1997-1998
Australia's Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services, Budget Document 1997-98
This year's Budget builds on the Government's commitment to promote and protect Health Throughout Life for all Australians.
Fact Sheet 3
Hepatitis B Vaccination gets green light in public health initiatives
This year's Budget builds on the Government's commitment to promote and protect Health Throughout Life for all Australians. These Budget initiatives flow from decisions based on research, scientific and needs analysis, and are designed to improve the health of large groups of people in Australia, potentially yielding a major return to Australian society and the wider health system.Immunisation
The Budget provides in excess of $14 million to States and Territories over four years to purchase the Hepatitis B Vaccine (HBV) and a further $1.6 million over this period towards delivering these vaccinations in schools.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently included HBV into the Standard Schedule of recommended vaccinations. Hepatitis B is a serious disease which can cause prolonged illness in the acute stages and which, in a proportion of cases, results in chronic liver disease or cancer of the liver. The Government will work with States and Territories to initiate a Hepatitis B pre-adolescent immunisation program in Australian schools from February 1998. This will ensure that young people receive the necessary vaccinations before a time when lifestyle risks such as experimentation with injecting drugs and sexual activity are beginning to become a factor. It recognises, however, that some young people will choose to be vaccinated through their family GP rather than the school.
The HBV initiative builds on the major package announced recently by the Government --Immunise Australia -- which aims to lift Australia's immunisation rate to an acceptable level. The two most significant elements of this package are linking age appropriate immunisation with entitlement to Maternity Allowance, Childcare Assistance and the Childcare Cash Rebate, and the provision of incentives to General Practitioners for increasing immunisation coverage.
Other elements of the package include: the monitoring and evaluation of immunisation targets through the collection of data; reward and incentives schemes; immunisation days to increase immunisation coverage; a feasibility study of a Measles Eradication program; the establishment of a National Centre for Research into Immunisation; a national communications and public awareness strategy; and working with States and Territories on the introduction of proof of immunisation status on a child's entry to school. An additional $13.3 million has been provided over four years for the new package of measures included in Immunise Australia.
The Budget also includes new arrangements for the funding of vaccines for childhood immunisation. The new arrangements are based on the current Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme provisions with the new listings and delistings of vaccines, based on technical assessments and cost-effectiveness data, included in the program through regulation under the National Health Act.
However, the current arrangements for the actual supply and delivery of vaccines under the proposed Public Health Outcome Funding Agreements will remain in place, with the Commonwealth responsible for providing funds to the States and Territories for the purchase of vaccines directly from pharmaceutical companies.
In turn, the States and Territories will be responsible for the distribution of vaccines to providers, including GPs and local government, and ensuring that target population groups have access to immunisation services.
Top of page
Continuation of public health programs
The Budget also guarantees the continuation of funding for a number of public health programs for which funding was due to cease during 1997-98 and 1998-99. These include the National Women's Health Program, Hepatitis C Surveillance and Education, the NHMRC National Breast Cancer Centre and the National Anti-Tobacco Campaign. In excess of $33 million has been provided over two years.
Restructured funding for methadone
Through the Budget, the Government has also announced its intention to fund private methadone services as part of the Public Health Program, instead of the current arrangement through Medicare.
The proposed new funding will be based on an annualised allocation per private patient calculated from the average number of private patients treated in each State/Territory over the previous 12 months, with an allowance for client growth and inflation. This payment will cover assessment, stabilisation and ongoing treatment.
It is envisaged that the new arrangement will be implemented on 1 November 1998 following trials in a number of settings to test the model's feasibility. These trials are expected to commence in September this year. A 1998 commencement will enable the trials to be evaluated and further discussion to be held with key stakeholders. Savings of $19.3 million over four years are estimated.
1997-98 $m | 1998-99 $m | 1999-2000 $m | 2000-2001 $m | |
| HBV Immunisation Delivery Program | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| New funding mechanism for the purchase of essential vaccines and purchase of HBV | 2.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| Comprehensive national immunisation strategy: Immunise Australia | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| Continuation of public health programs | 11.5 | 22.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Restructured funding for methadone | 0.0 | -1.9 | -7.8 | -9.6 |
Contact: Liz Furler, First Assistant Secretary, Public Health Division (06) 289 8627
Top of page
