-based method of meeting the growing demand for mental healthcare, especially where people are unable to access face-to-face therapy due to long waiting lists, financial constraints or other barriers,” says Isaac Moshe, lead author of the study and a PhD researcher at the University of Helsinki. But, he notes, “software alone just isn’t enough for many people, especially individuals who suffer from moderate or more severe symptoms.”</p> <p>Interestingly, the researchers found that while a level of human support behind a digital program was important, there was no marked difference in outcomes whether that support was provided by a highly experienced clinician or someone with less experience, such as a student or trainee. Moshe says that means digital programs could be scaled up by relying on less experienced practitioners, and offer a powerful solution to a growing problem.</p> <p>Even with the assistance of a clinician, however, there are barriers to the uptake of digital healthcare.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/cost-security-concerns-and-lack-of-integration-into-existing-workflow-the-main-barriers-to-the-adoption-of-digital-health-tools-poll/" target="_blank">one industry-based poll</a>, major barriers include cost, security concerns and a lack of digital savviness among patients. Another major therapeutic concern is the idea that spending time working face-to-face with a human builds trust and a sense of alliance. This is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7016304/" target="_blank">particularly true</a> among older generations.</p> <p>Digital healthcare is also generally only appropriate for those who can afford the means to access it through a mobile phone or computer. That means it’s inaccessible for many people living in poverty or in remote communities.</p> <p><strong>AI has a role to play</strong></p> <p>The researchers also say artificial intelligence may have a role to play, principally in flagging risk factors for mental health, as well as helping clinicians develop tailor-made interventions.</p> <p>“Over three billion people now own a smartphone and wearable devices are growing in popularity,” explains Lasse Sander from the University of Freiburg, who led the research team. “These devices produce a continuous stream of data related to a person’s behaviour and physiology. With new developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, we now have promising methods of using this data to identify if someone is at risk of developing a mental illness.”</p> <p>Moshe cautions that the results are focused on moderate depression, and that digital interventions may not be sufficient to cater to severe cases.</p> <p>“There are very few studies involving people with severe depression or individuals at risk of suicide, leaving the evidence unclear for the role of digital interventions for the treatment of severe and complex depression,” he says.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=176089&amp;title=Can+mental+healthcare+be+automated%3F" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/can-digital-mental-healthcare-be-automated/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/amalyah-hart" target="_blank">Amalyah Hart</a>. Amalyah Hart is a science journalist based in Melbourne.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Mind

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COVID-19 heroes honoured by new Barbie range

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Women in science and medicine are being honoured with a miniature version of themselves in the form of a Barbie doll.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Toymaker Mattel has recognised the work of six women across STEM who have made significant contributions to the fight against COVID-19 by modelling new Barbies after them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Sarah Gilbert, one of the co-developers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, is one of the honourees, with her Barbie sharing her long auburn hair and oversized black glasses.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a very strange concept having a Barbie doll created in my likeness,” Gilbert said in an interview for Mattel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hope it will be part of making it more normal for girls to think about careers in science.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSKIFZwl7c9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSKIFZwl7c9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Barbie (@barbie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amy O’Sullivan, the emergency room nurse who treated the first COVID-19 patient at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn and appeared on the cover of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Time</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> magazine for its 100 Most Influential People list, also received a doll version of herself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other honourees include Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa, a Canadian psychiatrist who spoke out against racism in healthcare, frontline doctor Audrey Cruz, who fought discrimination, and Jacqueline Goes de Jesus, the Brazilian biomedical researcher who led the genome sequencing of a COVID-19 variant in Brazil.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSKN4QuFL_2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSKN4QuFL_2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Chika Stacy (@chikastacy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Australian Dr Kirby White,  who pioneered a washable and reusable surgical gown for frontline workers to use during the pandemic, received a doll in her honour. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To support her work, $5 from each eligible doctor, nurse, and medical doll sold in Australia will be donated by Barbie to </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://gownsfordoctors.wordpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR3DoOlLlqp06mby2LE06j3zIMFEOJMrH7cyhApl6TeHfmxE80Pi6bhBiDI%2F" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gowns for Doctors</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">the initiative she started to supply GPs with the gowns.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This donation from Barbie will mean many more doctors across Australia will be able to receive a box of reusable protective gowns and many patients and children will be able to seek care from their doctor,” the Bendigo GP said.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">🇦🇺👩‍⚕️ <a href="https://twitter.com/Barbie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Barbie</a> launches 6 new dolls celebrating female scientists - including Australian Dr Kirby White. Dr White pioneered Gowns for Doctors, an initiative behind surgical gowns that can be washed &amp; reused by frontline workers during the pandemic.<br />▶️ More: <a href="https://t.co/PHYXvyFIu5">https://t.co/PHYXvyFIu5</a> <a href="https://t.co/PwnL6J4I8o">pic.twitter.com/PwnL6J4I8o</a></p> — Australia in the US 🇦🇺🇺🇸 (@AusintheUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/AusintheUS/status/1422923782180777986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Australia is once again facing increasing COVID-19 case numbers and this donation will allow Gowns for Doctors to upscale our efforts to support those clinics in need.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the UK, Gilbert chose Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), a nonprofit organisation inspiring girls to pursue a career in STEM, to receive a financial donation from the company.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Mattel</span></em></p>

