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Media Release - Nicola Roxon - Department of Health and Ageing

20.07.2010

Experts to Help Deliver Better Diabetes Services

People with diabetes will join health professionals, including medical specialists, general practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals, on an Advisory Group to help the Government deliver better services for Australians with diabetes.

 This announcement comes toward the end of Diabetes week, a Diabetes Australia initiative aimed at raising awareness of diabetes.

 The number of Australians diagnosed with diabetes is estimated to grow to 2.2 million over the next decade. The majority of these have type 2 diabetes.

It is important that our health system is ready and able to care for this growing burden of chronic disease, and to help keep people with diabetes healthy and out of hospital wherever possible.

To help achieve this, the Government has announced it will spend $449.2 million more on treatment for those with diabetes via a new voluntary comprehensive model of care.

This advisory group will help the Government to work with patient and health consumer representatives and key primary health care groups, including GPs and allied health providers on the detailed implementation arrangements for this policy.

 The Government is pleased that these consumers and health professionals are willing to work with us to build a program that improves services and health outcomes for Australians with diabetes. 

Advisory Group 

Professor Jim Bishop (CHAIR)

Chief Medical Officer

Professor Greg Johnson

National (Acting) CEO Diabetes Australia (DA)

Ms Moira Watson

Diabetes Australia, National Board member and President Diabetes WA

Ms Rose-Anne Kelso

President of Diabetes Australia QLD

Carol Bennett

CEO, Consumers Health Forum

Dr Emil Djakic

Chairman of the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)

Dr Chris Mitchell

President, Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP)

Associate Professor Stephen Twigg

President, Australian Diabetes Society (ADS)

Ms Heather Hart

President, Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA)

Belinda Caldwell

CEO of Australian Practice Nurse Association (APNA)

Yvonne Chaperon

Assistant Federal Secretary, Australian Nursing Federation (ANF)

Carol Mioduchowski

Podiatrist and immediate past president of Allied Health Professionals Australia (AHPA)

Claire Hewat

CEO, Dieticians Association of Australia (DAA)

Dr Tony Hobbs

Chaired the External Reference Group of the National Primary Care Strategy

Dr Christine Bennett

Chaired the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission

Professor Paul Zimmett

Director Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute