Hope Alexander MPH

Posts Tagged ‘future’

Hope attended the inaugural annual Conference of the Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law [AABHL] in Adelaide in July 2010 and has become a member. The AABHL will replace the Australasian Bioethics Association and Australasian and New Zealand Institute of Health Law and Ethics which have traditionally held joint meetings.

Several of the delegates had studied for a degree in philosophy and then undertaken a law degree. There was a mix of attendees: philosophers, health law people, bioethicists, public health people and GPs, nurses and allied health practitioners.

There were two smaller groups, those advocating for euthanasia, and some like myself, opting for the Advance Health Directive such as the one passed into law in Western Australia in February 2010.

An introduction to Enduring Powers of Guardianship and Advance Health Directives – a media release from the Office of the Public Advocate.

SERVICE PROVIDER TRAINING SESSION

An introduction to Enduring Powers of Guardianship and Advance Health Directives

On 15 February 2010 legislation came into effect in WA which enables adults to make an Enduring Power of Guardianship (EPG) and an Advance Health Directive (AHD).

These tools give adults with capacity, the power to direct how personal, lifestyle and treatment decisions would be made if they lost the capacity to make these decisions themselves.

Following the session, participants will have an understanding of:

§        the amendments to the Guardianship and Administration Act 1990

§        the legislative requirements of completing an EPG and an AHD

§        how EPGs and AHDs will operate

§        the amended hierarchy of decision-makers for treatment decisions

§        the legal responsibilities of service providers with regard to the new legislation and how they will be able to assist their clients.

This session is aimed at service providers in the health, aged-care disability and related sectors, however members of the public who are interested in attending are also welcome.

The Session is free but registration is essential

Light refreshments provided

Session Details

Date:            Tuesday 9 November, 2010

Time:           1.30pm –4.30pm

Venue:         Main Hall, Garry Holland Community Centre, 19 Kent Street, Rockingham

Hope will be participating in a poster presentation for the Public Health Association of Australia (WA Branch) at the 2010 State Conference: Global Issues, Local Solutions – Thinking outside the box, at the Tradewinds Hotel, East Fremantle, 18-19 November 2010.

Cancer in the News

Tobacco: Flouters of smoke ban ‘will be pursued’

The Health Department says people who ignore WA’s new smoking bans on patrolled beaches and in cars with children will be pursued, despite previous claims the laws could be hard to enforce.

Director-general of Health, Kim Snowball, said while some people might initially be given warnings rather than $1000 fines, there would be no period of grace for the laws, which start on September 22.

The department will launch an advertising campaign today to warn people they risk prosecution if the smoke in banned areas. These include between flags at beaches, in cars carrying children under the age of 17, within 10 metres of playground equipment and in some outdoor eating areas. The display of tobacco products in shops will also be banned.

West Australian 8/9/2010 p.10.

Sophie West | Website and Publications Coordinator

Cancer Council Australia

Today Hope submitted her abstract for the Australian National Conference on Evidence-Based Clinical Leadership. The title of her paper is “Chasing the rainbow – the difficulties experienced in accessing age and condition-specific programs”. These programs include oral health, hearing services and Enhanced Care Plans. The conference is to be held in Adelaide, one of Hope’s favourite places, in November.