Caring

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Johnny Ruffo pens heartwarming tribute to healthcare workers

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Former </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Home and Away </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">actor Johnny Ruffo has shared a heartwarming tribute to healthcare workers on social media, as he continues to undergo treatment for brain cancer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alongside his expression of gratitude for the hardworking nurses who have been treating him, Ruffo posted a picture of himself, masked-up, with a nurse dressed in PPE gear and also wearing a mask.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Grateful for the nurses at Life House keeping me entertained and putting up with my s*** talk during treatments,” he wrote in the caption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You guys are the real heroes!”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR3QXHxnq6v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR3QXHxnq6v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Johnny Ruffo (@johnny_ruffo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">X-Factor</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> star has been providing regular updates on his battle with brain cancer with his hundreds of thousands of followers, often with his partner Tahnee Sims by his side.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an earlier update from July 20, Ruffo shared photos of himself in hospital, with one image showing his head wrapped in bandages, and others showing his sutured head.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQVKtgol1zW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQVKtgol1zW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Johnny Ruffo (@johnny_ruffo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the discomfort he looked like he was in, Ruffo was still smiling as he underwent treatment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His latest post has been flooded with positive comments from his fans and fellow celebrities, including comedian Dave Hughes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Onya mate! You’re a bloody legend,” Hughesy wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Keep fighting Ruffo, us aussies need you in our lives,” one fan commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A true inspiration to all of us,” another added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ruffo has been battling brain cancer for a second time, after it returned in November last year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“After an unexpected week of seizures and excruciating headaches it is with a heavy heart that I have to let you know I now have another huge battle ahead of me as my brain cancer has returned,” he wrote on Instagram on November 24.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I will dig deep and beat this s*** disease.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Johnny Ruffo / Instagram</span></em></p>

Caring

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Liz Hayes breaks down after revealing her father died in extraordinary hospital blunder

<p>Renowned<span> </span><em>60 Minutes</em><span> </span>journalist Liz Hayes suffered an emotional breakdown as she revealed her father died due to a major hospital mishap.</p> <p>Hayes father Brian Ryan, 88, passed away on September 11 last year as a result of a “catastrophic” stroke after he wasn’t given his prescribed medication for eight days. </p> <p>“I couldn't pretend that this was somebody else's story,” Hayes said on the Channel Nine program on Sunday night. </p> <p>“He said he was always fearful something like that would happen. I instinctively knew that what I was witnessing was wrong.”</p> <p>Mr Ryan had developed pneumonia last year before being taken to a local hospital in his hometown of Manning River, on the NSW mid-north coast.</p> <p>He was then transferred to another hospital where he successfully beat the infection.</p> <p>“In the country I think it is accepted that the medical services aren't like the city. But it is also trusted that there would be great care, dignity and as many resources as could possibly be found in the country,” she said. </p> <p>But it didn’t end there, as on September 7, just a few short hours after Hayes said goodnight, Mr Ryan suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital.</p> <p>“At two in the morning, Dad was wheeled into an empty room in a ward on the top floor,” she said.</p> <p>“Other than his family, no one came to see him or us. We were standing there thinking ‘something must happen now’, you don't just park a patient and don't tell somebody.</p> <p>“His notes were just plonked on the end of the bed and that's when I saw the terrible truth.”</p> <p>Hayes said it was then that she found out that her father - who had a heart condition - hadn't been given his prescribed blood thinner tablets, Apixaban, for eight days. </p> <p>“Dad's medical notes states that the doctor from the private hospital came to the emergency department to advise that he hadn't been given the critical medication,” she said. </p> <p>“If that hadn't had happened to dad I feel confident he wouldn't have suffered that stroke and he would still be here.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 309.93690851735016px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837832/2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/406d1749fb634835bbcf0956b0aea298" /></p> <p>“I can't believe something that simple could go wrong,” she said through tears.  </p> <p>“Of all the medications not to give him, that was the most important medication for him to have.”</p> <p>Hayes then shared a video she took on the day her dad passed away, as she sat by his side while he laid in bed.</p> <p>“This is my dad. We were to take him home today, but we're not, because of what's been called ‘an error’,” she told the camera. </p> <p>“Dad is now dying because of some terrible mistakes that were made with his medication.”</p> <p>The hospital launched an investigation which resulted in discovering the doctor had prescribed the wrong medication when he was admitted.</p> <p>Hayes then decided to look into the matter herself, and discovered the rural hospital only had one doctor on the ward.</p> <p>“Doctors were brought in often from outside of the area. And when the lights went out, so too did the doctor,” she said. </p> <p>“On the night of dad's stroke, the doctor on duty wasn't actually in the hospital - but was on call.”</p> <p>Hayes said investigating her father's horrific death was like experiencing “a very personal trauma”.</p> <p>“You're trying to walk through this pool of grief but there's a journalist always inside you going ‘this is just wrong’,” she said.</p> <p>Hayes revealed that after launching her own investigation, dozens of doctors came forward saying they wanted to expose the state of the hospital but were afraid of the consequences.</p> <p>NSW Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park said rural public hospitals are begging for more resources. </p> <p>“This is Australia in 2020. We should pride ourselves on having universal access to healthcare,” Park said. </p> <p>“At the moment, a postcode is determining the level of access to healthcare that you get, and that's simply not right.</p> <p>“If some of these stories were coming out of a major Sydney hospital, there'd be a riot on the street and there would be action within the day.”</p>

