Free diabetes checks from Coalition
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A MILLION free health checks to detect the early onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes will be given at work places and chemists under a state Coalition government.
In the battle of the bulge ahead of next month’s poll, the Opposition will today announce a $10 million health check plan aimed at keeping people out of hospital. People will be offered free tests for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and even waist measurements to detect obesity.
If an abnormal or “at risk” result is returned, the chemist will then recommend the patient visit a doctor.
The plan has the support of the NSW Pharmacy Guild and National Stroke Foundation which already conducts workplace tests across the country.
Opposition Health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said 191 strokes were prevented by every 100,000 blood pressure tests.
“A 15-minute health check has the capacity to save someone’s life,” she said.
“We will be building on the trusted relationship people have with their local pharmacist to encourage them to have basic tests which may provide early identification and then ongoing management of major health issues and chronic diseases.
“By making it easier for people to identify emerging health issues closer to home, we can give them a greater chance of managing those conditions without hospitalisation.”
The plan would be funded through the health budget and from savings the Opposition identified last month.
It is estimated about 30 per cent of men and women in NSW have high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Mrs Skinner said the plan was not to stop people seeing a doctor but to work in conjunction with GPs and target people who perhaps go undetected in the community.
“There are 1700 community pharmacies in NSW and that’s a large network we can be working through to deliver better patient care,” she said.
“Voluntary workplace health checks can be done in as little as 15 minutes and can inform people about following up those deemed to be at risk with targeted prevention strategies.”
The Coalition has also promised to continue the existing deal with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to dispense methadone and buprenorphine, but will develop an exit strategy for addicts.
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# EXCLUSIVE by Kate Sikora
# From: The Daily Telegraph
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