Warwick Smith
$15 million for National Continence Management Strategy
Details of a National Continence Management Strategy were announced today by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.
WS 44/98
10 June 1998
$15 million for National Continence Management Strategy
Details of a National Continence Management Strategy were announced today by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.
More than $15 million was allocated for continence education and training as part of the Government's $280 million Staying at Home: Care and Support for Older Australians package recently announced by the Prime Minister.
"Continence problems are a trigger for many older people being admitted to residential care. By making information about education, training and aids more accessible, many more people will be able to live in their own homes for longer," Mr Smith said.
The $15 million allocated for continence management will enable the National Continence Management Strategy to:
- establish a National Continence Management Expert Advisory Committee to be chaired by Associate Professor, David Fonda, geriatrician and continence expert;
- develop initiatives under the themes of:
- - Public Awareness, information and education, prevention, health promotion and research, including $990,000 for the Continence Foundation of Australia to establish a freecall telephone helpline and referral service;
- - Education and training to improve assessment, referral and treatment of people experiencing continence problems and to assist their carers and personal care workers; and
- - Quality of service to improve service delivery and information provision through better co-ordination between services and programs. A total of $1 million will fund a small grants program for demonstration trials of innovative approaches to continence management information and services; and
- develop a National Continence Management Framework to map existing Commonwealth, State/Territory and community-based continence management services and programs to identify and address existing gaps and reduce duplication.
"Not only is this the most effective way to avoid duplication and improve co-ordination of services, it is the most effective way to target those Australians most in need of assistance with continence management," Mr Smith said.
Media Contact:
John Wilson, (02) 6277 7240, 0412 437 317.
Last updated
22 June 1998
by Dirk Nissen