Caring

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Melbourne nurse's worst fear comes true

<p>A young nurse in Melbourne said that she pleaded for better protective equipment because she feared contracting COVID-19 and her worst fear has come true.</p> <p>"I had requested an N95 respirator mask while I was caring for COVID-19 patients but was told it was unnecessary and that there wasn't the science to back it up," she said to <em>ABC</em>.</p> <p>Instead, she was given a surgical mask and a plastic face shield.</p> <p>More than 1,100 Victorian healthcare workers have contracted coronavirus, with several ending up in intensive care.</p> <p>She has asked to remain anonymous but developed severe muscle pain, debilitating fevers and bad headaches.</p> <p>"I had a panic attack when I got the positive COVID-19 result. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't speak," she said.</p> <p>"It was my worst fear."</p> <p>She has been in isolation and has not seen her one-year-old daughter since being diagnosed.</p> <p>"I don't know when I am going to see my baby again," she said.</p> <p>"It's debilitating and very hard mentally."</p> <p>She worked on a ward in a Melbourne hospital and said that she repeatedly asked for a N95 mask.</p> <p>"I was very fearful that I would get COVID-19 without it," she said.</p> <p>"I wanted to help people and comfort COVID-19 patients who are petrified.</p> <p>"But why did my health need to be compromised?"</p> <p>There is conflicting advice from federal and state health authorities about what type of face masks healthcare workers should be wearing when treating confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.</p> <p>Infectious diseases physician Michelle Ananda-Rajah wants one national policy to protect healthcare workers.</p> <p>"There is a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety among healthcare workers all around the country — nurses, doctors, allied health [and] aged care workers — because they feel like they can't speak up against these guidelines and they don't feel adequately protected," she said.</p> <p>She said the advice offered by an expert panel was based on an outdated understanding that COVID-19 was spread only through droplets, despite new evidence that it could spread through fine particles that floated in the air and got around a surgical mask.</p> <p>"When you actually wear one of these [surgical] masks, you get a lot of gaps around your face … and essentially that then allows air to flow preferentially through those gaps and into the wearer and potentially infect the wearer," she said.</p> <p>Doctors across Australia do not want to see what happened to healthcare workers in Victoria replicated in other states.</p> <p>Australian Medical Association NSW president Danielle McMullen said that having healthcare workers in Victoria make up one in 10 infections was unacceptable.</p> <p>"What has been happening in Victoria with personal protective equipment has been inadequate," she said.</p> <p>"We need a clear set of advice in NSW on how personal protective equipment guideline use can be escalated and we do not want to see healthcare worker deaths.</p>

Caring

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Why Prince William warns not to call healthcare workers “heroes”

