Latest news with #RoyalAustralianCollegeofGeneralPractitioners
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Australian GP's prescribing social interaction to combat increasing experience of loneliness
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has thrown its support behind prescribed social interaction to combat increasing loneliness amongst Australians. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has thrown its support behind prescribed social interaction to combat increasing loneliness amongst Australians. Credit: cocoparisienne / Pixabay (user cocoparisienne) Australian doctors are recommending a social interaction prescription to combat a growing experience of loneliness. A World Health Organisation report has found that one in six people experience loneliness, and estimates that between 2014-2019 nearly over 850,000 people died from loneliness-related causes. The report found that loneliness may increase the risk of all-cause mortality by nine to 22 per cent in older adults. A separate report from Ending Loneliness Together found that loneliness is experienced by 43 per cent of Australians between the ages of 15 and 25, and that 15 per cent of them experience chronic loneliness persisting across two years. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Dr Michael Wright says the use of social prescription can connect patients with non-clinical community services, to fight loneliness. 'Social prescribing is increasingly being recognised as a way to build social well-being into primary care, which we saw when the RACGP joined more than 50 other key health bodies to work towards implementation of social prescribing as a parallel system of care last year,' he said. Social prescribing involves the support of patients by GPs and health professionals in the consideration of taking up hobbies, activities, or joining a community group to combat loneliness. Dr Wright said social disconnection can lead to heart disease, stroke, depression, and anxiety. 'One study found that lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day,' he said. 'Social connection should be, and increasingly is, a public health priority.' RACGP specific interests social prescribing chair Dr Kulit Singh said support for the approach is growing and could reinforce the role of GPs as preventative and whole-of-person care specialists. 'Social prescribing can strengthen and complement our care in a way that gives patients power and autonomy,' she said. '(It) can be a health approach to addressing the social disconnection we've seen since the pandemic — a script against loneliness.' 'At the moment, there are barriers to more formal adoption of social prescribing. Most general practices don't have access to a link worker who can match patients to activities that meet their social needs.' In March the RACGP called for government and health providers to support social prescribing in regional and rural Australia to combat loneliness factors such as geographic isolation, and limited access to health and social services. A lack of transport, public or private, can mean older regional adults often lack social and health service support. But Dr Singh said support for the approach is growing a could reinforce the role of GPs as preventative and whole-of-person care specialists, referring to a 2022 WHO toolkit to support implementation and a trial program by the Victoria Government across six regions. 'There are opportunities to build networks that support social prescribing,' she said. 'And the nature of social prescribing — making healthy connections around your interests — makes it an approach with real advantages that we all benefit from growing.' In March Dr Singh urged for a focus on regional and rural Australian's, and a nationally coordinated approach to tackle the nation's mental health crisis and ease pressure on the healthcare system. 'We know that people living outside of metro areas experience poorer health outcomes,' she said. 'They face greater barriers accessing healthcare, including other specialist services such as psychologists and psychiatrists.' Dr Wright said Loneliness Awareness Week, which runs from August 4 to 10, highlighted the significance and importance of social connection to a persons health. 'Loneliness Awareness Week has highlighted the harms,' he said. 'What GPs and patients need is support to implement social prescribing as a cure.'
