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March News

8 March 2010 - Grants available for programs to prevent falls - The ACT Health Minister is encouraging groups to apply for the latest round of funding for projects that reduce the incidence and severity of falls and injuries among older Canberrans.

5 March 2010 - ACT Health doctors complete specialised retrieval training - Six doctors from ACT Health have undertaken specialised training in land based rescue and retrieval operations this week to further enhance the capabilities of the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Rescue Helicopter Service. 

4 March 2010 - New Walk-in Centre staff begin 10 week training program - A major step towards Australia’s first public nurse-led Walk-in Centre has been taken this week with 12 staff beginning a training program in preparation of the centre’s opening.

February News

26 February 2010 - $397,000 in funding to promote healthy schools - The Minister has announced the projects to receive a slice of almost $400,000 in funding to promote healthy school communities as part of the Government’s preventative health measures.

25 February 2010 - Input sought on two new health plans - Two new health strategies are a positive step towards improving the responsiveness to the health care needs of women and people living with renal conditions.

24 February 2010 - Terry Connolly ORGANised Walk - ACT Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister, Katy Gallagher, has joined over a thousand Canberrans for the Terry Connolly ORGANised Walk at Regatta Point as part of Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week.

23 February 2010 - Committee report confirms Government approach - Today’s report from the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health, Community and Social Services regarding access to primary health care in the ACT confirms that the Government’s approach to supporting general practice is the right one.

22 February 2010 - Launch of DonateLife ACT - To mark the start of Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week, ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher has launched the new DonateLife ACT offices and specialist workforce.

17 February 2010 - Changes to TCH parking as Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit project commences - A development application has been lodged for the new Adult Mental Health Unit with construction expected to begin by the middle of the year, resulting in temporary changes to parking arrangements on and around the Canberra Hospital campus.

12 February 2010 - ACT Government supporting access to primary health care - The Government is supporting access to primary health care by developing a nurse-led Walk-in Centre, investing $12 million to support and grow our GP workforce, and securing additional GP training places for Canberra.

11 February 2010 - Government’s strong record on economic management continues - The Budget Review shows considerable improvement in the Territory’s estimated bottom line, confirming that the Government’s approach to managing the economy through the global financial crisis has been the right one.

9 February 2010 - Record number of Graduate Nurses commence in ACT Health - Katy Gallagher has welcomed the 86 graduate nurses who commenced in the ACT Health Graduate Nurse Program this week. 

January News

20 January 2010 - Vaccinate your kids ahead of the school year - With the next influenza season predicted to start early this year, parents are urged to take advantage of the free swine flu vaccine and ensure their children are protected ahead of the new school year.

20 January 2010 - Podiatry health promotion DVD launch - The Health Minister has launched a new DVD which will help older people maintain healthy feet.

18 January 2010 - ACT health research unlocks Lupus secrets - ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher has congratulated researchers at Canberra Hospital and the Australian National University (ANU) for their work, which may lead to new therapies for some groups of lupus patients.

15 January 2010 - Local Researchers receive funding boost from ACT Government - An internet-based anxiety prevention program for schools and the effects of hypertension and gestational diabetes on infants are among the research projects awarded funding by the ACT Government.

14 January 2010 - ACT Health researcher wins National PhD award - ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher has congratulated ACT Health’s Dr Peter Nugus on winning the prestigious “Jean Martin Award” for the best PhD in the Australian social sciences 2007-09.

14 January 2010 - ACT Government pledges $50,000 following Haiti earthquake - Acting Chief Minister Katy Gallagher announced $50,000 in emergency relief funding for Haiti following yesterday’s earthquake near the capital Port-au-Prince.

13 January 2010 - Good progress on capital works program - The ACT Treasurer has released the latest report on capital works in the Territory, noting that the Government was making good progress in the delivery of its 2009-10 program.

13 January 2010 - Last chance to nominate your choice for 2010 Canberra Citizen of the Year - Canberrans have less than two weeks to nominate someone they deem worthy of consideration for the 2010 Canberra Citizen of the Year award.

12 January 2010 - ACT Government supports new ANZAC tradition - Acting ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher is supporting calls for the New Zealand national anthem to be played during ANZAC Day commemorations in ACT schools, starting this year.

11 January 2010 - ACT economy amongst the strongest - The ACT economy had weathered the Global Financial Crisis better than most, with ACT Treasurer, Katy Gallagher, noting that economists had today named the Territory as one of the strongest performing in Australia.

11 January 2010 - Young Canberran undertakes epic bike ride - Katy Gallagher has acknowledged the efforts of Canberra’s Sarah McDonald in undertaking an ambitious and gruelling bike ride from Sydney to Melbourne via Canberra to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease.

11 January 2010 - Newborn webcam goes live - A new webcam service will overcome the tyranny of distance for new parents who cannot regularly visit their babies in Canberra Hospital’s Centre for Newborn Care.

