AN OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIANS

Australia’s leading healthcare organisations and associations have joined forces to pen an open letter to Australians about the need to put their health first.

Dear Australia,

Let’s work together to put your health first.

COVID-19 caught us by surprise, esting our health system and testing our country in many ways. The good news is that the actions taken to “flatten the curve” and reduce the spread of COVID-19 are working — but now we need to take action to avoid a second wave of health problems.

Understandable , during our lockdown the rates of visits to genral practice, allied health professionals and emergency departments have dropped. There has also been a large drop of about 40% in the number of pathology test being done. These are test such as blood, urine or test on the body tissue ordered by your healthCare professionals.

While we continue to be careful to take the recomended precautions to protect our comuntiy against COVID-19, it;s important to look after the other aspects of our healthcare, and Australia’s world-class healthcare professionals are here to help you do that. Before COVID-19 struc, we were already concerned that the number of people getting cancer screening tests was too low. We also knew that early detection and monitoring for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease were lacking, with large numbers of undiagnosed cases. COVID-19 has mde these existing problems even worse.

We don’t want to risk trading one health problems for another with Australians missing out on cancer, diabetes, heart or kidney checks because of fear and other barriers caused by COVID-19.

Postponing a visit to a health professional or a pathology test might seem OK, but cancer, diabetes and kidney disease do not stop during COVID-19. We need to avoid delyas to ensure any new symptoms get checked and disagnosed quickly, and to ensure we monitor existing conditions.

So, if you have put off a visit to general practice, an allied health professional or a pathology test — don’t delay any further. It could save your life.

Telehealth has been expanded to make healthcare easier to access. You can now have constulations with your doctor or other health professionals through video chat or phone calls, and have lifesaving medicines delivered to your home.

Remeber, health services are also open to see you in person — safely. Healthcare professionals are taking all the necessary hygiene measures and other precations to keep you safe when you need to visit in person.

We understand you have have questions about how you can access the care you need safely, we encourage you to contact your health services and ask those qiuestions.

So please get in touch, make that call, or book an appointment today. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease won’t wait, so neither should you.

Signed by:

Diabetes Australia, The Heart Foundation, Royal Australian College of General Practice, National Rural HEalth Alliance, Australian PRimaru Health Care Nurses Association, Australian Diabetes Society, Consumers Health Forum, Allied Health Professionals Australia, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, Medicines Australia, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Australian Disbetes Educators Assocation, Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation, Royal College of Pathologists of Australiasia, The Pharmacy Guid, Pharmceutical Society of Australia, Patient Voice Initiative, Australian Patients Association, Jean Hailes Foundation, Medical Technology Association of Australia, Pathology Technology Australia, Pathology Awareness Australia