What we’re doing about chronic conditions

Consultation and engagement

We regularly consult the Australian public about issues that affect health. Check our consultations hub for details of any currently open consultations related to chronic conditions.

Policy work

We develop policies to support the prevention, management and treatment of chronic conditions.

These include:

• the National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions, to help prevent and manage chronic conditions in Australia
• The Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023, which addresses chronic conditions.

We have developed, or are in the process of developing, national strategic action plans for several chronic conditions. See what we’re doing about:

• cardiovascular conditions (including our action plan for childhood heart disease)
• chronic eye conditions (including our action plan for macular disease)
• diabetes (including our implementation plan for the Australian National Diabetes Strategy 2016–2020)
• endometriosis (including our action plan)
• lung and respiratory conditions (including our action plan for lung conditions and national strategy for asthma)
• musculoskeletal conditions (including our action plan for arthritis and osteoporosis)
• rare diseases
• other chronic conditions (including inflammatory bowel disease and chronic pain).

Initiatives and programs

We tackle chronic conditions at a national level through a range of initiatives and programs to support prevention, treatment and management.

Government programs that support care of people with chronic conditions include:

• the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), which includes items to help treat and manage chronic conditions, such as Chronic Disease Management plans
• the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which subsidises medicines used to treat chronic conditions and their symptoms
• the Public Health and Chronic Disease Grant program, which supports activities that address the burden of chronic disease and improve public health
• the National Diabetes Services Scheme
• the Inborn Errors of Metabolism program
• the National Epidermolysis Bullosa Dressing Scheme
•  support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with chronic conditions, including the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme 
• funding for peak bodies that focus on chronic conditions to support programs and initiatives
• evidence-based promotion of healthy lifestyles, including
  • regular physical activity and good nutrition
  • tobacco control measures
  • strategies to reduce harmful levels of alcohol use
• early detection of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Research

We fund quality clinical research into chronic conditions through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Medical Research Future Fund.

We also fund the annual Australian National Diabetes Audit (ANDA). This survey collects and reports on diabetes-related data from specialist diabetes centres across Australia.

Who we're working with

Our portfolio agency, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, publishes reports on chronic conditions in Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics runs the National Health Survey, which includes information about chronic conditions.