10 January 2010 - Canberra Glassworks art on show to the world - A major glass artwork being created in Canberra will go on display in China this year before settling in to its permanent home at the new Women’s and Children’s hospital to be built on the Canberra Hospital campus.

7 January 2010 - Stamping Out Chlamydia at Summernats - ACT Health will offer free Chlamydia screening at this year’s Summernats Festival as part of its broader efforts to stamp out the Sexually Transmissible Infection.

6 January 2010 - Vaccination Program targets Whooping Cough - The targeted Adult Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Vaccination Program will be extended until the 30th of June 2010.

4 January 2010 - ACT Health attracts a record number of graduate nurses - ACT Health has received a record 272 applications for the 2010 ACT Health Graduate Nurse Program intake – a 60 per cent increase on the number of applications received for 2009.  

2 January 2010 - Mammography to go digital in 2010 - ACT Health will take delivery of a state-of-the-art suite of digital mammography equipment early in the new year, including breast screening machines and an image storage and retrieval system.

1 January 2010 - ACT home buyers benefit from Government Assistance - AC T home buyers are set to benefit from today with the thresholds for duty concession assistance to increase.

December News

31 December 2009 - Tobacco out of sight from 1 January 2010 - From tomorrow (1 January 2010) tobacco displays will no longer be visible at Canberra newsagencies, supermarkets and petrol stations.

31 December 2009 - Governing Board for new Long Service Leave Authority announced - The Minister for Industrial Relations has announced the appointments to the governing board of the new amalgamated Long Service Leave Authority.

30 December 2009 - New Year’s resolution to give the Gift of Life - This New Year, AC T Health Minister, Katy Gallagher and Gift of Life President, Anne Cahill Lambert AM, are encouraging Canberrans to make a resolution to discuss organ donation with their families.

29 December 2009 - ACT region baby boom continues - The latest national data on mothers and babies shows the ACT continues to experience a baby boom, with well over five thousand babies born in the ACT each year.

28 December 2009 - ACT continues to maintain high childhood immunisation rates - The latest figures on childhood immunisation rates show the ACT remains well ahead of the national benchmark.

27 December 2009 - No break for the Blood Bank over Christmas - Katy Gallagher has urged Canberrans to give the gift of blood this Christmas season.

27 December 2009 - Be SunSmart and avoid heat stress this summer - As Canberrans begin the summer exodus to the beach, the ACT Health Minister is urging everyone to take care in the sun, avoid heat stress, and minimise the risk of developing skin cancer.

26 December 2009 - Marked increase in TCH patient satisfaction - The most recent report on patient satisfaction levels at Canberra Hospital shows a marked increase in satisfaction in the areas of overall care, general patient information, complaints management, discharge and follow up care.

24 December 2009 - ACT Health service arrangements for Christmas - The Minister has outlined the arrangements for health services over the Christmas/New Year period.

23 December 2009 - Service improvements despite record demand - ACT emergency departments treated more people on time during the September quarter 2009 despite experiencing their busiest ever quarter.

23 December 2009 - Summer precautions to keep food safe - The Health Minister is reminding Canberrans to think about food safety over the festive season, with summer increasing the probability of contamination of food with bacteria or other micro-organisms.

22 December 2009 - More General Practice training places for the ACT - An additional five general practice vocational training places will be made available in Canberra in 2010 by the Commonwealth Government.

22 December 2009 - Boxing Day Public Holiday - ACT Minister for Industrial Relations, Katy Gallagher has moved to clear up confusion over the Boxing Day public holiday, confirming that the designated holiday would fall on Monday 28 December this year.

21 December 2009 - Government commits more funding for enhanced Women’s and Children’s Hospital - The ACT Health Minister has announced an additional $7 million for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital to incorporate the latest design features into what will be a world class facility.

18 December 2009 - Calvary proposal the right way forward - ACT Health Minister Katy Gallagher said today that the Government had considered the feedback from the community and had decided to proceed with plans to buy Calvary Public Hospital.

16 December 2009 - Public investment supports economic growth - Seasonally adjusted State Final Demand (SFD) figures released today show the ACT performed better than most other jurisdictions during the September quarter 2009, with the local economy growing 1.3 per cent.

11 December 2009 - Holiday travellers encouraged to get vaccinated - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, is encouraging people planning to travel overseas this Christmas holidays to take up the free swine flu vaccination prior to their departure.

11 December 2009 - Taking a stand on sham contracting - ACT Minister for Industrial Relations, Katy Gallagher, said today that passage of the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill 2009 would close the loop on employers who fail to fulfil their legal obligations as well as limit opportunities for sham contracting.

10 December 2009 - Hospital Auxiliary tops $2 million in donations - ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher, has acknowledged the outstanding efforts of the Canberra Hospital Auxiliary in reaching a major milestone of more than $2 million dollars in donations to the Hospital.

