Ahead of the Victorian election in November, Optometry Victoria South Australia (OV/SA) is calling on major parties to improve access to eyecare for Victorians, especially those living in regional and remote areas.
According to the organisation, the Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) needs assessment for 2022-23 revealed that demand for optometry services in multiple locations across the state far outstripped supply, presenting a concerning situation for ageing residents’ eye health.
“There is clearly a maldistribution of the optometry workforce, meaning that there are communities in rural and regional Victoria that are not receiving the eye health care that they need,” OV/SA CEO Ms Ilsa Hampton said.
Areas found to be in need of optometry services included Gippsland (Baw Baw, Gippsland East, Gipplsand South West, Wellington), Western Victoria (Barwon-West, Colac-Corangamite, Creswick/Daylesford/Ballan, Grampians, Maryborough/Pyrenees, Surf Coast/Bellarine Peninsula, Warrnambool), Murray (Camaspe, Mildura, Moira, Murray River/Swan Hill, Shepparton, Upper Goulburn Valley, Wangaratta/Benalla, Wodonga/Alpine) and Yarra Ranges.
“We’re calling on the major parties to commit to developing optometry and allied health workforce programs to incentivise and increase retention of practitioners in rural and regional locations, including a pilot project that provides financial incentives for retention of regional practitioners for a specified period of time, and funding for young professional networks across Victoria,” Hampton continued.
According to OV/SA, chronic health conditions, including the prevalence of eye disease, are increasing in Australia because of our ageing population. Additionally, Australians who are socially and geographically disadvantaged are more likely to suffer from significant vision loss or blindness resulting from avoidable and treatable eye disease.
“Eye health shouldn’t be an afterthought. We know that the vast majority of Australians regard their sight as their most valued sense, and as we age, good vision is key to maintaining independence and quality of life.” Hampton said.
OV/SA is also asking for the parties to address two other priorities for the eye health sector: the health and wellbeing issues among optometrists, and investment into a state-wide ‘Healthy-Living’ campaign.
Hampton said: “As with many other health professions, the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing nature of the health care system has taken a toll on optometrists’ wellbeing. In fact, one recent study found that one in four optometrists had consulted a health professional about a mental health issue.
“We can’t afford to lose part of our optometry workforce, and it’s not right that these increasingly challenging conditions are putting pressure on our sector. We’re asking for optometrists to be included in health worker health and wellbeing initiatives to ensure they can continue to effectively care for the communities they serve.”
The peak body is also supporting the call from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) that the state government provides an ongoing funding commitment for preventive health – at least 5% of the total health budget by 2030.
“Preventative health campaigns reduce the strain on the healthcare system,” Hampton added.
“We back this recommendation from our colleagues at VicHealth and would like to see funding for primary prevention measures to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss from eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy – damage to the eye from diabetes.”
To further amplify these requests, particularly the need for health prevention measures, OV/SA has partnered with other peak health bodies to campaign for strong election commitments from the state’s political candidates. The association has joined forces with the peak bodies representing Victoria’s doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists and audiologists to call for:
- Implementation of recommendations resulting from the Department of Health’s Workforce Strategy & Reform project
- Investment in primary prevention is increased
- Dealing with backlogs and long wait lists for care.
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