Last Thursday HCA hosted researchers Dr Ray Moynihan and Professor Lisa Bero from Bond University and Sydney University for a consumer workshop. The workshop was one in a series of national workshops with consumers about the issue of financial conflicts of interests with a focus on relationships with drug companies. The workshop covered the financial relationships between research funders and clinicians or researchers and the impact on outcomes. The group also discussed why conflict of interests matter and how these conflicts can become risks to studies and how to be more transparent with this information. HCA was pleased to host such a dynamic and engaging workshop.
HCA will share the findings of this study when it becomes available.
HCA will close for the Christmas period, Monday 24 December 2018 and reopening on Monday 7 January 2019. Next week's eNews will be our last for 2018 and will be a short wrap up of the year.
The first edition of our 2019 eNews will be published on Wednesday 23 January 2019.
There is change ahead for the HCA team in 2019, and we take this opportunity to thank our supporters and members for your continued support throughout 2018.
SA Health has established the SA Health Pelvic Mesh Clinic at Royal Adelaide Hospital, a specialist clinic for women experiencing complications from pelvic mesh. The clinic aims to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary health care for all South Australian women experiencing major complications related to pelvic mesh implants. The clinic brings together experts from various health backgrounds and disciplines to work together as a team to review each patient’s individual case. A GP referral is required to access the clinic. Information for consumers and GPs is available here.
The Pelvic Mesh Consumer Support Line: 1800 66 MESH (1800 666 374) remains in operation for consumers requiring information about transvaginal mesh, operating between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care released the Third Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation. The goals of the Atlas series are to map variation in health care across Australia, promote investigation to identify any unwarranted variation and recommend actions to reduce unwarranted variation.
The Commission released the first Atlas in November 2015. This was followed by the release of the second Atlas covering different topics in June 2017. The third Atlas was launched by the Hon Greg Hunt MP on 11 December 2018.
You can view the report here.
Head to Health is an online portal that helps Australians find appropriate mental health resources. The website has compiled resources from national mental health services such as beyond blue and the black dog insitute as well as universities across Australia into one space to make it easier for Australians to find the right information. You can search for specific resources to suit you, for example if you search for bipolar, several fact sheets and websites specific to bipolar will show with information on how to access support. There is also information for loved ones and carers, with accessible information and steps on how to effectively support someone experiencing mental health challenges.
You can visit the site here.
