No certification needed for sub-2kg commercial ops. Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority has amended legislation governing the use of drones in the country to allow aircraft under 2kg to be flown commercially without an expensive licence. The changes will take effect on September 29 this year. They will remove what can be a $2000, 6 month application process for prospective drone users looking to fly a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) for business purposes. Currently on

Professionals working in the community care sector are being encouraged to participate in free online courses on disability issues on offer through the University of New South Wales. The free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) include the foundational course Thinking Through Disability and its sister course Working with Disability, which explores disability rights and issues of access and inclusion. Participants will be encouraged to engage in debates around care and support

Alzheimer’s Australia and NPS MedicineWise have launched a set of new resources to inform people with dementia and their carers about their rights around treatment options including medicines. An information booklet, Medicines and Dementia, has been produced to support people to make informed decisions about their care with their health professionals and to communicate their wishes and values. The booklet covers areas such as: consent appropriate use of medicines and non-medi

Plan to set sail for the LASA Q State Conference & Trade Exhibition 2016 Achieving excellence on the age services high seas requires a number of elements. A sound vessel, fair winds, a well charted course and a committed crew. As Captains of Industry…navigating the age services waters is your destiny. Do you have a hidden treasure that you need to market? Do you need to discover new territories? Could your product help age service providers steer a course through hidden reefs

Doctors and health groups have cautiously welcomed a chronic disease plan hailed by the federal government as one of the biggest health reforms in decades. But they want to see more detail and money. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday unveiled the plan to create tailored care packages for Australians with chronic diseases to keep them healthier, and avoid expensive visits to hospital. Local GPs can choose to become medical "homes" where patients with chronic diseases

More than 70 people living with dementia and their carers have outlined priorities to improve dementia care in Australia. PHOTO: More than 70 people living with dementia and their carers attended a two-day National Consumer Summit at Parliament House in Canberra this month. The actions, identified as needing immediate attention to improve dementia care, were presented to Parliamentarians after a two-day National Consumer Summit at Parliament House in Canberra earlier this mon

Primary Health Care has offloaded its GP practice management software business for $155 million to Affinity Equity Partners in the same month that China's Jangho Group has seized an 11 per cent stake in the near $2 billion company, sparking takeover speculation. Primary Health Care chief executive Peter Gregg said the company would continue to be a customer of Medical Director, which Primary founder Ed Bateman acquired more than a decade ago for about $100 million. "Primary w

In celebration of Modern Healthcare's 40th anniversary, readers were asked to choose the top healthcare milestones since the magazine's founding in 1976. Over 700 respondents to the survey selected their top five picks from each of three categories: healthcare delivery, politics and policy, and science and technology. Read on for the complete list of the 40 most significant developments of the past 40 years. 1. Sequencing the human genome In June 2000, President Bill Clint

A Queensland aged care home is reducing the cost of care by discounting the basic daily fee for new admissions. PHOTO: TriCare reducing cost of aged care. Family owned and operated TriCare Pt Vernon Aged Care Residence only charges 50 percent of the standard Age Pension or $28.39 a day, instead of the maximum 85 percent which currently equates to $48.25 per day. The reduction saves residents more than $7,200 per year and is offered for the complete duration of their time at

A senate inquiry investigating Australia’s aged care workforce has been told that a portable entitlement scheme for aged care workers should be introduced to help tackle the sector’s retention problem. Due to inadequate and unpredictable hours, many aged care employees worked for multiple employers, but their continuity of service and accrued long service leave entitlements were not recognised, United Voice has told the inquiry. “Implementing a portable entitlements scheme wo