<p>Prince William has cautioned against calling health care workers “heroes” amid the coronavirus outbreak, saying it might put undue pressure on those working on the frontline to appear “strong” and deter them from seeking support.</p> <p>In an appearance on the BBC’s <em>One Show</em>, the Duke of Cambridge said some hospital staff and care workers he chatted with through video calls found it difficult to talk about their problems.</p> <p>“I think we’ve got to be very careful with the language that we use,” William said.</p> <p>“[Healthcare workers] should rightly be hailed as superstars, and brave, and wonderful staff – but I’m very conscious from a mental health point of view that we don’t alienate some of them.”</p> <p>The “hero” label might lead healthcare staff to believe they have to be “this strong pillar of strength” and prevent them from asking for mental health support, the duke said.</p> <p>He urged the United Kingdom’s National Health Service workers to look after themselves so that they could emerge from the pandemic “in one piece”.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvkP3oFEMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvkP3oFEMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on May 28, 2020 at 12:26pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>William’s comments came ahead of the airing of the documentary <em>Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health</em>, where the royal discussed why “it’s OK to not be OK”.</p>

Caring

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99-year-old war veteran raises millions for healthcare workers

<p>A 99-year-old war veteran has raised nearly more than 4 million pounds ($AUD 8.05 million) for British healthcare workers by attempting to walk the length of his garden one hundred times before his 100th birthday later this month.</p> <p>Captain Tom Moore has used a walking frame to move around since breaking his hip and said that he was incredibly grateful to the National Health Service (NHS) for the treatment he received.</p> <p>He wanted to do something in return to say thank you, and the aim is to do 10 laps a day before the end of the month.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zVFCwjZqzoo"></iframe></div> <p>Britain’s state-funded NHS is under intense strain as it treats large numbers of people suffering from COVID-19.</p> <p>Moore turns 100 on April 30 and had hoped to raise 500,000 pounds. He has since quadrupled that figure and more already thanks to the generosity of 205,326 supporters.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">99 year old Captain Tom Moore <a href="https://twitter.com/captaintommoore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@captaintommoore</a> is celebrating his birthday by walking 100 lengths of his garden for <a href="https://twitter.com/NHSCharities?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHSCharities</a> <br /><br />So far he has raised £3,676,361.91 ⬆️735% !<br /><br />You can support him here: <a href="https://t.co/mmZMpHJpsl">https://t.co/mmZMpHJpsl</a> <a href="https://t.co/hsE3ZvTMNT">pic.twitter.com/hsE3ZvTMNT</a></p> — Bev Matthews RN ↔️ 🧍🏼‍♂️↔️🧍🏼↔️🧍🏽‍♀️↔️🧍🏿 (@BevMatthewsRN) <a href="https://twitter.com/BevMatthewsRN/status/1250168744074149898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>NHS Charities Together, who will benefit from the funds, said that it was “truly inspired and humbled”.</p> <p>Ellie Orton, chief executive of the charity, had nothing but praise for Tom Moore.</p> <p>"I think I absolutely join the rest of the country in being truly inspired and profoundly humbled by Captain Tom and what he has achieved.</p> <p>"Thank you for being an inspiration and a role model."</p> <p>Moore couldn’t believe his eyes as funds went over the 4 million pound mark and said that it was “almost unbelievable”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">WOW - 4 million pound for our NHS!<br /><br />We cannot wait to tell the news to Tom in the morning, he will not believe his ears! <br /><br />Thanks each and every one of you - we are in awe of you, but especially our frontline staff who need this now more than ever. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay</a></p> — Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) <a href="https://twitter.com/captaintommoore/status/1250186487095873536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>"When you think of who it is all for - all those brave and super doctors and nurses we have got - I think they deserve every penny, and I hope we get some more for them too,” he said to the<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52278746" target="_blank">BBC</a></em>.</p> <p>The veteran who served in Asia during World War II had a message of hope.</p> <p>"That's the way I think I've always looked at things: tomorrow will be a good day," he said.</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs" target="_blank">Just Giving</a><span> </span> </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Little Prince Louis, George and Charlotte melt hearts in adorable tribute to healthcare workers