The Advertiser
11-07-2025
- The Advertiser
'Came from behind': 91yo driver lost control, one dead
A toddler is in a stable condition in hospital while a man is fighting for life after an elderly driver lost control of her car and struck three pedestrians near a playground. A woman, 59, died at the scene of the crash in Wantirna South in Melbourne's east on Thursday, Victoria Police have not yet revealed the connection between the three victims, but they are believed to be related. A Toyota Yaris, driven by a 91-year-old woman, mounted a footpath, went through a fence and hit a bench. The driver was treated for minor injuries in hospital and was still to be interviewed by detectives as of Friday morning. Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said the adults and child were walking in the same direction as the car was travelling when it struck them. "It came from behind," Supt Goldsmith told reporters. "It looks like it's (lost control) about 40m or 50m before the collision with the people who were walking on the other side of that road." The out-of-control car continued down the road for another 200m, hitting a street sign and smashing through a fence before coming to a stop near a playground. "No one was hit at the park, thankfully," Supt Goldsmith said. The driver, who was "terribly shaken", had minor scratches and was taken to hospital for assessment and blood testing. Police will look at whether speed was a contributing factor. "That will be subject to the investigation, but it is downhill section of road, so if there has been a lack of control to some degree there is a possibility the car would have picked up speed as it's driven further down Coleman Rd," Supt Goldsmith said. The crash happened during the first week of Victorian school holidays, bringing the state's road toll to 14 in the last seven days. "We're facing a horrific month for road trauma," Supt Goldsmith said. The state has recorded a number of deadly crashes involving out-of-control vehicles in recent years. In November, a kindergarten worker was killed and a three-year-old boy was injured when a runaway truck smashed through the gate of Macedon Ranges preschool's playground. Two weeks earlier, an 11-year-old boy was killed and four other students injured when an SUV crashed through a fence at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne's east. Five people were killed and six injured in November 2023 when a diabetic driver passed out behind the wheel and crashed into patrons seated outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel. The driver was charged but the allegations were ultimately struck out after a magistrate found there was not enough evidence to support a conviction. In 2024, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners called for Victoria to introduce age-based regulations for drivers in line with other jurisdictions like NSW, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which require drivers over 75 to have a health check. The age is 80 in Western Australia, while older drivers in South Australia must complete self-assessments. At the time, the Victorian government rejected the call, saying drivers aged 75 already had to renew their licence every three years, which could include various tests. A toddler is in a stable condition in hospital while a man is fighting for life after an elderly driver lost control of her car and struck three pedestrians near a playground. A woman, 59, died at the scene of the crash in Wantirna South in Melbourne's east on Thursday, Victoria Police have not yet revealed the connection between the three victims, but they are believed to be related. A Toyota Yaris, driven by a 91-year-old woman, mounted a footpath, went through a fence and hit a bench. The driver was treated for minor injuries in hospital and was still to be interviewed by detectives as of Friday morning. Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said the adults and child were walking in the same direction as the car was travelling when it struck them. "It came from behind," Supt Goldsmith told reporters. "It looks like it's (lost control) about 40m or 50m before the collision with the people who were walking on the other side of that road." The out-of-control car continued down the road for another 200m, hitting a street sign and smashing through a fence before coming to a stop near a playground. "No one was hit at the park, thankfully," Supt Goldsmith said. The driver, who was "terribly shaken", had minor scratches and was taken to hospital for assessment and blood testing. Police will look at whether speed was a contributing factor. "That will be subject to the investigation, but it is downhill section of road, so if there has been a lack of control to some degree there is a possibility the car would have picked up speed as it's driven further down Coleman Rd," Supt Goldsmith said. The crash happened during the first week of Victorian school holidays, bringing the state's road toll to 14 in the last seven days. "We're facing a horrific month for road trauma," Supt Goldsmith said. The state has recorded a number of deadly crashes involving out-of-control vehicles in recent years. In November, a kindergarten worker was killed and a three-year-old boy was injured when a runaway truck smashed through the gate of Macedon Ranges preschool's playground. Two weeks earlier, an 11-year-old boy was killed and four other students injured when an SUV crashed through a fence at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne's east. Five people were killed and six injured in November 2023 when a diabetic driver passed out behind the wheel and crashed into patrons seated outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel. The driver was charged but the allegations were ultimately struck out after a magistrate found there was not enough evidence to support a conviction. In 2024, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners called for Victoria to introduce age-based regulations for drivers in line with other jurisdictions like NSW, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which require drivers over 75 to have a health check. The age is 80 in Western Australia, while older drivers in South Australia must complete self-assessments. At the time, the Victorian government rejected the call, saying drivers aged 75 already had to renew their licence every three years, which could include various tests. A toddler is in a stable condition in hospital while a man is fighting for life after an elderly driver lost control of her car and struck three pedestrians near a playground. A woman, 59, died at the scene of the crash in Wantirna South in Melbourne's east on Thursday, Victoria Police have not yet revealed the connection between the three victims, but they are believed to be related. A Toyota Yaris, driven by a 91-year-old woman, mounted a footpath, went through a fence and hit a bench. The driver was treated for minor injuries in hospital and was still to be interviewed by detectives as of Friday morning. Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said the adults and child were walking in the same direction as the car was travelling when it struck them. "It came from behind," Supt Goldsmith told reporters. "It looks like it's (lost control) about 40m or 50m before the collision with the people who were walking on the other side of that road." The out-of-control car continued down the road for another 200m, hitting a street sign and smashing through a fence before coming to a stop near a playground. "No one was hit at the park, thankfully," Supt Goldsmith said. The driver, who was "terribly shaken", had minor scratches and was taken to hospital for assessment and blood testing. Police will look at whether speed was a contributing factor. "That will be subject to the investigation, but it is downhill section of road, so if there has been a lack of control to some degree there is a possibility the car would have picked up speed as it's driven further down Coleman Rd," Supt Goldsmith said. The crash happened during the first week of Victorian school holidays, bringing the state's road toll to 14 in the last seven days. "We're facing a horrific month for road trauma," Supt Goldsmith said. The state has recorded a number of deadly crashes involving out-of-control vehicles in recent years. In November, a kindergarten worker was killed and a three-year-old boy was injured when a runaway truck smashed through the gate of Macedon Ranges preschool's playground. Two weeks earlier, an 11-year-old boy was killed and four other students injured when an SUV crashed through a fence at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne's east. Five people were killed and six injured in November 2023 when a diabetic driver passed out behind the wheel and crashed into patrons seated outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel. The driver was charged but the allegations were ultimately struck out after a magistrate found there was not enough evidence to support a conviction. In 2024, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners called for Victoria to introduce age-based regulations for drivers in line with other jurisdictions like NSW, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which require drivers over 75 to have a health check. The age is 80 in Western Australia, while older drivers in South Australia must complete self-assessments. At the time, the Victorian government rejected the call, saying drivers aged 75 already had to renew their licence every three years, which could include various tests. A toddler is in a stable condition in hospital while a man is fighting for life after an elderly driver lost control of her car and struck three pedestrians near a playground. A woman, 59, died at the scene of the crash in Wantirna South in Melbourne's east on Thursday, Victoria Police have not yet revealed the connection between the three victims, but they are believed to be related. A Toyota Yaris, driven by a 91-year-old woman, mounted a footpath, went through a fence and hit a bench. The driver was treated for minor injuries in hospital and was still to be interviewed by detectives as of Friday morning. Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said the adults and child were walking in the same direction as the car was travelling when it struck them. "It came from behind," Supt Goldsmith told reporters. "It looks like it's (lost control) about 40m or 50m before the collision with the people who were walking on the other side of that road." The out-of-control car continued down the road for another 200m, hitting a street sign and smashing through a fence before coming to a stop near a playground. "No one was hit at the park, thankfully," Supt Goldsmith said. The driver, who was "terribly shaken", had minor scratches and was taken to hospital for assessment and blood testing. Police will look at whether speed was a contributing factor. "That will be subject to the investigation, but it is downhill section of road, so if there has been a lack of control to some degree there is a possibility the car would have picked up speed as it's driven further down Coleman Rd," Supt Goldsmith said. The crash happened during the first week of Victorian school holidays, bringing the state's road toll to 14 in the last seven days. "We're facing a horrific month for road trauma," Supt Goldsmith said. The state has recorded a number of deadly crashes involving out-of-control vehicles in recent years. In November, a kindergarten worker was killed and a three-year-old boy was injured when a runaway truck smashed through the gate of Macedon Ranges preschool's playground. Two weeks earlier, an 11-year-old boy was killed and four other students injured when an SUV crashed through a fence at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne's east. Five people were killed and six injured in November 2023 when a diabetic driver passed out behind the wheel and crashed into patrons seated outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel. The driver was charged but the allegations were ultimately struck out after a magistrate found there was not enough evidence to support a conviction. In 2024, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners called for Victoria to introduce age-based regulations for drivers in line with other jurisdictions like NSW, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which require drivers over 75 to have a health check. The age is 80 in Western Australia, while older drivers in South Australia must complete self-assessments. At the time, the Victorian government rejected the call, saying drivers aged 75 already had to renew their licence every three years, which could include various tests.