10 December 2009 - Legislation to enable ACT to join national scheme for health practitioner registration - The ACT Health Minister has introduced a bill into the Legislative Assembly to enable the ACT to join the national scheme for registering and accrediting health professionals.

10 December 2009 - Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights to underpin the provision of safe and quality care - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, today launched the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights which explains what people can expect from their health system.

9 December 2009 - Health records amendments to support consumer access - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, will introduce a bill into the ACT Legislative Assembly tomorrow to require medical practices to notify ACT Health and consumers of practice closures, mergers and relocations.

8 December 2009 - Minister congratulates ACT Health CEO on new role - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, has congratulated ACT Health Chief Executive Mark Cormack on his appointment as the first CEO of Health Workforce Australia.

8 December 2009 - Smoking to be banned in outdoor food and drinking places - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, said today that the Government had taken a substantial step forward in its efforts to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.

8 December 2009 - Supporting General Practice: GP Development Fund opens - ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher, today announced the opening of the first round of the 2010 GP Development Fund – a $4 million grants program to help general practices grow and support their workforce.

4 December 2009 - New 40-bed mental health facility starts to take shape - Katy Gallagher today released the preliminary sketch plans for Canberra’s new 40-bed Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Unit to be built at Canberra Hospital.

2 December 2009 - New draft strategy to continue to reduce harmful impacts of drug use - ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher, has released a draft of the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Strategy 2010–2014 for broader community consultation.

2 December 2009 - Canberra Sexual Health Centre marks 30 years of service to the community - The ACT Health Minister has joined the 30th Birthday celebrations for the Canberra Sexual Health Centre, noting the growth in services provided by the clinic since its inception in the late 1970s.

1 December 2009 - ACT Government thanks outgoing ClubsACT CEO Bob Samarcq - ACT Deputy Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, has thanked Mr Samarcq for his contribution to the club sector over the past eight years.

1 December 2009 - Don’t Discriminate this World AIDS Day - The community is urged to help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS as this can directly lead to poor health outcomes.

November News

25 November 2009 - New clinic provides enhanced services - A new Oral Maxillofacial and Ear Nose and Throat Clinic is providing the ACT community with enhanced access to specialised services for diseases of the face, jaw, mouth and teeth, oral cancers and facial traumas.

24 November 2009 - Consumer Participation Celebration - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, today encouraged healthcare consumers to continue to provide feedback on all of aspects of ACT Health service delivery.

23 November 2009 - Priority access to treatment for heart attack victims - The ACT Health Minister has launched an initiative that will ensure that any person in the ACT who experiences a heart attack and who is attended by an ambulance will have direct access to best practice treatment at the Canberra Hospital, regardless of where that person lives.

21 November 2009 - Industry consultation to begin on codification of Change of Use Charge - The ACT Government has announced the appointment of a local consulting firm to develop a codification model for the Change of Use Charge which is payable by developers wanting to convert a lease from one use to another.

20 November 2009 - Over $50,000 in the Christmas stocking - A number of local community service organisations and research projects will have a little bit more in their Christmas stockings this year when the first round of the Our Wellness Foundation grant applications are announced at the foundation’s Christmas Party on 12 December.

20 November 2009 - Security of Payments good for contractors and the economy - The ACT Government has succeeded in establishing a new statutory process for operators in the building and construction industry to quickly resolve payment disputes through an adjudication process.

19 November 2009 - Workers’ compensation changes reduce red tape and increase penalties - ACT Minister for Industrial Relations Katy Gallagher has announced a series of improvements to the ACT Workers’ Compensation Scheme that aim to improve compliance by reducing red tape and introducing new penalties for employers who fail to protect their workers.

14 November 2009 - ‘Find Thirty’ to help prevent diabetes - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, is encouraging Canberrans to make physical activity part of their day – starting today on World Diabetes Day.

12 November 2009 - New scheme to strengthen community sector workforce - The ACT Government has delivered on its commitment to implement a Portable Long Service Leave scheme to assist child care and community sector workers.

6 November 2009 - Health Minister announces $1.25 million in health promotion funding - The ACT Health Minister has announced the opening of the ACT Health Promotion Grants Program 2010/11 Community Funding Round.

4 November 2009 - Calvary ownership arrangements clarified - The ACT Health Minister has released advice provided by the ACT Government Solicitor to respond to community feedback over the legal ownership of Calvary Public Hospital.

2 November 2009 - Minister encourages all to vaccinate against H1N1 ‘flu - The ACT Health Minister is encouraging everyone aged 10 and over to be vaccinated for H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu), now that the priority groups have had time to receive their vaccination.

1 November 2009 - Minister urges men to improve health - ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher, has used the start of Movember to urge Canberra men to take action to improve their health, to be aware of the signs and symptoms of common health conditions, and to seek advice and help when required.

2009 News Archive