<p>Last week, Queen Elizabeth made a commitment to the UK amid the coronavirus outbreak. “You can be assured that my family and I stand ready to play our part,” she wrote in her first official statement about the global pandemic.</p> <p>And it seems Prince George, Princess Charlotte and little Prince Louis’ “part” involves showing their support to NHS staff members with an adorable video.</p> <p>Kensington Palace took to their social media to share an endearing video of the three children clapping in appreciation for all the medical workers fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.</p> <p>George, Charlotte and Louis are participating in the “Clap for our Carers” campaign, a nationwide initiative to show thanks and appreciation for NHS workers during this unprecedented time.</p> <p>“To all the doctors, nurses, carers, GPs, pharmacists, volunteers and other NHS staff working tirelessly to help those affected by #COVID19: thank you,” reads the caption.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">To all the doctors, nurses, carers, GPs, pharmacists, volunteers and other NHS staff working tirelessly to help those affected by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>: thank you.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClapForOurCarers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClapForOurCarers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClapForNHS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClapForNHS</a> <a href="https://t.co/XnaUPJyDoX">pic.twitter.com/XnaUPJyDoX</a></p> — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1243266490364813319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>The display of gratitude comes only a day after Clarence House announced that Prince Charles had tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently self-isolation at his home in Scotland.</p>

Family & Pets

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Senior Aussies travelling to the Outback are causing increasing amounts of pressure on healthcare system

<p>Senior Australian’s are applying pressure to the healthcare system as the number of older Aussies touring the outback is increasing.</p> <p>Dr Clare Walker, president of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland said tourists with existing health complications have become a common occurrence in the outback.</p> <p>“We see a lot of people with significant illnesses, sometimes even in the last month of their life, travelling to some seriously remote places with very few services and without very much preparation,” Dr Walker told the<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-14/outback-grey-nomads-rfds-busy-queensland/11478538" target="_blank">ABC</a>.</em></p> <p>“I’ve actually seen that more this year than I have done in the past. There’s been a few patients that have said that this was on their bucket list – the Birdsville races, or this or that.”</p> <p>Officials at Charleville Royal Flying Doctor Service base, which is located 750km from Brisbane, have revealed that they will be facing their busiest year yet with over 1200 flights already recorded for 2019.</p> <p>The same time last year, RFDS had flown 1080 hours.</p> <p>Dr Fergus Gardiner says it’s becoming increasingly common for older tourists to require aeromedical retrievals. Data showed that of the 22000 aeromedical retrievals conducted for those aged 65 years or above between 2014 and 2017, 18000 were non-Indigenous and 4000 were Indigenous.</p> <p>“We suspect it’s related to an ageing population,” he said.</p>

Domestic Travel

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“Dear tech”: IBM pens open letter to the tech industry

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IBM is urging the tech sector to use technology for the good of humanity instead of its downfall in an open letter to the industry called “Dear Tech”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the firm, the world needs tech companies that can apply “smart technologies at scale with purpose and expertise — not just for some of us, but for all of us”. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the global tech giant held its annual Think summit in Sydney, it showcased the mindboggling ways that artificial intelligence is being used to tackle the world’s biggest problems, according to </span><a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2019/05/22/ibm-think-summit-2019/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Daily.</span></a></p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9">  <iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gNF8ObJR6K8"></iframe></div> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stefan Harrer says that healthcare is ideal for the use of artificial intelligence (AI).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ultimately we want to be able to use and develop technology to improve peoples’ lives,” Dr Harrer said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want to build tech that can help improve the lives of people that suffer from a variety of diseases.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That requires that we do cutting-edge research and develop the tech and think hard about how to translate it into trustworthy and impactful solutions.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, as AI becomes more commonplace, it’s more important than ever that there are strict ethics in place around it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s as important to pay enough attention to getting the ethical framework right around AI as it is the technology,” Dr Harrer said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This revolution will not look like the information revolution, it’s not move fast and break things.”</span></p>

Technology

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Why you need an Advance Health Directive

