Across the majority of our 72 Australian nursing homes, things are working well, and we’re meeting the standards set out by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

However, on occasions we haven’t gotten things right, and we’ve let people down. For this we are sorry, and we’re acting to fix this.

We are listening to residents and their families and acting on their feedback, and are investing millions of dollars to provide better care for our residents, including:

1. Stronger clinical oversight
2. Improved staff training
3. Enhanced internal auditing
4. Implementing a new management structure with better support for the General Managers of our homes
5. Revamping our complaint management processes to ensure customer feedback is captured, acknowledged and actioned
6. Improving the food in our homes by providing greater choices.

Fixing some of these issues takes time and we’re making good progress. The majority of the aged care homes that had compliance issues have been re-accredited and are in line with the new national quality standards.

Bupa cares for around 6,500 residents, and we have 9,000 dedicated employees who come to work every day wanting to make a difference. Our employees genuinely care for the residents in their care. We are conscious that our residents don’t live in our workplace, rather our employees work in their home.

FAQ

1. How many of Bupa’s aged care homes are currently under sanction?

The overwhelming majority of our 72 aged care homes are meeting the quality standards. However, we currently have 4 Australian care homes under sanction.

These are:

1. Roseville, New South Wales
2. Seaforth, New South Wales
3. Tumut, New South Wales
4. Tamworth, New South Wales

We’ve made significant progress in addressing many of the issues that led to these sanctions. While even one home on sanction is too many, we have reduced this number from a total of 15 during 2019.

We remain committed to addressing any issues and want to restore confidence in our homes as soon as possible.

2. What does it mean for a home to be under sanction?

Sanctions are imposed by the Department of Health on aged care providers where the Department believes the care or provided is not in compliance with the set aged care standards.

A range of sanctions can be imposed on an aged care provider including restricting approval to provide aged care services (effectively meaning no new residents come into the home while sanctions are in place). The type of sanctions imposed on an approved provider will depend on the nature of the non-compliance.

We take sanction notices extremely seriously and are working closely with the Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to ensure all our homes meet the high standard of care our residents deserve and the public rightly expects.

To find out more about sanctions in aged care and how they work, you can visit the Department of Health - Ageing and Aged Care website.

3. What actions are you taking to fix these problems?

We recognise that each of our homes has unique needs, depending the local community, what is important to our residents, as well as what may have been identified as lacking by the Department of Health and / or the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

We’re working closely with families and residents, as well as Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, to gather feedback and are acting to implement their suggestions.

We’ve also been reviewing our rosters to ensure staffing levels meet resident needs; investing in employee training; redesigning medication management; improving lifestyle programs and food, nutrition and other services such as cleaning and catering.

We have new leadership – our Bupa CEO commenced in April 2019 and the Managing Director of the Aged Care business commenced in June 2019 and they have already begun to turn around the business operations.

To find out more about some of the positive things we’re doing in our aged care homes you can visit our Newsroom.

4. How is Bupa improving the food in aged care homes?

We know how important food and meal times can be for our residents.

Our meals are prepared by chefs and the daily menus are designed to give residents choice of a range of enjoyable and nutritious meals.

We also serve specially made soft meals for those residents who, for clinical reasons, need it. We work hard to accommodate additional dietary preferences.

We’re always looking at ways to enhance meal options for our residents and routinely seek resident feedback on how we can improve food in our homes.

We have plans to send many of our chefs through the Maggie Beer Foundation’s ‘Creating an Appetite for Life’ Masterclass for aged care chefs. So far 10% of our chefs have completed the course.

We accept that, on some occasions, meals have been served which were not up to standard. We’re determined to learn from this and are committed to addressing our residents’ concerns.

5. Does Bupa put profits over care?

No. Our primary commitment is to the health and care of our residents.

We’ve invested millions of dollars in our aged care business in recent years to help address areas of poor performance. This has been spent on additional staffing, training, resources and improvements to the physical environment of our homes, and we’re continuing to work hard to put things right.

6. What is Bupa's reaction to the Royal Commission into Aged Care?

We welcome the Royal Commission into Aged Care. It provides a valuable opportunity to improve how we do things as an organisation, and across all parts of the aged care sector.

Australia’s aged care sector faces complex challenges, and we must ensure it is sustainable well into the future; the Royal Commission gives us a chance to explore this.

For more about the Royal Commission and our response, you can visit our Newsroom.

7. Will you need to put my health insurance premiums up to fix your aged care problems?

No, our aged care operations are separate to our health insurance business.

Private health insurance premiums are approved by the Australian Government and any increases reflect the cost of health care and higher claims.

Responses

• Bupa responds to aged care reports

• Improvements to Bupa aged care

• Our commitment to getting things right in aged care

This data is alarming with almost one quarter of young Australians experiencing psychological distress, according to the latest Black Dog Institute and Mission Australia Youth Report[3].

Dr Zoe Wainer, Head of Public Health at Bupa said negative perceptions can deter young people from coming forward with concerns leading to treatment and diagnosis delays.

“While featuring mental health in popular culture can build awareness, inaccurate representation could be creating negative stigmas and misconceptions of serious conditions.”

“Early diagnosis and access to treatment improves the long-term prognosis of mental health conditions, so it is essential that young people are supported so they feel comfortable talking about their worries,” said Dr Wainer.

To assist parents who are concerned about their children’s mental health, Bupa offers a dedicated telephone support line which is available 24/7 for members with family hospital cover.

As part of the service, a counsellor works with parents to identify a child’s needs, and then guide them through the next best steps to take.

This could include a needs assessment, options for clinical services, or further information on specific mental health conditions. After the call, parents will also receive an email with the referral information provided during the call, which parents can refer back to after the call has ended.

Bupa is also a proud partner of the Kids Helpline as a supporter of the @ School Wellbeing program which aims to help children cope with and manage a range of different emotional and wellbeing issues. They include things like bullying, friendships, developing resilience, managing emotions and transitioning to high school.

Kellie Davis, Lifestyle Manager at Bupa Portland, said the expo was not just a nice event to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but it was also a great way to encourage residents to share their stories with each other and with their families.

“It’s been really lovely to see residents sharing their stories with their grandkids who have come to see the display. Both the residents and the kids’ eyes light up as they discuss the stories from the past,” Ms Davis said.

The oldest dress on display was that of Edie Bailey who was married over 70 years ago.

“We had 34 dresses on display, ranging from Edie’s – which wouldn’t be out of place at a wedding today – right up to one of our employees’ who was married a year ago.

“We also had saris and other outfits that sparked some really great conversations around different cultural traditions,” Ms Davis added.

One resident, Iris Andrews, was a local wedding dress maker before retiring around 15 years ago. Many of the Bupa Portland employees wore dresses made by Iris to their own weddings and proudly displayed them throughout the week.

Doug and Glennys Troon first met when Doug’s parent bought a house next door to a bakery that Glennys’ parents ran. They’ve now been married for 57 years and live together at Bupa Portland. According to Doug, the secret to their long marriage is ‘lots of give and take’.

The scholarship valued at $10,000 will contribute to covering the costs associated with completing Trenae’s Bachelor of Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Psychological Science degrees at Griffith University as well as her broader personal development goals.

The Dr. Evelyn Scott Scholarship is awarded annually by Bupa to honour the legacy of Dr. Scott, a resident of Bupa Mt Sheridan and a proud Indigenous leader who spent her life fighting for rights of all peoples.

Like Dr. Scott, Trenae was recognised as a strong advocate and supporter of her community. Along with working as an Indigenous Teacher Aide at Helensvale State High School, Trenae mentors Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students in the Gold Coast and Logan area through her involvement with AIME. As a mentor she visits local schools once a week to offer academic and social support to students.

Trenae said she will use the scholarship to help her cover the cost of university and support her ambition of volunteering overseas.

"I was in shock when I received the call from Bupa congratulating me. I burst into tears and called my parents straight away. This scholarship means so much to me and will open up a world of opportunities for my personal, educational and professional development."

“The scholarship will also allow me to regularly return to Cairns to visit my family without the stress of managing travel costs from the Gold Coast where I study,” said Trenae.

Trenae has also gained high-level industry experience through the completion of a summer internship at Bupa as part of its indigenous CareerTrackers program.

Bupa Cindy Shay, Bupa’s Director of Health Partnerships & Innovation congratulated Trenae on her outstanding achievements in the community and the workplace.

“Trenae is an outstanding individual who embodies the values of Dr. Scott and we were incredibly grateful to have her intern with us at Bupa.”

“We’re passionate about supporting future female leaders and providing education and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s a privilege to be able to honour Dr Scott’s legacy by supporting talented students like Trenae.” said Ms Shay.

This is the second year Bupa has offered the scholarship, with Keisha Nash, a Monash Medical School student, the first recipient in 2019. In addition to supporting the costs associated with study, Keisha used her scholarship to complete a two-week placement at

Thursday Island hospital and has been invited back this year to continue her learning through the John Flynn Rural Placement Scholarship Scheme.

More information on the Dr Evelyn Scott Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Scholarship is available here.

The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon presented by Bupa Dental is Australia’s largest half marathon and will see runners weave their way around Sydney’s CBD on Sunday 17 May 2020.

Bupa Dental Corporation General Manager, Mark Jeffery, said:

“We’re proud to present this iconic race which allows runners of all abilities to test themselves and improve their health and fitness. Every day we aim to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives and this is another way we can support the proven linkages between good dental health and physical wellbeing.”

Bupa Dental will also be an event partner for the world’s largest fun run, The Sun-Herald City2Surf presented by Westpac, which will celebrate 50 years running on Sunday 9 August.

Bupa Dental will cheering on participants and spectators with a range of family-friendly activities on the course and at the finish line.

Dave Beeche, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Oceania for The IRONMAN Group, said that the organisation was looking forward to working with Bupa Dental on these two iconic Sydney events.

Early bird entries for The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon presented by Bupa Dental opened today, with more information available here. 

The coronavirus outbreak has been widely reported in the news. On 29 January 2020, Australians were advised by the Federal Government to reconsider any plans to travel to China above advice not to travel to the Hubei Province. The travel advisory does not apply to Hong Kong or Macau.

While this news is concerning, it is important to remember that both the Australian and New Zealand Governments are monitoring the situation closely and acting as appropriate.

If you aren’t sure of the facts, here is some information that may help:

What is the coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause illnesses such as the common cold, to more severe conditions such as pneumonia, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome (SARS). The strain of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has caused the outbreak in China is new, and not previously known.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of this coronavirus are like those you would have with the flu and can include:

• respiratory symptoms (like those you have with a cold)
• fever (high temperature)
• cough
• shortness of breath
• breathing difficulties

In more severe cases the virus can cause pneumonia and death. The most serious cases in Wuhan seem to have happened in people with pre-existing health conditions.

Who is affected?

At the moment, there are confirmed cases of coronavirus in several countries including China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, France, Australia and the United States. 

What’s happening in Australia and New Zealand?

The Australian and New Zealand Governments and relevant departments are monitoring the situation closely. The relevant departments are also working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Travel information

Australians are recommended to visit Smart Traveller regularly for advice on travelling to China. New Zealanders are advised to do the same by visiting Safe Travel.

How should I protect myself and others in Australia and New Zealand?

Basic hygiene measures are important in these situations. These include:

• Stay away from unwell people.
• Wash your hands very thoroughly using running water and soap. If there’s no visible dirt on your hands wash them with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based gel.
• Wash your hands: after you cough or sneeze; if you’re looking after someone; when you’re preparing food (thoroughly cooking meat and eggs); after eating; after using the toilet; if your hands are dirty, and/or you’ve been near farm or wild animals.

The WHO is not recommending healthy people without respiratory symptoms wear facemasks, as there’s no evidence it will protect them from infection. Wearing masks when it’s not useful can cause unnecessary cost, prevent people who do need them from accessing them, and can “create a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as hand hygiene practices."

The advice for people in Australia and New Zealand who have travelled from Hubei Province in the last 14 days, or travelled from or via mainland China on or after 1 February 2020, or been in contact with confirmed novel coronavirus cases, is to self-isolate in their home for 14 days after exposure (e.g. leaving mainland China), other than for seeking individual medical care.

When to get help

If you become unwell with flu symptoms within 14 days of visiting mainland China , or you have had close contact with someone who has travelled to, from or via mainland China in the last 14 days, or you have had close contact with someone confirmed to have a 2019-nCoV infection, please seek medical attention straight away.

Please ring ahead of time to book your appointment and let your doctor know of your symptoms and your travel history. Wear a surgical mask when going outside to protect others,

Updated 3 January - Evacuation from fire zones in Eden, Tumut and East Gippsland
On the advice of emergency services, due to nearby bushfires, Bupa evacuated residents from three of our care homes on Friday 3 January: Eden NSW (which has 39 residents), Tumut NSW (which has 80 residents), and Eastwood VIC (which has 82 residents). 

We arranged for coaches to evacuate Eden and Tumut residents to Bupa’s two care homes in Canberra. We are also grateful to the other Canberra homes that have helped us and accepted some of our residents. In Victoria, Eastwood / Bairnsdale residents were evacuated to our Traralgon and Berwick homes. 

We were well-prepared with food, water and medical equipment to ensure residents were comfortable during the journey. Staff were also on board these buses

We have been keeping in regular contact with residents' families and next-of-kin. Residents’ families can also contact Bupa at Eastwood (03 5141 6096), Eden (02 6438 5101) and Tumut (02 6909 1180). 

Bupa expresses its deep gratitude to the RFS, CFA, ambulance services, local volunteers, and our dedicated people in Eden, Tumut and Eastwood / Bairnsdale who helped us evacuate. We have been in these three communities for a number of years, and our thoughts are with our residents' families, our staff and their families, and the wider community.

Ongoing fire preparations

We have a business-wide plan underway to ensure all our homes are prepared, should they come under threat. These activities include:

• A review of emergency procedures and business continuity plans (including a review of supplies).
• Preparation of residents’ medical information (such as care plans, next of kin details), which would be needed in the event of an evacuation.
• A property fire risk review.
• Frequent liaison with local and state emergency services to determine the seriousness of the situation and the level of risk posed to our care homes and residents.

We are continuing to monitor the changing conditions of the homes in the fire zones very closely, to ensure the safety of residents and our staff. We are also in close contact with the Department of Health and the Health and Emergency Management Unit. Residents’ families with further questions can contact our care homes or Bupa’s emergency contact line 1800 111 777.

Bupa’s thoughts are with those impacted by these fires – including residents and their families, our staff, and the wider community. And in particular we thank the local fire brigades, fireys and the wonderful volunteers for their support during this time.

To stay informed on current fire activity in the region please visit:

• New South Wales' Rural Fire Service website, the NSW RFS app, or call the RSF Information Hotline 1800 679 737 .
• Victoria's Country Fire Authority website, the Vic Emergency app, or call the Vic Emergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
• Queensland's Rural Fire Service website or via the QLD RFS app.

Support for these scholarships mark the next phase of Bupa’s ongoing relationship with the University of Western Australia following its sponsorship of Perth Festival, which was established by the University of Western Australia in 1953.

General Manager of WA Partnerships at Bupa, Clinton Byrne said, “advancing mental health capabilities within the healthcare industry is a major priority for our company across Australia.”

“We are hopeful that the Bupa Mental Health scholarship will encourage a high-achieving individual to pursue a rewarding career in the industry and leave a legacy we can all benefit from,” said Mr Byrne.

One in five Australian’s experience mental health problems with suicide the leading cause of death of young people – accounting for one-third of deaths of Australians aged 15–24.

The Bupa Indigenous Scholarship for Arts will further bolster The University of Western Australia’s offerings to Indigenous students such as the ability to gain entry without an ATAR and a thriving Indigenous Studies department.

“As a leading health and care company in Australia, we are passionate about using our resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

“We understand the importance of advancing education and employment opportunities for Indigenous people and will continue to create career and education pathways within Bupa and through external scholarships such as this,” said Mr Byrne.

Tayyeb Shah, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Partnerships, University of Western Australia said, “we would like to thank Bupa for supporting these incredibly valuable scholarships in two priority areas for both the University of Western Australia and Bupa – these scholarships are currently available for any interested students.”

Applications for the two scholarships are open until Sunday 1 March 2020 with interested student encouraged to register via the links below:

Bupa Mental Health Scholarship

Bupa Indigenous Scholarship for Arts

Bupa’s Director of Health Partnerships and Innovation, Cindy Shay, said “Bupa supports initiatives that promote financial transparency and empower consumers to make informed decisions about their healthcare. We are hopeful that, in time, the website will also include specific information about specialists and their billing practices to provide a more complete picture.”

“The website is also an important resource in demonstrating the value of private health insurance through visual breakdowns of insurer contributions and the percentage of patients who experienced a gap-free procedure,” Ms Shay said.

Bupa has a number of its own initiatives in place that help members avoid ‘bill shock’ following common hospital procedures.

“We understand the cost of living pressures many Australians are living under. As such, we are proud to have established extensive arrangements with Private Hospitals and Specialists offering customers no gap or known-gap services.”

Bupa’ website also houses a number of tools to help customers understand cost implications including a procedure calculator that also incorporates hospital admission fees when using a Bupa Members First or Network Hospital with no additional co-payment.

“Ultimately, the best way for consumers to avoid ‘bill shock’ and minimise costs is by being proactive and ensuring they are receiving the appropriate cover for their stage of life and healthcare needs,” said Ms Shay.

To help member navigate costs, Bupa also encourages members to speak with a Bupa health insurance expert before seeking a referral from their GP.

“Our health insurance team are able to identify all specialists with no or known-gap fee structures. Members can then compile a list for discussion with their referring GP,” said Ms Shay.

Australians are also encouraged to utilise the Australian Medical Association’s ‘informed financial consent’ brochures, which provide guidance on the types of questions that should be asked of doctors to fully understand fees upfront.

Bupa has announced a range of measures to support employees, customers, residents and the community including:

• $100,000 donation to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund;
• six months of premium relief for eligible Bupa Health Insurance customers*;
• $10,000 donation to each local Rural Fire Service and Country Fire Authority where our care homes have been impacted, starting with Eden, Tumut and Bairnsdale;
• up to 20 days paid community service leave for employees who are involved in the firefighting and disaster relief effort, along with counselling support for those who have been personally impacted;
• selected dental and optical services** for eligible Bupa customers from Bupa Optical and Bupa-owned dental practices; and
• expansion of our Workplace Giving campaign to support the Red Cross Relief and Recovery appeal and our volunteer fire fighting services, with all employee donations being matched by Bupa until the end of January.

Bupa A&NZ’s Chief Executive Officer, Hisham El-Ansary said Bupa was committed to helping in any way it could during the horrific bushfires.

