❓ An inquiry regarding the funding and provision of trachoma prevention programs in regional WA, revealing that funding is allocated regionally, not to individual towns, and is subject to Commonwealth funding release and needs-based assessments.
AnsweredQoN 1204Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to the trachoma prevention and control programs in the Kimberley,
Pilbara, Midwest and Goldfields regions of Western Australia funded by the
Australian Government in accordance with the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020) resolution, and ask: (a) which communities or towns are funded to provide
this program; (b) which agencies or authorities provide this
program in each of these towns or communities; (c) how is the funding allocated to each of these
towns or communities in which this program is run; (d) are each of these towns or communities in which
this program is run in receipt of their current funding allocations; (e) will each of these towns or communities in which
this program is run continue to receive funding allocations under the GET 2020 resolution
in forward years; (f) if no to (d), why not; (g) if no to (d), when can these service providers
expect to receive their funding allocation; (h) if no to (e), why not; (i) are there any identified changes in service
providers in these towns or communities in forward years; (j) if yes to (i), which towns or communities will
have a change in service providers; (k) if yes to (i), why; (l) are any towns or communities in which this
program is currently run having their funding removed in future years; (m) if yes to (l), why; (n) has there been any reallocation of funding as a
result of communities being closed or unattended; and (o) if yes to (n), which are the communities or towns
in which this allocation has occurred?
refer to the trachoma prevention and control programs in the Kimberley,
Pilbara, Midwest and Goldfields regions of Western Australia funded by the
Australian Government in accordance with the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020) resolution, and ask: (a) which communities or towns are funded to provide
this program; (b) which agencies or authorities provide this
program in each of these towns or communities; (c) how is the funding allocated to each of these
towns or communities in which this program is run; (d) are each of these towns or communities in which
this program is run in receipt of their current funding allocations; (e) will each of these towns or communities in which
this program is run continue to receive funding allocations under the GET 2020 resolution
in forward years; (f) if no to (d), why not; (g) if no to (d), when can these service providers
expect to receive their funding allocation; (h) if no to (e), why not; (i) are there any identified changes in service
providers in these towns or communities in forward years; (j) if yes to (i), which towns or communities will
have a change in service providers; (k) if yes to (i), why; (l) are any towns or communities in which this
program is currently run having their funding removed in future years; (m) if yes to (l), why; (n) has there been any reallocation of funding as a
result of communities being closed or unattended; and (o) if yes to (n), which are the communities or towns
in which this allocation has occurred?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 June 2014
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
40 days
(a) No communities or towns are individually funded to provide the trachoma program.
(b) The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) administers and manages the trachoma program as a public health program on behalf of the State Government and works with multiple agencies including Community Controlled Aboriginal Health Organisations (such as Aboriginal Medical Services), local government authorities, contracted specialists such as visiting ophthalmologists, Department of Education, the Department of Health Communicable Disease Control and Environmental Health Directorates, and universities.
(c) Funding is allocated by region based on: the number of communities which require screening; the disease prevalence rate; environmental needs assessment; the distance between communities; the size of the population in the target communities; the estimated costs to transport staff to each community; the time it would take to complete the screening program; and needs identified by local service providers.
(d) Individual towns are not funded to provide the program. Regions will receive similar allocations as they have received previously. Some funding has been provided; further funding will be provided when funds are released from the Commonwealth for 2014-15.
(e) Communities will receive screening and services as guided by the Communicable Disease Network Australia National Guidelines for the Public Health Management of Trachoma (2013) (the Guidelines). The Guidelines are in line with Australia's commitment to the World Health Organisation (WHO) GET 2020 initiative.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) Funding will be allocated once it has been released by the Commonwealth and State Treasury.
(h) Not applicable.
(i) There may be changes made according to prevalence and need.
(j-k) Not applicable.
(l) Not applicable. Individual towns are not funded to provide the program. There may be changes to the location and frequency of service provision based on the considerations outlined in (c): the number of communities which require screening; the disease prevalence rate; environmental needs assessment; the distance between communities; the size of the population in the target communities; the estimated costs to transport staff to each community; the time it would take to complete the screening program; and needs identified by local service providers.
(m) Not applicable.
(n) As per response to question (a).
(o) Not applicable.
(b) The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) administers and manages the trachoma program as a public health program on behalf of the State Government and works with multiple agencies including Community Controlled Aboriginal Health Organisations (such as Aboriginal Medical Services), local government authorities, contracted specialists such as visiting ophthalmologists, Department of Education, the Department of Health Communicable Disease Control and Environmental Health Directorates, and universities.
(c) Funding is allocated by region based on: the number of communities which require screening; the disease prevalence rate; environmental needs assessment; the distance between communities; the size of the population in the target communities; the estimated costs to transport staff to each community; the time it would take to complete the screening program; and needs identified by local service providers.
(d) Individual towns are not funded to provide the program. Regions will receive similar allocations as they have received previously. Some funding has been provided; further funding will be provided when funds are released from the Commonwealth for 2014-15.
(e) Communities will receive screening and services as guided by the Communicable Disease Network Australia National Guidelines for the Public Health Management of Trachoma (2013) (the Guidelines). The Guidelines are in line with Australia's commitment to the World Health Organisation (WHO) GET 2020 initiative.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) Funding will be allocated once it has been released by the Commonwealth and State Treasury.
(h) Not applicable.
(i) There may be changes made according to prevalence and need.
(j-k) Not applicable.
(l) Not applicable. Individual towns are not funded to provide the program. There may be changes to the location and frequency of service provision based on the considerations outlined in (c): the number of communities which require screening; the disease prevalence rate; environmental needs assessment; the distance between communities; the size of the population in the target communities; the estimated costs to transport staff to each community; the time it would take to complete the screening program; and needs identified by local service providers.
(m) Not applicable.
(n) As per response to question (a).
(o) Not applicable.
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