Orthoptics Australia president A/PROF AMANDA FRENCH reviews the 2024-25 Federal Budget and what it means to the allied health sector.
Orthoptics Australia (OA) welcomes the Budget announcements for the eye health sector including new and amended Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) listings, such as:
• From 1 July 2025 the implementation of the majority of recommendations for changes to MBS items from the MBS Review Taskforce Ophthalmology report, along with other minor changes to MBS items that relate to the eye and associated anatomy.
• From 1 March 2025, the implementation of the majority of recommendations from the MBS Review Taskforce Optometry Report.
• Additionally, there is the inclusion on the PBS for tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) for the treatment of advanced melanoma of the middle layer of the eye.
Looking across the broader allied health sector, there were additional announcements welcomed by OA.
“Funding for student placements shows an understanding of the pressure on health students. OA will watch the implementation of this initiative and looks forward to a possible future expansion of the scheme to orthoptics.”
OA is also happy to see the Federal Government providing $23.1 million over two years from 2024-25 to extend the MBS Continuous Review program that ensures the MBS remains clinically appropriate. OA understands that the review will begin in 2024 and will include allied health Items.
The commitment to funding for student placements shows an understanding of the pressure on health students in Australia. OA will watch the implementation of this initiative and looks forward to a possible future expansion of the scheme to orthoptics. Supporting orthoptic students through a similar measure would be a positive move to attract and maintain students in fields with high demand for workforce such as orthoptics.
OA supports the government’s intention to explore the introduction of a psychology assistant role. OA agrees that clarity of the role of the growing assistant workforce will underpin the quality and safety of healthcare.
The allied health sector is a vital part of healthcare provision in Australia. Allied health professionals provide a broad range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic and direct health services to improve the health and wellbeing of the consumers they support.
It would have been wonderful to see more recognition of the allied health sector in the 2024 – 25 Budget.
OA has been keenly watching and participating in the ‘Unleashing the Capacity of our Health Workforce’ scope of practice review. This independent review, led by Professor Mark Cormack, is looking at the available evidence about health professionals’ ability to deliver on their full scope of practice in primary care. The review was a recommendation from the Australian Government’s ‘Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report’.
We hope to see the outcomes of the review informing future direction of primary healthcare in Australia and the 2025 -26 Budget.
More reading
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