“Bupa’s immediate focus has been on the safety and care of our aged care residents who live in the impacted areas. We have worked closely with the relevant authorities and acted quickly to ensure that some 200 of our residents have been moved to locations where they can be cared for safely” Mr El-Ansary said.

“Our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by some of the worst fires we have seen in recent times. Our disaster relief package is designed to lessen some of the burden that many will be feeling, while also supporting the efforts of the brave firefighters and emergency services volunteers. I also acknowledge the dedication of our nurses and carers, some of whom have been personally impacted, as they work to comfort our residents during this difficult time,” Mr El-Ansary said.

Bupa customers are encouraged to contact Bupa’s customer service team on 134 135 or bupabushfirerelief@bupa.com.au to discuss what is available to them and how they can access support.
 

*Terms & Conditions include: Bupa Health Insurance customers have held their policy at 1 January 2020 and who have received the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment following the recent bushfires. Customers can lodge their application from 7 January 2020 until 1 July 2020. Customers are required to provide evidence of receipt of their Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment from the Department of Human Services. Customers will be provided premium relief based on their level of cover as at 1 January 2020.
**Eligible Bupa Health Insurance customers will have access to no out-of-pocket (up to $300) for emergency dental treatments at Bupa-owned Platinum or Members First general dental clinics, while both eligible Bupa health insurance and existing Bupa Optical customers will have access to free prescription frames and prescription sunglasses (from a selected range), contact lenses and eye drops from Bupa Optical.

Across the majority of our 72 Australian nursing homes, things are working well, and we’re meeting the standards set out by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

However, on occasions we haven’t gotten things right, and we’ve let people down. For this we are sorry, and we’re acting to fix this.

We are listening to residents and their families and acting on their feedback, and are investing millions of dollars to provide better care for our residents, including:

1. Stronger clinical oversight
2. Improved staff training
3. Enhanced internal auditing
4. Implementing a new management structure with better support for the General Managers of our homes
5. Revamping our complaint management processes to ensure customer feedback is captured, acknowledged and actioned
6. Improving the food in our homes by providing greater choices.

Fixing some of these issues takes time and we’re making good progress. The majority of the aged care homes that had compliance issues have been re-accredited and are in line with the new national quality standards.

Bupa cares for around 6,500 residents, and we have 9,000 dedicated employees who come to work every day wanting to make a difference. Our employees genuinely care for the residents in their care. We are conscious that our residents don’t live in our workplace, rather our employees work in their home.

FAQ

1. How many of Bupa’s aged care homes are currently under sanction?

The overwhelming majority of our 72 aged care homes are meeting the quality standards. However, we currently have 4 Australian care homes under sanction.

These are:

1. Roseville, New South Wales
2. Seaforth, New South Wales
3. Tumut, New South Wales
4. Tamworth, New South Wales

We’ve made significant progress in addressing many of the issues that led to these sanctions. While even one home on sanction is too many, we have reduced this number from a total of 15 during 2019.

We remain committed to addressing any issues and want to restore confidence in our homes as soon as possible.

2. What does it mean for a home to be under sanction?

Sanctions are imposed by the Department of Health on aged care providers where the Department believes the care or provided is not in compliance with the set aged care standards.

A range of sanctions can be imposed on an aged care provider including restricting approval to provide aged care services (effectively meaning no new residents come into the home while sanctions are in place). The type of sanctions imposed on an approved provider will depend on the nature of the non-compliance.

We take sanction notices extremely seriously and are working closely with the Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to ensure all our homes meet the high standard of care our residents deserve and the public rightly expects.

To find out more about sanctions in aged care and how they work, you can visit the Department of Health - Ageing and Aged Care website.

3. What actions are you taking to fix these problems?

We recognise that each of our homes has unique needs, depending the local community, what is important to our residents, as well as what may have been identified as lacking by the Department of Health and / or the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

We’re working closely with families and residents, as well as Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, to gather feedback and are acting to implement their suggestions.

We’ve also been reviewing our rosters to ensure staffing levels meet resident needs; investing in employee training; redesigning medication management; improving lifestyle programs and food, nutrition and other services such as cleaning and catering.

We have new leadership – our Bupa CEO commenced in April 2019 and the Managing Director of the Aged Care business commenced in June 2019 and they have already begun to turn around the business operations.

To find out more about some of the positive things we’re doing in our aged care homes you can visit our Newsroom.

4. How is Bupa improving the food in aged care homes?

We know how important food and meal times can be for our residents.

Our meals are prepared by chefs and the daily menus are designed to give residents choice of a range of enjoyable and nutritious meals.

We also serve specially made soft meals for those residents who, for clinical reasons, need it. We work hard to accommodate additional dietary preferences.

We’re always looking at ways to enhance meal options for our residents and routinely seek resident feedback on how we can improve food in our homes.

We have plans to send many of our chefs through the Maggie Beer Foundation’s ‘Creating an Appetite for Life’ Masterclass for aged care chefs. So far 10% of our chefs have completed the course.

We accept that, on some occasions, meals have been served which were not up to standard. We’re determined to learn from this and are committed to addressing our residents’ concerns.

5. Does Bupa put profits over care?

No. Our primary commitment is to the health and care of our residents.

We’ve invested millions of dollars in our aged care business in recent years to help address areas of poor performance. This has been spent on additional staffing, training, resources and improvements to the physical environment of our homes, and we’re continuing to work hard to put things right.

6. What is Bupa's reaction to the Royal Commission into Aged Care?

We welcome the Royal Commission into Aged Care. It provides a valuable opportunity to improve how we do things as an organisation, and across all parts of the aged care sector.

Australia’s aged care sector faces complex challenges, and we must ensure it is sustainable well into the future; the Royal Commission gives us a chance to explore this.

For more about the Royal Commission and our response, you can visit our Newsroom.

7. Will you need to put my health insurance premiums up to fix your aged care problems?

No, our aged care operations are separate to our health insurance business.

Private health insurance premiums are approved by the Australian Government and any increases reflect the cost of health care and higher claims.

Responses

• Bupa responds to aged care reports

• Improvements to Bupa aged care

• Our commitment to getting things right in aged care

What your extras can do for you

If you’re planning to hit the gym hard in 2020 or your back has been playing up in recent times, it could be a good idea to upgrade your extras to include extra physio or chiro. This allows you time to serve any upgrade waiting periods to then take advantage of fresh limits.

Don’t pay extra for extras

So that you can understand what you are spending most on and what extras allowances are available, the myBupa app allows you to see exactly how much you have claimed and what limits you have left in real-time.

It’s not just about the body

As we approach 2020, Bupa is also taking new extras leadership initiatives, such as a suite of clinically proven Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy courses with a guaranteed 100 per cent rebate upon course completion through your Extras cover. This is an Australian first that you can take advantage of now and in the coming year.

Where do I start?

We encourage Australians to speak with the Bupa team to discuss the most suitable levels of Extras cover for their needs and discover how they can minimise their out of pocket expenses through exclusive benefits such as Members First Platinum where you pay nothing for dental check-ups at Bupa recognised providers.

However, what many newly engaged couples don’t think about are the financial elements of marriage such as health insurance, car insurance and even travel insurance for the honeymoon. Getting on top of these elements early can provide couples with big savings while helping them avoid costly expenses over the course of a marriage.

So, if you just made plans to tie the knot (or are about too…) now is the ideal time to ‘engage’ in some serious insurance admin.

Plan for when 2 become 3, 4, 5, …

While you and your partner may be covered by an existing policy, any children you may have along the way are not covered unless you move to a family policy. Once you upgrade to family cover, make sure you add any new members of the family to the policy as soon as you have them. Even a furry addition to the family can be covered under a separate pet insurance policy.

Put a ring on your car insurance policies 

If you and your partner both have cars, multi-car policies can potentially offer great savings and a lot less paperwork.

Don't get off to a rocky start on your honeymoon

While Medicare will cover your medical costs domestically, this is not the case in other countries where doctor and hospital bills can run into thousands. Travel insurance is relatively inexpensive, compared to the cost of a honeymoon and covers you for a variety of things that can go wrong such as overseas medical expenses, lost luggage and flight cancellations.

[1] https://www.easyweddings.com.au/business/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/07/Easy-Weddings-2019-Survey.pdf

Bupa Health Insurance Managing Director, Dr Dwayne Crombie, said delivering value for money to customers remained a priority, with a continued focus on addressing affordability of premiums and reducing members out-of-pocket costs when needing care.

“We’ve tried to achieve a delicate balance between affordability for members and the higher than CPI growth in healthcare costs,” Dr Crombie said.

“Healthcare costs are increasing faster than other segments due to rising demand for treatment from an ageing population and more chronic illness, on top of the traditional inflationary costs such as wages.

“We’ve again absorbed some of those costs on behalf of members, recognising the hip pocket pressures Australians are facing.

“We remain committed to delivering value for our members; we pay hundreds of millions of dollars more on average in benefits than our main competitors and our customers have the lowest out-of-pocket costs for medical services as a result.

“While I’m supportive of seeing further health insurance reforms by the Federal Government, I also know that we need to continue to deliver innovative models of care which improve the lives of our customers and help contain claims growths.

“Last financial year alone we delivered hospital substitution programs such as rehabilitation, mental health and chemotherapy services in the home to more than 6,000 members. This provision of services at home not only helped deliver a more positive patient experience with the same clinical outcomes, but also had savings of more than $6m. Greater flexibility to fund additional services such as these will only continue to deliver greater value and choice of setting to members.

