The Ambulance and Acute Progams Section has a key role in developing
policies, standards and guidelines to improve service delivery of
ambulance and maternity services and the blood and blood products
and highly specialised drug programs. The Section is responsible
for funding and monitoring of these services. An integral component
of the Section's work is ensuring planning co-ordination with other
parts of the health service system.
The Blood and Pharmaceutical Programs Unit provide advice as to
the strategic direction, policy development and financial management
of blood, organ donation and pharmaceuticals programs. The Unit
has a national focus and contributes to the review of program issues
and reform of policy related to these Commonwealth/State programs.
The Unit also undertakes the development, implementation and review
of a number of key initiatives, while promoting a consistent departmental
position on blood, organ and pharmaceutical matters.
Blood and Blood Products and Organ Donation
Blood and Blood Products
The section has responsibility for coordinating the provision
and funding of blood and blood products in Victoria through
the National Blood Authority (NBA).
The NBA is a Commonwealth agency established under the National
Blood Authority Act 2003. The NBA works with all key stakeholders
in the blood sector including Victoria, to provide national
purchasing and supply and production planning and will ensure
that all governments get the blood and blood products they require.
Organ Donation
Australia has one of the highest transplant success rates in
the world. Unfortunately, there is currently a relatively low
organ and tissue donation rate. Victoria works with and funds
the Victorian Organ Donation Service, LifeGft, for various initiatives
aimed at increasing organ donation rates. In addition, Victoria
also contributes to the workplan of Australians Donate, the
national peak body for organ and tissue donation.
For more information, visit the Blood
and Blood Products and Organ
and Tissue Donation Web sites.
Contact: Ashley
Eccles 9096 1316 or Anne Johnston on 9096 0212
Highly Specialised Drugs Program
The Commonwealth/State Highly Specialised Drugs Program was established
through an initiative of the Australian Health Ministers Advisory
Council in 1991.
The program provides funding for certain high-cost specialised
medications used in the treatment of particular chronic conditions.
Without funding these medications would involve cost beyond the
normal financial capacity of individuals and would impose a significant
financial burden on hospital budgets.
To be eligible for Commonwealth funding, a patient must attend
a hospital, be a day-admitted or non-admitted patient, be under
appropriate specialised medical care, meet the specific clinical
indications for each medication and be an Australian resident
in Australia (or other eligible person). The prescribing doctor
must be affiliated with the specialised hospital unit.
Hospitals are paid on actual usage, less a patient co-payment,
via claims submitted to the Victorian Department of Human Services
at the end of each financial year quarter.
Further details of the program are available at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hsdp/
Contact: Michael
Furey 9096 2506 Anne Johnston on 9096 0212
Pharmaceutical Reform
Pharmaceutical Reforms allow participating hospitals to access
to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for patients on discharge
and for outpatients, and also to access a list of subsidised chemotherapy
pharmaceuticals for outpatients and day-admitted patients.
The aim of pharmaceutical reform is to provide a better continuum
of care for patients moving from hospitals to the community setting.
Essentially, there are three elements:
- provision of thirty days' supply (or clinically appropriate
quantity) of pharmaceuticals to patients on discharge and to
outpatients. This includes PBS, RPBS and non-PBS items;
- access to a list of subsidised chemotherapy and antiemetic
pharmaceuticals for same-day and non-admitted patients; and
- implementation of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory
Council's (APAC) guidelines on continuum of pharmaceutical
care.
Participation in the reforms is voluntary.
Further detail on pharmaceutical reform and an up-to-date list
of participating hospitals is available at the web site:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/pbsreform/
Contacts: Michael
Furey 9096 2506 Anne Johnston on 9096 0212