<p><strong><em>Chris Nöthling is Associate Aged Care Adviser with Affinity Aged Care Financial Services and author of </em>Doing the Right Thing by Mum and Dad: Residential Aged Care for a Loved One<em>. He is an Accredited Aged Care Professional, who has developed a reputation for helping families navigate the complexities of the aged care system.</em></strong></p> <p>Gilbert is 93 and has been getting progressively frail for the last 15 years. His eyesight is nearly gone; he struggles to speak and has been living with incontinence for the last five years. Two years ago, his family went through the process of finding an aged care facility for him. The home has treated him well, and he appears to be happy with his living arrangements. Last night, his health took a turn. The facility called his family early this morning to inform Gilbert’s condition had declined overnight, and he is struggling to breathe. They suspect he has pneumonia, and they are about to call for an ambulance to transfer him to the emergency department at the local hospital. His family jumps into their car and rushes to meet him at the hospital. The reception room is a scene of hectic activity. They introduce themselves to the medical registrar on duty, who lets them know they have already admitted Gilbert and have run blood tests and a chest X-ray, which confirm he has pneumonia, and the infection has spread to his blood. The registrar introduces them to the attending physician, who advises Gilbert’s kidneys are failing. He needs a lot of oxygen. He is incoherent and lapsing in and out of consciousness, and they are afraid he may go into cardiac arrest.</p> <p>The doctor advises there are several things they can do for Gilbert. They can put a tube down his throat to help him breathe. They can attach a machine to his kidneys to filter the toxins from his blood, and they can fill his veins with tubes and lines and attach him to life support. If his heart stops, they can perform CPR by pressing with all their weight onto his sternum and pushing. To do this effectively, they will break some of Gilbert’s ribs, because if they don’t push hard enough, the heart doesn't pump blood to the body, and Gilbert will die. The doctor says, doing CPR on an elderly person causes enormous trauma to their chest with a less than likely outcome of success. The most likely outcome will be they crack Gilbert’s ribs, and his final moments are traumatic. He will be surrounded by doctors, not his children. It will be frenetic, traumatic, and painful.</p> <p>Doctors and other medical professionals have an obligation to do everything to keep Gilbert alive, even when there is only a chance he may recover. If Gilbert were conscious and lucid, he could instruct the medical team to stop their intervention, make him comfortable, and create a safe environment for him to go. He could ask them to give him something for the pain, bring his favourite meal, and call for his family to visit him one last time. But Gilbert is incoherent and lapsing in and out of consciousness, so he can’t speak for himself.</p> <p>In the absence of the patient speaking for themselves, the medical specialists must do everything they can to keep the person alive. An Advance Health Care Directive speaks for you, when you cannot speak for yourself, to advise the medical team of your wishes, regarding your healthcare. Just to be clear – your Advanced Health Care Directive cannot ask your doctors to commit a criminal offence. A request for euthanasia would not be followed, as this would be in breach of the law. It is a criminal offence to accelerate the death of another person by an act of omission. It is also an offence to assist another person to commit suicide.</p> <p>An Advance Health Directive gives a person confidence their wishes about health care will be carried out if they cannot decide for themselves. This includes their wishes to refuse medical treatment if they do not want to be put on life support or do not want to have other forms of medical intervention. An Advanced Health Care Directive could include a typical clause like: <em>Everyone responsible for my care should initiate only those measures considered necessary to maintain my comfort and dignity, with particular emphasis on the relief of pain. Any treatment that might obstruct my natural dying should not be initiated or be stopped. Unless required for my dignity and comfort as part of my palliative care, no surgical operation is to be performed on me.</em></p> <p>The Advanced Health Care Directive may be more specific. It could specify conditions where certain types of care are not called for. It could list conditions, such as the terminal phase of an incurable illness, a persistent vegetative state, permanent unconsciousness (in a coma), or serious illness or injury from which the person is unlikely to recover if they can live without life-sustaining measures. In these circumstances, the directive could instruct on the patient’s preferences, regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, assisted ventilation, artificial hydration, artificial nutrition, and antibiotics.</p> <p>Anyone can make an Advance Health Care Directive, as long as they are over 18 years of age and capable of understanding their directions and foreseeing the effect of those directions. There are formalities required and some choice, concerning who should be involved. It is not necessary to involve a health professional in preparing an Advanced Health Care Directive, but there may be several advantages in having a doctor or other health professional involved.</p> <p><em>This is an extract from Chris Nöthling’s </em><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Doing-Right-Thing-Mum-Dad-ebook/dp/B01I6EDWSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1469760483&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=doing+the+right+thing+by+mum+and+dad" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Doing the Right Thing by Mum and Dad: Residential Aged Care for a Loved One</span></strong></a><em>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/caring/2016/09/importance-of-spiritual-care-at-end-of-life/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Spiritual care at the end of life can add purpose</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/health/caring/2016/09/how-to-talk-to-your-parents-about-aged-care/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How to talk to your parents about aged care</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/health/caring/2016/09/tips-to-cope-with-losing-independence-with-age/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Tips to cope with losing independence with age</em></span></strong></a></p>

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10 secrets hospitals don’t want you to know