Courier-Mail
09-07-2025
- Health
- Courier-Mail
Pairing your Covid booster and flu shots could reduce the risk of hospitalisations, study shows
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. While many of us may be slacking on our booster shots in 2025, experts say getting your Covid and flu shots together could reduce the risk of being hospitalised After talking about it constantly for years and vigilantly watching out for new guidance on dose frequency, many of us haven't thought about our Covid booster shots for a while. But with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) reporting that there have been over 150,000 lab-confirmed influenza cases so far this year, and experts regularly warning us of the surge in cases, we're very much aware of the need for flu shots. Evidently, we should be staying on top of both, as a new study found that hospital admissions could be reduced if we get our flu vaccine with a Covid booster shot. Rates of vaccination in Australia According to the Department of Health, 18-64 year olds are eligible for a Covid booster shot every 12 months. Those who are severely immunocompromised or aged between 65 and 74 are eligible for a shot every six months, but are recommended to have a booster every 12 months. A quarter of Aussies are immunised against influenza, but experts are urging us to remember our Covid boosters too. Image: Pexels. A quarter of Aussies are immunised against influenza, but experts are urging us to remember our Covid boosters too. According to the paper, 62,000 people were hospitalised and 6500 people died after contracting Covid in 2023 alone, and in the 12 months prior, only 11 per cent of people above the age of 16 were vaccinated. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 5001 registered deaths due to Covid during this time. But the annual vaccination coverage for influenza sits at 32 per cent, and 376 people died from the illness in 2023. When comparing different possible deliveries of Covid vaccines at different points of the year, researchers found that despite lingering year-round, offering booster shots at the same time as flu vaccines was likely an effective way to boost rates of immunisation. Image: Pexels "The COVID-19 vaccine gives 85 per cent protection against severe disease, which is significantly higher than the influenza vaccine, which offers 44 per cent protection against hospitalisation," co-author of the study, Fenella McAndrew said, as per the ABC. Pairing Covid and flu vaccines When comparing different possible deliveries of Covid vaccines at different points of the year, researchers found that despite lingering year-round, offering booster shots at the same time as flu vaccines was likely an effective way to boost rates of immunisation. Hospitalisations for Covid alone could decrease by up to 14 per cent. Image: Unsplash "Unlike influenza, COVID-19 doesn't have a well-defined season, and when we modelled different scenarios, the percentage of people receiving booster vaccinations was more important than the timing of the vaccination," McAndrew noted. Co-author Nick Scott agreed, saying, "by offering a COVID-19 booster vaccination alongside the annual influenza vaccination, we could aim to achieve similar vaccination coverage for COVID-19 as influenza, which would make a meaningful difference in reducing hospital admissions and deaths". Hospitalisations for Covid alone could decrease by up to 14 per cent. New variants continue to pop up around the world, with NB. 1.8.1 currently driving up infection rates in Australia. Image: iStock How common are Covid-19 cases in 2025? New variants continue to pop up around the world, with NB. 1.8.1 currently driving up infection rates in Australia. Designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "variant under monitoring", the strain is showing up in patients around the country. It's difficult to identify the exact number of Covid cases this year, as reporting isn't mandated anymore, but experts are reminding us of the need to get vaccinated, even if you aren't concerned about symptoms. Vaccination at any time is beneficial. Image: iStock Scott said, "COVID-19 can lead to a range of health complications and results in more hospitalisations and deaths every year than influenza". Even if the symptoms of Covid themselves don't knock you around, infection can lead to issues affecting your brain, immune system, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart. Vaccination at any time is beneficial, but if you're already getting your flu shot, why not kill two birds with one stone and book in for both? Originally published as Pairing your Covid booster and flu shots could reduce the risk of hospitalisations, study shows
The Age
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