“Customers can also have increased confidence we use their money responsibly, with the lowest management expenses ratio of all insurers. We also captured more than $50m in savings this past year through improved operational efficiency which helped keep the premium increase below the actual claims growth,” Dr Crombie said.

The premium increase will come in to effect on 1 April 2020. Bupa members will be contacted from February with their individual premium changes, which can vary depending on type of cover and what state they are in. Customers are encouraged to undertake a cover review to ensure they are receiving the appropriate cover for their stage of life and healthcare needs.

A new partnership with online mental health treatment provider THIS WAY UP (TWU) will allow Bupa members* to access online programs for common mental health difficulties like stress, worry, anxiety, and depression.

Bupa’s Managing Director of Health Insurance, Dr Dwayne Crombie, said “the initiative is a great example of thinking about alternative ways to deliver healthcare to meet the needs of members while achieving equally compelling clinical outcomes”.

“Research has demonstrated that internet based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) delivered via accredited programs such as THIS WAY UP is effective in treating anxiety and depression,” Dr Crombie said.

“We know that two commonly cited barriers to receiving mental health support are limited access and the associated costs. Thanks to Bupa’s partnership with THIS WAY UP we can now address both – courses are available online 24/7, with 100 per cent of costs covered for eligible Bupa members.”

On average, 80% of people who complete one of THIS WAY UP’s courses benefit substantially, with 50% no longer being troubled by anxiety or depression.¹

Almost half of all Australians aged 16-85 years will experience a mental health disorder at some time in their life.²

“Internet-based treatment allows consumers to undertake treatment at a place and time that is suitable and convenient to them; this may be outside of normal business hours, or undertaken over the weekend. We know that for our members located in regional and remote areas of Australia, access to online health services can be a key enabler to receiving such support.”

Developed by a team of leading St Vincent’s clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, these courses teach specific coping skills to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression and are designed to mimic a course of CBT treatment you'd typically receive when seeing a clinician face-to-face. All courses on offer have been proven to reduce symptoms through clinical trials conducted by the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD), with the results published in leading scientific journals.

THIS WAY UP is part of the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD), a joint facility of St Vincent's Hospital and the University of New South Wales established to reduce the impact of anxiety and depressive disorders on individuals.

THIS WAY UP’s Clinical Director, Dr Mike Millard, welcomed the partnership.

“The mission of THIS WAY UP has always been to ease the burden of mental illness through providing clinically-proven mental health interventions in a way that is accessible to more Australians.

“It is often difficult to seek and access mental health treatment. By enabling individuals to enrol in our courses anytime anywhere, without the need to obtain a referral or waiting in line for the next available slot, we encourage consumers to access the therapeutic tools they need sooner than they might be able to otherwise.

“By further removing the barrier of treatment cost, we are certain that THIS WAY UP’s partnership with BUPA will empower more individuals to take action towards regaining their mental health. We commend Bupa for taking such a leadership role in funding innovative care beyond hospital walls”

*A benefit can only be paid after completion of a Bupa recognised Online CBT course. On selected Domestic and International Extras and Package Covers, including Advantage OSHC Cover. Yearly limits, fund rules and waiting periods apply.

1. THIS WAY UP. Available from: thiswayup.org.au/about-us/research
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health services in Australia. Available from: www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services

Every Wednesday for the past four years, Connie has volunteered her time and skills at the Bupa care home in Eastwood (near Bairnsdale, Eastern Victoria), spending time with residents living with dementia.

She plays games of ‘balloon tennis’ or skittles to encourage residents to stay active, work on their coordination, and most importantly, to have fun.

"The games get the residents moving, stretching, laughing and having fun. Sometimes they surprise themselves, and me, with how they can move during the games," Connie said. 

“If they’re not in the mood for games, we’ll just sit around and chat. They tell me stories from their younger years – one resident was a fireman, one was a salesman, they all have great stories to tell," said Connie.

Connie is part of a group of dedicated local volunteers at Bupa Eastwood who lend their skills, passion and time to run activities for residents at the home such as barbecues, games, visits with therapy dogs, outings and tai chi.

Along with her work at Bupa, Connie also volunteers with Riding for the Disabled every week. And since retiring ten years ago, Connie has helped to open up an audiometry clinic in Nepal, which she still regularly visits.

Kathryn McHenry, General Manager of the Bupa Eastwood home said the contribution of these volunteers was extremely valuable to the overall wellbeing of residents.

“We are so grateful to have an incredible group of caring and passionate volunteers who regularly visit our Eastwood home. We work closely with volunteers to plan activities that promote social interaction, inclusion and benefit both the mental and physical health of our residents.

“The residents get so much joy out of spending time with the volunteers and participating in the activities, they're such an important part of our Eastwood community,” said Kathryn.

Thursday 5 December is International Volunteer Day. The 2019 theme is ‘Volunteer for an inclusive future’, highlighting the pursuit of equality – including inclusion – through volunteerism.

Bupa thanks all our volunteers across the country for the passion, joy and care they bring to our aged care residents.

​Sally Damiani, Bupa’s Director of Customer Experience, said the initiative helps empower customers and improve transparency of health care costs.

“We know that our customer’s claiming experience with Bupa is a moment of truth, and often a driver for how they perceive the value and affordability of their cover,” Ms Damiani says.

“By educating our customers about why they didn’t have to pay anything, we’re helping them to understand how their cover works, reminding them about our network of providers so they’ll continue to have a positive experience, and reinforcing the value of their cover at the same time,” Ms Damiani said.

The Bupa Members First Extras Network helps members pay less for most services that are included in their Extras health cover such as most dental, optical, physio, chiro and podiatry. In return for Bupa paying providers a set fee, members receive higher benefits and have the certainty of knowing how much they’ll get back.

Ms Damiani said that the real time SMS functionality will roll out to all providers, not just Member First, in future stages.

“While it’s important to highlight why a customer has had a great experience, we also need to help them understand why they might not have got as much back on their claim as they expected, and how it can be avoided next time.

“The next stage we’re working on is focusing on customers who have had a gap experience at an extras provider, to acknowledge the fact that they’ve claimed and recommend their next best step.” Ms Damiani says.

Diabetes has been associated with an increased risk of vision and hearing loss. In Australia, diabetes is the biggest cause of preventable blindness. Recent studies have shown people living with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer hearing loss than those without the condition.

The more severe the diabetes, the more significant the risk of permanent hearing and vision loss. Because diabetes is a condition that affects blood vessels all through the body, persistently high blood sugar levels can impact the small blood vessels in the eyes and inner ear.

Bupa Optometrist Karen Makin says conditions like diabetic retinopathy (which affects up to 35% of Australians living with diabetes) often give no visual symptoms or can be undetected as changes to eye sight happen slowly over time.

“Symptoms often don’t emerge until the later stages of the condition when people suffer vision loss,” says Makin. “The good news is that in many cases, serious vision loss can be prevented with regular eye examinations and early treatment.”

Bupa Audiologist Vijay Marimuthu says changes to hearing can also be sudden and symptoms can creep up slowly over time.

“Hearing is something people neglect, but the impact of hearing loss is profound,” he says.“Undiagnosed hearing loss can affect your overall sense of wellbeing. It can lead to isolation, loss of confidence, break down in relationships and depression.”

“The earlier the hearing loss is detected, the more effective the treatment,” says Marimuthu.

Treatment may be as simple as wearing a hearing aid.

When you’re diagnosed with diabetes it’s important to have an eye test and a hearing test. After that it’s recommended you have a check up once a year or as recommended by your optometrist or audiologist.

As well as regular checks, the best way to protect your vision and hearing is to ensure your diabetes is well managed.

Find your nearest Bupa Optical and Hearing store.

Dr Cheryl Carcel, Clinical Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, said that while growing numbers of countries have introduced policies and practices which require the integration of sex and gender analyses in competitive research grants and/or publications in journals, few equivalent policies or practices exist here.

“While all Australian Government departments and agencies were required to align their business practices with guidelines on the recognition of sex and gender by 1 July 2016, we found that eight of Australia’s top ten research funding agencies and four of our top ten journals still did not have policies on the collection, analysis and reporting of sex- and gender-specific health data,” she said.

“Australian medical research has fallen behind North America and Europe in recognising sex and gender as a key determinant of health, and its importance for health research and improved health outcomes.”

“Failure to keep pace with the rest of the world will see Australia become increasingly less competitive when applying for funding from international bodies and reduce international partnership opportunities with overseas organisations,” Dr Carcel added.

Head of Public Health and Medical Director at Bupa Australia Dr Zoe Wainer said that across a broad-range of health areas, data have been collected from men and generalised to women, but a growing body of research shows that this approach was no longer appropriate.

“We know that differences exist between men and women for conditions that cause the greatest health burden in Australia and globally including cancer, cardiometabolic disease, mental illness and substance use, and dementia.”

“While Australian researchers are at the forefront of expanding the global knowledge base on sex and gender differences in health, we clearly need to do better in translating that into practice,” she said.

Amongst the paper’s authors are representatives of leading educational institutions, including UNSW, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Queensland, Macquarie University and La Trobe University as well as the Australian Human Rights Commission and The National Heart Foundation.

Dr Wainer added that it was time for stakeholders across the board to ensure that health research and the medical profession that relies on it reflects current evidence to deliver the best health outcomes and most efficient care for Australians.

