The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) welcomes the recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes. The report makes 23 recommendations which help address the better management and prevention of different diabetes conditions. These recommendations somewhat or wholly address many of the recommendations CHF made in its submission to the Committee.
"In particular we are really pleased to see the Committee's recommendation that equitable access to health care for people living with all forms of diabetes be improved through a variety of funding measures which will help people get the management care they need, when they need it," said CHF CEO Dr Elizabeth Deveny.
Recommendation 12 outlines five ways equity can be achieved through longer subsidized appointments with care providers, access to telehealth, remote case conferencing, access to diabetes educators and an increase in the amount of item numbers for allied health consultations related to diabetes care management.
"These recommendations are really tangible ways that will make a material difference to the way Australians living with diabetes manage their condition. We know that by reducing access and affordability barriers we enable people to better manage their own health and build a more equitable health system," said Dr Deveny.
CHF is supportive of the Committee's recommendations which seek to further subsidise access to Continuous Glucose Monitors, regulate the marketing and advertising of unhealthy food to children, implement food
labelling reform and implement a levy on sugary-sweetened beverages. CHF would like to see a prioritisation of the recommendations based on what will make a real difference to the lives of people living with diabetes and those at high risk of developing some types of diabetes.
"One of the things the report didn't mention which we would like to see is the government fund a stigma reduction education campaign which is co-designed with consumers. We know that particularly for people living with Type 2 Diabetes they often face stigma for their condition and I think we are now at a point in Australian society where we must call it out and stop blaming people for their health conditions but actively support them to manage it," said Dr Deveny.
CHF stands ready to work with the Australian Government, people living with diabetes and the diabetes sector to end stigma in diabetes care," said Dr Deveny.
