Emma Hoban
Emma is the Manager of the Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care at the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (Administrators Appointed), where she specialises in supporting the development and implementation of Value-Based Health Care across Australia to improve the outcomes that matter to people and communities. Emma holds a Master of Public Policy from the […]
Susan McKee
Susan McKee is the CEO of Dental Health Services Victoria. In that role she is the key driver in the implementation of their highly ambitious and world leading Value Based Health Care Program of work to enable DHSV to improve the oral health outcomes for the people of Victoria. Susan’s roles include both clinical and […]
Ellen Davies
Ellen is the Communications Manager at the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (Administrators Appointed), bringing a diverse communications background in environmental conservation and plant science to her role. Transitioning to the public health sector, she found her niche in dynamic and rewarding work. With a bachelor’s degree in digital media from Murdoch University, specialising in […]
Emma Walsh
Emma Walsh is a Policy Officer at the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (Administrators Appointed). A recent graduate of the Australian National University (ANU), she brings a wealth of knowledge, passion and eagerness to learn. Working within the policy team, Emma primarily assists with the analysis, research and writing of policy submissions and AHHA publications. […]
Kevin Chacko
Kevin is a Research and Policy Officer at the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (Administrators Appointed). His educational background in political science and international relations, coupled with extensive professional experience across various government levels (local, state, and federal), provides him with a profound understanding of the intricacies of the Commonwealth. This knowledge enables Kevin to […]
Universal healthcare
The establishment of Medicare revolutionised health care in Australia, with a focus on providing universal access to the health care people need, when they need it. Four decades have passed and much has changed; in both the health conditions that people manage and in the way care can be delivered. Australian health policies must keep pace with change to deliver health system reform that builds on the strengths of the existing system and preserves the principles that Medicare was founded on- equity, efficiency, simplicity and universality.
Sugar-sweetened beverages
Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major source of added sugar in the diet. They include cordials, soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit and vegetable drinks, and flavoured waters. Consumption of SSBs is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bone density problems, tooth erosion and tooth decay. SSBs are discretionary as they do not contribute significantly to essential nutritional requirements and can be substituted with water, making preventive health interventions to reduce their consumption ideal. Obesity is an Australian health priority, and the disproportionate consumption of SSBs in vulnerable populations requires urgent action.
Social determinants of health
The social determinants of health (SDH) dictate our experiences of health and wellbeing across the life course, both positively and negatively. To appropriately address health inequity, health system reform must extend beyond the biomedical notions of treating disease and modifying risk factors. Rather, these systemic, underlying circumstances that influence our wellbeing must be considered to achieve a holistic and sustainable approach to improve public health.
Reducing salt consumption
Reducing excess dietary sodium (salt) is a World Health Organisation (WHO) public health goal to combat rising rates of chronic disease. Population health strategies targeting reductions in salt consumption are proven to be cost effective and should be better implemented in Australia.
Religious discrimination reforms
The right to freedom of religion protects both the freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief and the freedom to manifest that belief, but also the right not to hold a religious belief and the right not to engage in religious activities. In a country committed to universal health care, a fair, moral and ethical balance must be struck between the right to freedom of religion and the right to health.