“We’re calling on universities and other training institutions, learned academies and professional societies, governments, medical and health research funders, peer-reviewed journals and industry to address this gap in medical research and ensure that Australian science continues to be world leading,” said Dr Wainer.

This study investigates how Australian-Government supported technology can support the coordination of highly-personalised care across primary, secondary, and hospital-level clinics as well as between public and private services.

This project will use new and emerging technologies as the vehicle to enhance self-assessment and highly personalised care for young people at the first point of contact with a mental health service to support person-centred and outcomes-focused care.

Importantly, researchers will partner with young people, their families and health professionals throughout the project, and will collaboratively use research findings to inform national policy and practice.

Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said: “Mental health is our great national challenge. Despite a significant investment in services, many people find it difficult to access the care they need.

The project was awarded funding in the recent Bupa Health Foundation competitive funding round focused on improving mental health models of care in Australia.

A/Professor Annette Schmiede, Bupa Health Foundation’s Executive Leader, said “Mental health is a key focus for the Bupa Health Foundation and investment in research and development at a systems level is needed to ensure best outcomes for patients and the health system are achieved.”

Professor Ian Hickie, Co-Director, Health and Policy at The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, said “This program of practical health-services research, at the regional scale, is just what the Australian health system needs. In an area that has been poorly-funded historically and under-researched, we will use an evidence-based and data-driven approach to provide genuine integration of personal care. The project uses new digital technologies combined with a continuous and streamlined circle of care."

“We are thrilled to have the University of Sydney and its linked headspace services working with St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Private Psychiatry Clinics and Sydney Local Health District Services to deliver this project. The backing of the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network for enabling technologies has also been critical. It is now possible to have people working collaboratively at the regional level and move beyond their individual service settings to really meet the needs of young people with major mental health problems”, Professor Hickie said.

Discover more about about the Bupa Health Foundation. Since 2005, the Foundation has invested more than $32 million in over 130 projects, focused on translating Australian research into real health and care improvements.

Even the youngest among us can experience issues with their mental wellbeing, with Kids Helpline suggesting that the number of children seeking help is growing year on year.

In fact, according to a report issued in 2018, Kids Helpline has seen the number of children aged between 10 and 14 contacting them in 2017 more than doubling, to seek help for a whole range of things including family relationships, emotional wellbeing, counselling and issues with dating and partners.

Getting support for mental health issues early is important, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve partnered with Kids Helpline to sponsor the Kids Helpline @ School Wellbeing program. The program is a free counsellor-led session, delivered in the classroom to primary school students around the country.

WATCH:

“In the first 12 months of the program, we’ve been really pleased to reach more than 15,000 students across Australia, with about 200 schools participating so far,” shared Kate Driessen, Bupa Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Manager. 

“Teachers are telling us that their students are far more likely to exhibit better choices and decision making in the future as a result of the program”.

The program is designed to increase resilience and encourage help seeking by children, using early intervention to help set children up with the tools they need to look after their emotional wellbeing into the future.

“Importantly it has allowed us to increase the number of students we can have conversations with, to promote help seeking, to promote early intervention, to promote the idea that it’s ok to reach out for help if you need it and that’s a great thing in our book” said Tony FitzGerald, Virtual Services Manager Kids Helpline.

To find out more about the school program, or to get your school involved, you can visit Kids Helpline.

As a parent, if you need some guidance or are worried about the mental health of your children, we also offer the Bupa Mental Health Navigation Service to our Health Insurance members. The service is available 24/7, nationwide, to all Bupa members who have an active Hospital product that covers themselves and their children. It’s designed to help identify your child’s needs, and then help guide you to the next best step to take.

To find out more about this service, please visit our Mental Health Navigation Service information page.

And of course, if you have an emergency need for support, you can contact:

• Lifeline: 13 11 14, or
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

“Since taking over the role of CEO earlier this year, I have made it my number one priority to get the quality of care right in our aged care business for each one of our 6500 residents," he said.

“A number of changes have been made, including hiring a new Managing Director of Aged Care, increasing the number of people that we have focussed on quality care, clinical services and training, as well as auditing of all of our homes in a similar manner to the external regulator.

“Overwhelmingly, the aged care sector delivers a great service for the vast majority of people. Sometimes we don’t always get that right. And where we don’t get it right, I can assure you that we are absolutely committed to addressing those problems as effectively and quickly as we can. People should be confident that in the vast majority of case we deliver a great service to their loved ones.

“We have nine homes that are sanctioned by the regulator and three of those homes have already passed their auditing process and we've got applications to remove sanctions from those. So, I expect in the near term that we'll have six homes under sanction, which is still six too many and it's my expectation and my ambition that we will have all of our homes operating effectively the end of this year.”

WATCH:

For more on our response to recent aged care reports, click here.

Return to Aged Care News

Bupa is committed to ensuring that past mistakes don’t happen again and is currently rolling out a range of major improvements to its aged care business.

One of the first changes was appointing a new Managing Director of Aged Care for Australia, Suzanne Dvorak.

We sat down with Suzanne to hear about her first few months at Bupa and what she has been focusing on to help return all of Bupa’s aged care homes to full compliance.

“We’re also making sure that the right levels of senior management are in place, with new experienced General Managers and Clinical Care Managers joining our team. We’ve rolled out training for those who have been working with us for some time to ensure that we have the best level of clinical care for those living in our nursing homes.

“Additionally, there’s been a range of improvements introduced, including increasing staff numbers and reintroducing self-auditing. There has also been a lot of work around reviewing and improving food and nutrition options for those who live in Bupa’s nursing homes.

“Our team are doing everything possible to care for the residents who choose to call Bupa their home. Every day, those who work in our aged care homes come to work to do a good job. The team prides themselves on doing the best job that they can do.

“I think that we have absolutely acknowledged our faults in this, and we have said sorry to those relatives and to those residents who live with us.”

WATCH:

For more on our response to recent aged care reports, click here.

Return to Aged Care News

But until recently, the couple in their seventies had been living independent lives, both longing for a soulmate.

After an unsuccessful attempt at online dating, Peter says he never expected the Bupa Health Insurance store in Maroochydore to be the place he’d find love.

Peter had been waiting in the queue to chat to someone about his health insurance. He noticed Lyn, who’s legally blind, was having difficulty using the Queue Flow Manager – a system used to keep track of who was next in line.

“She was trying to read the screen and I asked if I could help her put her name in the system. So, I did, and we got chatting.”

“I went in for my turn and something just told me to wait outside for her. So, I waited for her to come back out then I asked her to have lunch with me.”

Lunch was a success, even with a few awkward fumbles.

“I did a despicable thing. I asked a blind lady out to the movies!” Peter laughed.

The laughs kept coming.

“She came to my place after a few months and she was in the bathroom and she said, “have you got a comb? And I put my head around the corner and said, “do I look like I own a comb? I’m bald!” he chuckled.

Customer Value Specialist Julie Burgess recalls the excitement she and her team felt when the long-standing customers came back into the Bupa Health Insurance store six months later to share their happy news with staff.

“Peter and Lyn came in to make a claim and they specifically waited for me to serve them. They had come to share the news that they had just become engaged!”

Lyn says life feels complete with Peter by her side.

“At this stage of life you start to get a little bit down if you’re on your own, but now we’re as happy as anything and it just goes to show that there’s a chance for everyone. If you can find a partner at our age who you’re compatible with, who you love and care about, and who you can spend the rest of your life with, that’s all you can ask for.”

“Even after 10 months together we’ve never said a harsh word. We’re always laughing.”

News of the couple’s engagement has warmed the hearts of everyone who works at the Maroochydore Bupa Health Insurance store.

“It’s absolutely been a great team booster. We were all excited, especially because of the great connection that we all have with these customers,” Julie said.

“The two just complement each other and you can tell they are happily in love and enjoying life together.”

“Now they do everything together. I even saw them recently at a bank in Caloundra and I went up to them and said hello. Peter was waiting in line for Lyn so she didn’t have to stand. What a gentleman!” says Julie.

Julie says it’s stories like this that make her job so fulfilling.

“I love our customers. You get to meet all different types of people. It’s about the connection, trust and instant loyalty you get from people when you do a good job of them through the tough times, but also through the good times. Just letting them know you are there.”

The newly engaged Lyn reminded Julie that she served her on her very first day of the job – a first impression which will last a lifetime.

“She’s got a lovely personality and she’s good to talk to. She’s fixed me up quite a few times and sorted me out,” Lyn said.

On behalf of all of us at Bupa, congratulations Lyn and Peter!

Read more health insurance news

There’s no denying that we all have a responsibility to take care of our own health and wellbeing. However, we spend a significant amount of our time at work, and organisations have a valuable role (and wonderful opportunity) in not only the prevention of mental health conditions but also in reducing stigma, raising awareness, encouraging early intervention and providing support throughout a recovery process.

Importantly, as an organisation we also have a legislative obligation to prevent harm (including psychological harm) to our people.

What is psychological safety at work?

Psychological safety is present in a work environment when people feel safe and comfortable being themselves and can openly speak up without any fear of judgment.

It’s an environment that facilitates trust and respect amongst team members and their leaders.

These qualities allow people to feel comfortable to reach out for help, which can prevent issues from occurring or escalating, or admitting if a mistake has been made. This gives an employer the opportunity to rectify errors as quickly as possible and gives our people the opportunity to learn and grow.

Life can present us with many unexpected challenges. At Bupa we work to ensure our people feel valued for who they are, supported for their unique needs, and safe because Bupa has the right systems in place to protect them.