<p>There are few places in the world as unenjoyable to visit as a hospital. Part of what makes these visits so unpleasant is the sense of stepping into a situation that’s virtually unknown, with only a limited amount of control over your circumstances.</p> <p>But, as with many secrets, sometimes all you have to do is ask.</p> <p><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Reader’s Digest</span></strong></em></a> has put together a list of 10 secrets hospitals don’t tell you. These hidden truths, straight from the mouth of medical professionals can save you stress, money and provide you a degree of peace of mind when you’re next visiting.</p> <p><strong>1. Choosing a hospital on reputation is not always right</strong></p> <p>Sometimes it’s best to base your decision on geography. Dr Stephen Parnis, senior emergency physician, says, “Many illnesses are time critical. Also, a visit to hospital might be just the first of many; you might have to return several times for follow ups.”</p> <p><strong>2. Don’t interrupt your nurse</strong></p> <p>Even though we crave a good bedside manner, interruptions can cause mistakes. <em>The Archive of Internal Medicine</em> states, “Every time a nurse is interrupted, there’s a 12.7 per cent increase in clinical (dosage) errors and a 12.1 per cent increase in procedural failures, such as failing to check a patient’s ID with their medication chart.”</p> <p><strong>3. Hospitals are a breeding ground for superbugs</strong></p> <p>There’s only so much the sanitary stations in the hospital hallways can do. Karen Curtiss, author of <em>Safe &amp; Sound in the Hospital</em> says, “Even if your doctor washed his hands, that sparkling white coat brushing against your bed can easily transfer a dangerous germ from someone else’s room. Ask for bleach and alcohol wipes to clean bed rails, controls, doorknobs, phones, call buttons and toilet flush levers. Wash your hands before you eat.”</p> <p><strong>4. Double check your hospital bill against your clinical file</strong></p> <p>You might actually be paying too much, so it pays to be vigilant before you leave. Kate Ryder, nurse and author of <em>An Insider’s Guide to Getting the Best Out of the Health System</em>, says, “If there are tests and scans on your bill that do not have a corresponding entry on your clinical file (check the dates as well as items), you can contest them.”</p> <p><strong>5. Staff questions are repetitive, but necessary</strong></p> <p>Sometimes it can feel as though you’re answering the same questions again and again, but as Dr Parnis notes, “It’s a safety check and it’s really important. If you have a severe allergy to medication, for example, you need to remind staff every step of the way.”</p> <p><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/25279/shutterstock_126288149_498x245.jpg" alt="hospital secrets" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>6. Under-resourcing is a huge problem, and getting worse</strong></p> <p>If you’ve ever seen a nurse frantically rush between patients you’ll agree. Difficult decisions have to be made as nurses work flat-out, helping doctors, organising medications and filing paperwork. On average they only spend three hours of their shift with patients.</p> <p><strong>7. Medical professionals don’t like electronic records either</strong></p> <p>While it’s a useful tool to ensure accuracy, medical professionals find electronic system annoying as well. Karen Higgins, a nurse, says, “We don’t like that we have to click off boxes instead of focusing on the patient. The choices they give us to click on don’t give the doctors a real understanding of what we’re doing. A lot of things get missed.”</p> <p><strong>8. It is better to schedule surgery for the start of the week</strong></p> <p>There’s actually some legs to this old wives’ tale. Dr Roy Benaroch, says, “On weekends and holidays, hospitals typically have lighter staffing and less experienced doctors and nurses, so if you’re due major elective surgery try and schedule it for early in the week.”</p> <p><strong>9. Don’t assume your food given is what you should be eating</strong></p> <p>Patients are generally provided with a stock standard menu, but it might not be right for your condition. Professor Ian Caterson, Boden Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Sydney, says, “Patient nutrition is often an afterthought, with doctors needing greater recognition of the nutrition needs of their patients. For elderly patients, particularly, malnourishment could be exacerbated during their hospital stay.”</p> <p><strong>10. The sooner you’re out of hospital, the better</strong></p> <p>At a certain point it’s better for you to be at home. Dr Parnis says, “The sooner you can get out of hospital, the better… You’re more likely to recover more quickly in your own home – but we will not discharge you until we think it’s safe.”</p> <p>What do you think is the most important thing to do when you’re preparing for a hospital stay? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/finance/insurance/2016/06/10-items-to-pack-for-an-extended-hospital-stay/">10 items to pack for an extended hospital stay</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/finance/insurance/2016/06/10-unhealthy-habits-you-need-to-stop-now/">10 unhealthy habits you need to stop now</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/insurance/2016/06/10-foods-to-help-you-get-to-sleep/">10 foods to help you get to sleep</a></strong></em></span></p>

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Why we need a seniors guide to healthcare