Living better for longer: The health checks for your 40s, 50s and beyond
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach for preventative health checks, individual factors– including family or personal medical history, gender, ethnicity, and lifestyle – influence which tests a person should undertake, as well as when to begin them and the frequency at which they are performed. However, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) does recommend certain health screens for the general population at each decade of life. In your 40s 'By your early 40s, you should have a thorough check-up, including history and a full physical examination,' says Dunne. Certain regular health screenings should also begin. These include annual blood pressure monitoring from age 40 and STI tests if you are sexually active. Five-yearly blood tests for cholesterol, glucose, cell counts, and nutrition deficiency, as well as bowel cancer screening, should begin at age 45. Loading Skin cancer checks are recommended due to the increased risk with age, and due to a trend of increasing colon cancer in people under age 50, the Australian government has recently changed the starting age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, says Ding. In your 50s Natasha Yates, assistant professor of general practice at Bond University, says that people in their 50s should continue all the health screenings from their 40s, with the addition of some others. 'Add a bone health assessment and consider screening for osteoporosis, especially if risk factors are present,' she says. 'Vision and hearing tests to detect age-related changes are also recommended.' Yates says the National Lung Cancer Screening Program is due to commence in July this year. It will offer two-yearly low-dose CT scans to detect lung cancer in asymptomatic patients aged 50 to 70 who are deemed to be at high risk from smoking, she says. In your 60s In addition to existing screenings, Yates says that a cognitive function evaluation, which assesses for signs of cognitive decline or dementia, should be undertaken. Similarly, a physical functioning screening for preventing falls and frailty should also be considered, adds Ding. 70s and beyond In your 70s, on top of existing checks, ensure your immunisations, including tetanus and shingles, are up-to-date, says Dunne. 'There is a funded vaccination program for older Australians, including influenza, COVID, shingles and pneumococcal pneumonia,' he says. Gendered screenings Due to anatomy and physiology, women and men each have unique health risks, which warrant their own specific health screenings. 'For example, whereas women are at risk of cancers of the cervix, ovaries and uterus, men are at risk of prostate cancer,' says Dunne. Gender can also impact their approach to healthcare. 'Unlike women, who are often introduced to regular health screenings from a young age, such as pap smears, breast checks, and GP visits for contraception, men typically don't develop the same routine health-seeking behaviours,' Dunne says. 'This makes early detection for men especially important, as they are more likely to delay seeking help until symptoms become severe.' Health screenings for men 40 + Men in their 40s should discuss with their GP screening tests for things like prostate cancer, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. 'Your GP will consider your individual circumstances, including family history, when recommending when to begin these tests,' says Dunne. Screening tests and regular GP check-ups should continue through your 50s and 60s. Health screening for women 40 + Women are going through a lot during their 40s and 50s, says general practitioner Judith Hammond of women's health clinic, Jean Hailes. 'Peri menopause, menopause … women start to get to that sandwich generation, when they are working, worried about children who need support and supporting elderly parents, life really gets quite crushed around that time,' she says. In this period, it is increasingly important for women to undergo mental health screening, she says. Additionally, regular breast cancer screening via free mammograms can be undertaken from age 40. Although mammography is recommended every two years for women aged 50–74, those at moderately increased risk [including a family history of breast cancer] should consider mammography screening from the age of 40, says Hammond. Cervical cancer screening – which can be self-collected in a private space within a healthcare facility – is recommended every five years for women aged 25–74 who have ever had sexual contact, even if they are not currently in a sexual relationship. From the age of 70, it is also recommended that women have bone density scans every five years.