What can workplaces do to actively create a psychologically safe working environment?

It’s important to remember that we all have a role to play in creating a psychologically safe working environment.

There are a number of ways that workplaces can create psychologically safe environments:

• Make information and resources easily accessible to help employees better understand mental health, how it may impact someone, and the workplace support available.

• Arrange and participate in activities which raise awareness of mental health to reduce stigma surrounding mental ill-health.

• Encourage employees to share their own experiences of mental health with others as another way of reducing stigma surrounding mental ill-health.

• Encourage employees to do their own research and upskill their own mental health literacy. This can support people to understand what someone who is struggling with their mental health may be experiencing.

• Encourage employees to speak up when something isn’t feeling right or if there is a better way that a workplace may be able to support them.

Leaders can effectively foster psychologically safe environments through a number of simple practices:

• Know team members as individuals with unique needs. Everyone’s experiences of mental health are different and knowing what someone’s ‘normal’ looks like (i.e., their usual behaviour within the workplace), can help us to quickly identify when something has changed. These changes are often an indication that someone may not be coping, and recognising changes gives us an opportunity to open a conversation and offer support early.

• Talk openly and respectfully about mental health. Talking openly as a leader can demonstrate that you are confident and comfortable to discuss the topic and increases the chance of team members speaking openly in future.

• Provide role clarity and purpose to ensure team members experience minimal stress and team conflict and are feeling satisfied in the contribution they are making within their role.

• Set a standard of acceptable behaviours. Behaving appropriately within a workplace contributes to a positive workplace culture and environment.

• Recognise and celebrate achievements, to improve morale, feelings of being valued and job satisfaction. A lack of recognition is a risk factor for psychological distress at work.

• Be a positive role model. Engage in practices and activities that support overall health and wellbeing and encourage team members to do the same.

• Be open when times are tough. Acknowledging the reality of challenging times within a workplace ensures team members feel confident that as a leader, you have a clear grasp on not only the situation but what they as team members may be needing in response. This acknowledgement may provide people with an opportunity to feel safe to speak up.

• Offer support at every appropriate opportunity. Take time to regularly check in with team members, to maintain an open communication channel. Extending offers of support, even if it’s as simple as having a caring conversation can support people regardless of their mental health.

   

What's Bupa doing to help create a psychologically safe worplace?

Over a number of years, we have worked to ensure that there are a variety of initiatives to support and enhance mental health and psychological safety.

• We have made a broad range of information and resources available to our people on various mental health topics, so that they have opportunities to enhance their understanding, take care of themselves and understand the signs of someone who is not coping. This has also included endorsing avenues of appropriate support, both inside and outside of Bupa.

• Bupa raises awareness of R U OK Day each year to reduce the stigma surrounding mental ill-health and encourage people to be brave and have open, caring conversations.

• Bupa recognises Mental Health Month each year in October, where we interview some of our employees to share their experiences and encourage others who may be struggling to speak up and access support. We also run a number of internal competitions encouraging blogging on our intranet about personal experiences of health and wellbeing. We have an employee health and wellbeing program called Smile, which really focuses on our people’s holistic health and wellbeing.

• We have designed and delivered a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing leadership capability to support mental health and psychological safety, including a “Supporting Mental Health Guide for Managers”, numerous online learning modules, training programs and certifications such as Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training.

• We have also developed fun, practical and simple resources for teams and individuals to understand how important it is to take care of themselves both inside and outside of work. We have created resources increasing education around reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, as well as increasing education around bullying and its impact on mental health and wellbeing.

   

What is Bupa doing for R U OK Day?

This is the third year we have jumped on board the R U OK Day campaign. Following the success of previous years, we have created ‘activation packs’ for individuals wishing to raise awareness within their local working environment and teams. The packs include a variety of R U OK merchandise to create visibility of the important campaign, information on available support at Bupa, and some key messages to share on the day. Importantly, those raising awareness will be provided with guidance on what to do if someone is not okay, including internal avenues of support.

How teams raise awareness on the day is up to them, many choose to hold a morning/afternoon tea, a team lunch or a walk outside the workplace to meaningfully connect.

We are also expecting to see lots of photos, stories and experiences shared on our intranet throughout the day!

If you reach out to someone on R U OK Day, and you realise they’re not OK, what should you do?

The R U OK Day steps are both simple and effective. Firstly:

• Prepare yourself to ask the question (make sure you’re in a good headspace, have time to listen and be prepared that they may not be okay).
• Have the conversation in a place that’s private and informal where you can listen without judgment (give the person time to think and take what they say seriously).

In a case where you find a person isn’t okay, the next best step is to encourage action. Asking questions like, “What would be a good first step we can take?” or “How can I help you with this?” can prompt someone to identify what they may be needing.

Other good avenues for support may include talking to trusted family or friends, a GP, or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through their work, if this is available.

If someone is needing more urgent support, that is, if they mention that they are thinking about taking their own life, encourage them to call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

Importantly, remember to check in on the person in a few days’ time, to see if they have accessed any support or found ways to better manage their situation.

If life is ever in imminent danger, contact 000.

Tell me a bit about your role and your purpose at Bupa?

I’m a Psychological Health and Safety Specialist within Bupa’s Wellbeing, Health and Safety Team. As a team, our approach to wellbeing, health and safety is underpinned by Bupa’s purpose; to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.

Bupa is a global health and care business and our people are our greatest asset. We are all responsible for doing everything we can to protect our customers, patients, residents and each other from harm, and to promote wellbeing.

The Psychological Health and Safety Team works to increase Bupa’s capability to prevent and manage psychological risks through leadership practices, people processes and policies. My role involves designing and managing mental health initiatives to support the mental health of our people, as well as the provision of psychological advisory to the business both proactively, to support positive mental health outcomes and reactively, to mitigate the impact of activities that threaten to cause psychological harm to our people. We work to ensure that our people feel safe, valued, and supported for their unique needs.

Asking R U OK is a simple question, that has such a powerful impact to someone who might be needing to connect and talk through their worries or concerns. Be brave and ask the question, not only on RUOK Day, but every day.

Also, remember to check in with yourself throughout the process of supporting others, practising self-care enables us to be the best version of ourselves and helps us to support those around us even better.

Read more from people working at Bupa

But by and large we look after 6500 residents, we have 9000 people who come to work every day wanting to make a difference and who genuinely care about the level of service they provide to all of those residents.

Where we have got things wrong, we are absolutely committed, and I am committed as the new CEO of this company, to ensure that we get it right.”

Listen to the full interview here:

For more on our response to recent aged care reports, click here.

At Bupa, we seek ways to continuously improve the quality of care and standards of living for our residents. Where we haven’t met the expected standards and have let people down, we are deeply sorry. This has been the subject of some recent media coverage. We are making the necessary improvements to put things right.

In the vast majority of our 72 aged care homes across Australia, things are working well and we are meeting the expected standards for our residents.

We are investing millions of dollars into our aged care business. This has included additional staffing, resources and training. We’ve also listened to residents and their families and are acting on their feedback.

We know that fixing some of these issues takes time, but a number of the homes that were previously identified as having problems have now passed external audits, are no longer sanctioned and have been fully re-accredited.

Since joining Bupa in June of this year, I can assure you that we are taking our responsibility very seriously and we are committed to ensuring we support our residents with care and respect every day.

Bupa is proud of the 9,000 people who work hard in our homes to ensure residents’ clinical, lifestyle and wellbeing needs are met.

Our nurses, carers and support staff are committed to caring for those in our care.

We are working to improve the quality of care in each and every home we operate, to help ensure that past mistakes don’t happen again and to restore confidence in all of our homes.

Suzanne Dvorak

Managing Director, Bupa Villages and Aged Care 

For more on our response to recent aged care reports, click here.

Want to stay up to date with the latest new from Bupa? SUBSCRIBE here. 

Dr Young accepted the award at a ceremony in Melbourne.

“A career in research can be a difficult path to forge, even if you’re lucky to have a great mentor as I do in Professor Phil Morgan. When the finalists were announced I was beyond inspired by the company I found myself in. It’s an honour to be named the overall winner and I can’t wait to use this support to create better health outcomes for men’s health,” said Dr Young.

The Emerging Health Researcher Awards acknowledge the valuable contributions of health researchers to improve the health and wellbeing of our community, and to provide resources and support to aid their career development.

In addition to the prizes awarded to each finalist, a number of nominees were invited to attend a workshop on research impact.

Delivered by Dr Tamika Heiden of Research Impact Academy, the interactive session provided valuable tools to help researchers demonstrate the impact of their work to funding bodies and the community.

Emerging Health Researcher Award 2019 – awarded $20,000 to further the recipient’s research career

Dr Myles Young, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle

Finalists – awarded $5,000 to further each recipient’s research career

Dr Myles Young, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle

Dr Jie Bin Lew, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Cancer Research Division, Cancer Council NSW

Dr Gemma Sharp, NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow in the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University

Dr Saree Alnaghy, Research Associate, Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, The University of Wollongong

Dr Aideen McInerney-Leo, NHMRC Research Fellow, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland

To learn more about each of the finalists read our announcement.

Commendations – awarded $1,000 to further each recipient’s research career

Dr Tatiana Soares da Costa, Research Fellow, Latrobe University - Developing new antibiotic products to overcome drug resistant bacteria

Dr Jane Davies, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research - Working to eliminate Hepatitis B virus in the Northern Territory.