<p><strong><em><img width="182" height="182" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/25073/maureen-photo_182x182.jpg" alt="Maureen Photo (1)" style="float: left;"/>Maureen Helen, from Perth, Western Australia, left paid employment the year she turned 65 and enrolled in a PhD Writing course to satisfy a childhood dream. She has published two memoirs.</em></strong></p> <p>Someone should write A Seniors’ Guide to Health Care! It should be compulsory reading for everyone. Especially for those of us who are actually seniors. And for people who care about us. And for those who will one day be past the first flush of youth. No such document exists, as far as I can tell. I might have to write it myself.</p> <p>Health care for older people has come a long way over the years. We are lucky in Australia to have a health care system that works. Well, most of the time. On the whole, health professionals are competent and conscientious. Hospitals provide expert care.</p> <p>I started thinking about this after a recent visit to an <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Accessing-a-GP-after-hours" target="_blank"><strong>after-hours general practice clinic</strong></a>.</span> My symptoms were typical of shingles. But the general practitioner did not know me. She did not listen and declined to give me antiviral medication. As a result, I was much sicker for weeks than I needed to be.</p> <p>As a rule, general practitioners and specialist doctors show keen interest the welfare of their older patients. So do nurses and other health professionals. But not always.</p> <p>The health system can be a dangerous place for seniors. A Senior’s Guide to Health Care would point out the possible dangers. We could avoid them.</p> <p>We all know about home invasions, muggings, traffic accidents. We know about elder abuse from those we should be able to trust. But until the Seniors’ Guide to Health Care is available, we seniors should be alert, for ourselves and for others.</p> <p>The illnesses of older people are sometimes serious. But our aches, pains and minor complaints are often just plain boring.</p> <p>Who wants to listen to an account of some old person’s peristaltic movements? Who needs to suffer through the vagaries of someone else’s swollen fingers and wonky knees? Even accidents and shingles have limited value in conversation.</p> <p>When we must talk about our health, we assume we can trust the health professionals we confide in. We hope that emergency departments, general practitioners and those they refer us will listen intelligently to what we say. We presume they will treat us like everyone else, take our health issues seriously and respond appropriately.</p> <p>Hospitals and doctors who did not listen have caused havoc recently in the lives of some my seventy-plus friends. They are articulate people, past retirement age. Two are still in the workforce. They tell me doctors did not listen to them. Disregarded symptoms. Did not properly investigate complaints. Declined to refer on for second opinions.</p> <p><strong>Economics</strong></p> <p>Economists tell us that seniors put a strain on the health care system. They say old people cause cost hikes, they say these will only get worse. In the case of my friends, the additional cost to the economy was not because of the age of the patients. It was because of the inadequacies of the health care system.  They did not receive the timely treatment they needed. Their recovery was compromised, prolonged. It was much more expensive than it should have been.</p> <p>Under normal circumstances, these four people are usually well able to stand up for themselves and their rights. Made vulnerable by injury and illness, they had little chance of a fair hearing or adequate assessment. A Seniors’ Guide might have helped them.</p> <p>There are a number of steps we can take to improve the lot of older people in the health care system.</p> <p>A Seniors’ Guide to Health Care might include instructions about how we could:</p> <ul> <li>Support each other;</li> <li>Speak out whenever we witness poor care;</li> <li>Enlist the support of our children and friends in advance;</li> <li>Teach our children how to advocate on our behalf if they see us vulnerable in the health system;</li> <li>Invite someone we trust to attend health care appointments with us;</li> <li>Change to another doctor if we aren’t satisfied that they are listening and responding;</li> <li>Ask for a second opinion;</li> <li>Consult health advocacy services;</li> <li>Complain to hospitals that provide poor care. This is helpful for the hospitals because, when we point out that their services have not met our expectations, they receive information that helps them to review and change policies and practices.</li> <li>We can write to our members of parliament and ministers for health.</li> </ul> <p>Perhaps a Seniors’ Guide to Health Care could help change our health care system.</p> <p>Who do you think should write the seniors guide to healthcare? Let us know what you think in the comments below.</p> <p><strong><em>To find more of Maureen Helen’s writing, visit her <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://maureenhelen.com/" target="_blank">blog</a></span>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/06/i-survived-bowel-cancer/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I survived bowel cancer</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/06/little-white-dots-under-skin/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Why we get little white dots under our skin</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/books/2016/05/the-most-amazing-libraries-i-have-seen-around-the-world/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The most amazing libraries I have seen around the world</span></em></strong></a></p>

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