Sydney Morning Herald
11-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Living better for longer: The health checks for your 40s, 50s and beyond
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach for preventative health checks, individual factors– including family or personal medical history, gender, ethnicity, and lifestyle – influence which tests a person should undertake, as well as when to begin them and the frequency at which they are performed. However, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) does recommend certain health screens for the general population at each decade of life. In your 40s 'By your early 40s, you should have a thorough check-up, including history and a full physical examination,' says Dunne. Certain regular health screenings should also begin. These include annual blood pressure monitoring from age 40 and STI tests if you are sexually active. Five-yearly blood tests for cholesterol, glucose, cell counts, and nutrition deficiency, as well as bowel cancer screening, should begin at age 45. Loading Skin cancer checks are recommended due to the increased risk with age, and due to a trend of increasing colon cancer in people under age 50, the Australian government has recently changed the starting age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, says Ding. In your 50s Natasha Yates, assistant professor of general practice at Bond University, says that people in their 50s should continue all the health screenings from their 40s, with the addition of some others. 'Add a bone health assessment and consider screening for osteoporosis, especially if risk factors are present,' she says. 'Vision and hearing tests to detect age-related changes are also recommended.' Yates says the National Lung Cancer Screening Program is due to commence in July this year. It will offer two-yearly low-dose CT scans to detect lung cancer in asymptomatic patients aged 50 to 70 who are deemed to be at high risk from smoking, she says. In your 60s In addition to existing screenings, Yates says that a cognitive function evaluation, which assesses for signs of cognitive decline or dementia, should be undertaken. Similarly, a physical functioning screening for preventing falls and frailty should also be considered, adds Ding. 70s and beyond In your 70s, on top of existing checks, ensure your immunisations, including tetanus and shingles, are up-to-date, says Dunne. 'There is a funded vaccination program for older Australians, including influenza, COVID, shingles and pneumococcal pneumonia,' he says. Gendered screenings Due to anatomy and physiology, women and men each have unique health risks, which warrant their own specific health screenings. 'For example, whereas women are at risk of cancers of the cervix, ovaries and uterus, men are at risk of prostate cancer,' says Dunne. Gender can also impact their approach to healthcare. 'Unlike women, who are often introduced to regular health screenings from a young age, such as pap smears, breast checks, and GP visits for contraception, men typically don't develop the same routine health-seeking behaviours,' Dunne says. 'This makes early detection for men especially important, as they are more likely to delay seeking help until symptoms become severe.' Health screenings for men 40 + Men in their 40s should discuss with their GP screening tests for things like prostate cancer, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. 'Your GP will consider your individual circumstances, including family history, when recommending when to begin these tests,' says Dunne. Screening tests and regular GP check-ups should continue through your 50s and 60s. Health screening for women 40 + Women are going through a lot during their 40s and 50s, says general practitioner Judith Hammond of women's health clinic, Jean Hailes. 'Peri menopause, menopause … women start to get to that sandwich generation, when they are working, worried about children who need support and supporting elderly parents, life really gets quite crushed around that time,' she says. In this period, it is increasingly important for women to undergo mental health screening, she says. Additionally, regular breast cancer screening via free mammograms can be undertaken from age 40. Although mammography is recommended every two years for women aged 50–74, those at moderately increased risk [including a family history of breast cancer] should consider mammography screening from the age of 40, says Hammond. Cervical cancer screening – which can be self-collected in a private space within a healthcare facility – is recommended every five years for women aged 25–74 who have ever had sexual contact, even if they are not currently in a sexual relationship. From the age of 70, it is also recommended that women have bone density scans every five years.