Dr Lining (Arnold) Ju, Postdoctoral Fellow, Heart Research Institute, School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney - Developing biotechnologies for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr Mark Deady, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW - Mental health of high-risk individuals and appropriate interventions.

Dr Kathryn Eastwood, Research Fellow, Critical Care Research, Monash University - Developing novel tools to reduce the burden on emergency health services.

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The home’s General Manager, Loreeca O’Donnell said the visit was welcomed and gave residents the opportunity to exercise and have fun at the same time.

"When you get older, the speed of rugby union is a little bit too fast and hard, so we thought a few light exercises and a visit from Australia’s Rugby Sevens mens side might bring some cheer while making exercise both fun and engaging for our residents," Mrs O’Donnell said.

“It was great to see the boys give back to the community and having our local MP, Dave Sharma along made it all the more special,” she said.

In nothing more than a suggestion that people at the home would be overjoyed by a visit, the boys jumped at the opportunity to meet some of their longest living fans.

With them for the session was Dave Sharma MP, Member for Wentworth, who joined them for the low-intensity training session at Bupa’s Queens Park aged care home.

“Ensuring our aged citizens have rich and meaningful lives is a measure of us as a society,” Mr Sharma said.

“The Australian Rugby Sevens’ are known to captivate audiences on and off the field and it was fantastic to experience that first hand with the residents,” Mr Sharma said.

Read more news and stories from Bupa Aged Care

We all know that music can help people feel relaxed or energised, but can it really make a genuine difference to athletic performance?

According to the Melbourne Vixens netball team music plays a powerful role in the players’ mental preparation ahead of a game and during training, acting as a push factor against the feelings of anxiety and nervousness and boosting the team’s energy levels.

“Before our court sessions and in the gym, we have the music playing in the background, to get everyone in the mood to really work hard,” team captain Kate Moloney said.

Studies looking at the effect of music on athletic performance have indicated that those who listen to music during exercise often have enhanced output.

Boxers reported improved quality and intensity of training, martial artists performed better in karate drills and runners were found to have improved endurance on a treadmill.

Bupa's Psychological Health and Safety Specialist, Emily Meates, says the benefits of listening to music while exercising don't stop there.

“As well as performance improvement, research has indicated that listening to music in training or preparation for competition can influence our emotional state and physiological arousal," she said.

"It can encourage a more positive mood, act as both a stimulant to “psych ourselves up”, a sedative to “calm down” and, depending on the intensity of exercise, may also lower perception of effort - meaning we may find it more enjoyable.”

Kate Moloney says the team have carefully selected playlists with different songs for different purposes, with teammate Emily Mannix often taking the lead.

“Music is something that can bring people together. Quite often your music taste reflects your personality and it can be a real talking point between teammates.”

“We all have such different tastes, so it’s really nice to get to know each other a little bit better and find out what motivates everyone.”

You can access the Vixens’ favourite playlists on spotify here.

Continue reading:

Despite her myriad of achievements, Vixens Captain Kate Moloney says it’s the times she didn’t win or wasn’t picked for a team that ultimately shaped her success. She shares her story with Bupa Health Link here.

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This year, the five finalists showcase the diversity of Australian health and medical research, working on public health, medical engineering, laboratory science and clinical research spanning fields including genetics, cancer and mental health.

Bupa Health Foundation Executive Leader Annette Schmiede congratulated the finalists.

The 2019 Emerging Health Researcher Awards finalists are:

• Dr Aideen McInerney-Leo, a genetic counsellor and Research Fellow at the University of Queensland who is focused on improving the care and overall health of people who are undergoing genetic testing.

• Dr Saree Alnaghy - a Research Associate from the University of Wollongong who has developed a robotic device that mimics the movement of tumors to help reduce errors in radiation cancer treatments.

• Dr Gemma Sharp - a clinical psychologist and NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow at Monash University who is developing online tools to help prevent serious health disorders associated with body image.

• Dr Jie Bin Lew - a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Cancer Council NSW who has developed a predictive modelling tool to evaluate the most effective ways to prevent bowel cancer in Australia.

• Dr Myles Young - a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Newcastle who is developing tailored interventions to improve the physical and mental health of men

Each finalist will receive $5,000 and support to help further their career. The award winner will be announced on 27^th August and will receive an additional $20,000.

Since this award began in 2012 the Foundation has invested $374,000 to support Australia’s emerging leaders in health research.

Dr Aideen McInerney-Leo, NHMRC Research Fellow, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland

Nominated by: Professor Peter Soyer, Director, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute

Dr McInerney-Leo is a clinical researcher and genetic counsellor. Her research program is highly transdisciplinary, involving collaborations in which she utilised genome sequencing to identify new genes, as well as research that identifies ethical issues, patient and family concerns and appropriate protocols to guide genetic testing in clinical practice.

To date, this research has:

• identified new genes for conditions which affect how the skeleton develops
• documented highly variable clinician practice with regard to genetic test ordering and interpretation, and
• tested human versus computer methods of consenting patients to genetic testing.

Aideen is now leading a research program addressing the translation of genetic testing for melanoma, a highly prevalent cancer in Australia, into clinical practice.

Dr Saree Alnaghy, Research Associate, Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, The University of Wollongong

Nominated by: Professor Anatoly Rozenfeld, Director of the Center for Medical Radiation Physics, The University of Wollongong

Dr Alnaghy is a researcher in the field of medical radiation physics, focusing on improving quality assurance in cancer treatments with radiation therapy.

Dr Alnaghy has been working on a world-first robotic measurement system that can perform quality-assurance for complex radiotherapy treatments.

This research has the potential to reduce radiation-related errors in the clinic by allowing clinicians to identify issues in patient safety and answer fundamental clinical questions.

Dr Gemma Sharp, NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow in the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University

Nominated by: Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Director, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre and Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr Sharp is a psychological and biomedical researcher whose work focuses on physical appearance and body image concerns, and the serious disorders, such as eating disorders, which stem from them.

Dr Sharp is currently collaborating with The Butterfly Foundation and Instagram to create an online intervention tool for body image concerns. Using artificial intelligence to produce a chatbot, this research has the potential to assist millions of people around the world and address a major health issue affecting Australians.

Dr Jie Bin Lew, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Cancer Research Division, Cancer Council NSW

Nominated by: Dr Eleonora Feletto, Research Fellow, Cancer Council NSW

Looking at population-level impacts and implementation of national health initiatives, Dr Lew’s work is focused on improving the participation rates in life-saving preventative screening programs for bowel cancer.

Despite a 90% success rate with early intervention and treatment, bowel cancers remain the second highest cancer killer in Australia. Dr Lew’s predictive modelling platform has the potential to increase the efficacy of public health campaigns and save many lives.

Dr Myles Young, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Education, University of Newcastle

Nominated by: Professor Philip Morgan, School of Education University of Newcastle

For seven years, Dr Young has led a research program developing and evaluating innovative, targeted interventions to improve men’s physical and mental health.

Dr Young has developed a range of innovative behavioural weight loss programs designed specifically for men and delivered online, supporting men to lose weight without requiring face-to-face counselling. In partnership with major health organisations (e.g. Diabetes WA), these programs are now being adopted by men and workplaces across Australia.

For more on the Bupa Health Foundation and Emerging Health Researcher Awards: bupa.com.au/foundation

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Now 73 years old with 7 grandchildren, he’s still working part time as a Bupa Executive and says his footy career helped provide him with critical skills to succeed in business.

We sat down with Huddo to chat about life after football and his words of advice for Rough.

LISTEN HERE.

Bupa is the official Health and Care Partner of the Hawthorn Football Club.

UP NEXT: Roughy leaves a legacy - the greatest lessons we've learnt from Jarryd Roughead.

“I am content with everything I have achieved in my career to date and I know it’s the right time for myself, my family and the club,” Roughead said.

“To play this great game for such a long time and to have experienced success like we have is something I’ll never take for granted. I want to thank everyone at the Hawthorn Football Club for supporting me through all the highs and lows. The bonds and friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime.”

Making a name for yourself as a star footballer is one thing, but making a genuine difference to the health and wellbeing of Australians is, arguably, an even greater achievement.

Roughy had the nation holding their breath after a skin cancer diagnosis in 2016. A melanoma which he had cut out of his lip the year prior had come back after treatment and the cancer had spread to his lungs.

He took part in a new immunotherapy treatment, a combination of Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilimumab) and was declared cancer-free just months later to the relief and astonishment of many.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Peter "Huddo" Hudson's words of wisdom for retiring Hawk Jarryd Roughead and reflections on life after football.

The experience prompted him to sign on as an ambassador of the ‘Helping our Health’ campaign to raise awareness of the value of clinical trials in Australia.

“Initially, I thought the clinical trial was a bit of a long shot, but it saved my life. We need more trials to improve drugs and treatments. I don’t think there should be any negative stigma surrounding it,” he told Hamish McLachlan.

“A lot of people think that it’s only available to the people that are sick, but in actual fact, it’s for anyone that’s open to being a participant and willing to try different trials that could benefit not only people that are sick, but people that are fully healthy.”

He also became an advocate for sun safety and skin cancer awareness, encouraging footy fans to cover up and undertake regular skin checks.

In honour of Jarryd Roughead and his stellar career, take a close look at your skin regularly, and always remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.

When trying to work out if a mole could be cancerous, remember the ABCDE of skin checking:

A = Asymmetry: Look for spots that are uneven and lack symmetry.

B = Border: Look out for spots with a border that is spreading, notched, irregular or blurred.

C = Colour: Look out for spots made up of more than one colour e.g. brown, black, red, white or blue.

D = Diameter: Look out for spots that are larger than 6 millimetres, or are growing bigger.

E = Evolving: Look out for spots that are changing in shape, colour, elevation, firmness or another trait (such as itching, bleeding or crusting).None of these signs mean that the mole IS cancerous, however they are indications that you should promptly get the mole or spot checked by a health professional.

People who are at high risk of developing skin cancer (e.g. those who work outdoors or who have a family or personal history of skin cancer) should also have a skin check with a qualified health professional every 3-12 months, or as often as your doctor recommends.

Bupa is the official Health and Care Partner of the Hawthorn Football Club.

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These recommendations were developed over 12 months of consultation by the taskforce, facilitated by independent policy institute Global Access Partners (GAP) and made up of health professionals, academics, consumer representatives and industry groups.

The recommendations are:

1. Increase the emphasis on prevention and chronic disease management services.
2. Fund equitable access to a patient-centred delivery model in primary care.
3. Implement all independent MBS Review recommendations as soon as possible, to remove low-value care and improve patient outcomes.
4. Leverage the existing clinical committee infrastructure from the MBS Review to create an ongoing review process to identify low-value care opportunities.
5. Invest in the utilisation of technology in primary care, e.g., telehealth, consumer email and out-of-hours communication, and online self-help resources.
6. Provide effective cover for dentistry services, particularly for children, the elderly and people in lower socio-economic groups, including Indigenous Australians.
7. Support the utilisation of mental health services, including digital services, to improve access to services and the delivery of treatment services that are consistent with best-practice care.
8. Through a private-public partnership structure, pool funds (e.g., Primary Health Networks, Medicare, other state and federal funding, PHI) to develop more innovative models of care, including by leveraging outcome-based payments for either (a) specific patient cohorts, or (b) specific episodes of care, to strengthen the incentive for case management and hospital avoidance activities.
9. Ensure the price paid for services is appropriately benchmarked to the value they demonstrate.
10. Establish a National Centre for Healthcare Innovation and Improvement as a public-private partnership.
11. Establish a standardised national approach to measuring patient-centred health outcomes for specific healthcare episodes and conditions.
12. Require publication of average charges for consultations and common procedures, and mandate pre-service disclosure of out-of-pocket expenses and an auditable informed patient consent to these costs in non-emergency situations.
13. Require all health service providers to publicise information on complication and re-admission rates, and longitudinal health outcome data, with appropriate confidentiality protections.
14. Develop a primary health information strategy to standardise data collection nationally, with the aim of improving patient experience and preventative health efforts.
15. Invest in implementing national digital health initiatives to effectively maximise their value.
16. Require healthcare professionals to maintain technology and data standards as a condition of accessing Medicare funding.
17. Increase contestability for public health services e.g., allowing private organisations to manage integrated health budgets or managing dental care programs.
18. Establish joint working models between public and private sector bodies to ensure compliance and reduce fraud.
19. Develop a long-term national health workforce reform strategy that incorporates the impact of automation and the role of precision medicine changing workforce requirements.

Taskforce chair, Martin Bowles AO PSM, emphasised the need for long-term thinking and reforms that build on the existing system.

Patient-centred models of care and increased transparency are among the suggestions put forward in the report.

Bupa Managing Director, Dr. Dwayne Crombie, welcomed this approach.

"Affordability is a major concern for the health system and we need to prioritise delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right setting," he said.

"Cost pressures driven by the ageing population aren’t going away, so it’s critical that the health sector works together to ensure long-term sustainability."

Improving affordability for customers remains a key focus for Bupa.

Several pilots are underway, aiming to provide the same or better health outcomes at lower cost, while also giving customers more choice. Rehabilitation, chemotherapy and palliative care in the home are among the services currently being rolled out to Bupa customers across the country.

The Bupa Health Foundation co-funded the Australia’s Health 2040 taskforce, alongside GAP, EY, Johnson & Johnson Australia and Westpac. Read the full report here. 

Find out more about what's affecting the cost of health care

The annual report found women aged 15-34 had the highest rates of diagnosed depression and anxiety in 2017 at 20.1 per cent, almost doubling the number of cases reported in 2009.

Men in the same age group also reported an increase, from 6.1 per cent to 11.2 per cent in the same period.

In the past decade mental health campaigns have successfully raised awareness of the signs and symptoms of mental illness. Professor Jane Burns says we need to shift focus to address the social factors behind the problem.

The HILDA survey is a national longitudinal study produced annually by the Melbourne Institute. It polls the same group of Australians over their lifetime on family structure, income and health.

With a career in suicide prevention and mental health advocacy spanning more than two decades, Professor Burns has watched the health system struggle to meet the growing demand reflected in the latest HILDA. Her focus has now turned to innovation and partnership in an effort to disrupt existing models of care.

“The evidence is shouting loud and clear. We need to direct our efforts towards emphasising social connection, meaningful participation, and reducing disparities in access to care.”

“At the same time, the goal is the provision of a high quality value based health care system that understands and meets the complex needs experienced by a person living with mental illness – poverty, isolation, self-stigma, relationship breakdown, and loss of employment," said Professor Burns. 

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These may look like humble life ambitions, but what makes them so remarkable is that Marwa lives with a moderate intellectual disability.

She has been working at the home for five months and was employed through JobSupport which specialises in helping young people with an intellectual disability to find employment.

“Working in aged care is greater than I thought it would be. I really enjoy saying hello and good morning to people and seeing them smile,” Marwa said.

“I think this is way better than school and I like caring for people. Everyone here has been so nice to me,” she said.

One in five Australians are living with a disability but only 53 percent of them are employed.

“The team at Bupa and JobSupport have been so supportive. When I first started here, I didn’t know how to unload the washing machine but the girl I work with (Teresa) told me to take my time with things,” Marwa said.

The home’s Acting General Manager, Barbara Chipere said Marwa has been a great addition to the team.

“We have worked with Marwa’s case manager to develop a training program which highlights what works well and what challenges we need to overcome so we can ensure Marwa has a long career with us.

“I know for a fact that the staff, residents and their relatives who have met Marwa have really taken a liking to her. She handles tasks with grace and fits like a glove into our tight knit team,” she said.

JobSupport Manager, Melissa Clark said people with disability spend much of their lives overcoming barriers and one that’s often out of their hands is finding a job.

“We aim to remove the visible and invisible barriers that prevent people with disability from finding work. We are grateful that companies like Bupa have welcomed Marwa into a job with open arms and provided the necessary support for her to thrive at work,” Ms Clark said.

“We support employers like Bupa in helping employees fit into their role and in the process are helping to change perceptions of what people with a disability can achieve in the workplace.”

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According to the latest study from LiveLighter, a Cancer Council WA and Health Foundation WA partnership, less than half of Australians (44 per cent) get enough sleep most nights and one in three (28 per cent) only manage a good night’s sleep once a week.

But did you know poor quality sleep is also linked to increases in appetite, weight gain and chronic disease?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should have between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night, children and teens need even more.

Health psychologist at the Sleep Health Foundation, Dr Moira Junge, says sleep plays an important role in controlling our appetite and hormones.

“Mounting evidence suggests severe sleep deprivation can trigger an imbalance in people’s hunger hormones – causing a spike in hormone levels promoting hunger and a decline in those that make us feel fuller for longer,” she said.

“This may explain why we often feel hungry after a poor-quality sleep.”

Being tired impacts motivation, reducing the drive to get out and exercise and prepare healthy meals and increases the likelihood of reaching for easy, unhealthy snacks.

But Dr Junge says the health implications don’t stop there.

“Many people may be shocked to know that long term short sleep duration can increase our risk of health problems such as cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease by a startling 20 to 40 per cent,” Dr Junge said.

Bupa Health Foundation’s Dr Melina Georgousakis says obesity is one of the most serious health issues affecting Australians at the moment with two thirds of Australians now overweight (35.6 per cent) or obese (31.3 per cent).

“Of concern is that the prevalence of obesity, especially severe obesity (a body mass index of 35 or above), is increasing. In 2015 to '16 nearly 10 per cent of Australians were considered severely obese, almost doubling from 1995,” she said.

“Excess weight can increase a person’s risk of developing a number of diseases including stroke, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and 11 types of cancer.”

“While healthy diet and exercise are crucial when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, many people don’t recognise that it is more than just energy intake and output that drives weight gain. This is something being championed by groups like the Obesity Collective, a modern obesity movement in Australia which the Bupa Health Foundation is a member of,” she said.

“For example, there are genetic, social, behavioural and environment factors which all contribute to an individual’s weight. When looking at tackling the obesity crisis there are a number of systemic changes needed to create environments which support people to adopt a healthier lifestyle. This includes improving the quality of our sleep, which increasing amounts of evidence is showing to be important to maintaining health weight.”

Tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

• Implement a no-tech-in-the-bedroom rule. Mobiles, tablets, TVs and computers emit a blue light which can affect the production of melatonin, keeping you awake. Find an old fashioned alarm clock if you need one to wake up and keep the technology away from the bedroom.
• Practice mindfulness before bedtime. Mindfulness is known to help people unwind, de-clutter their thoughts, and help manage anxiety and overthinking.
• Ditch caffeine after lunch – it might temporarily perk you up, but caffeine in the afternoon can make it harder to get to sleep.
• Avoid alcohol – alcohol might make you feel sleepy but it can interfere with a good night’s sleep, wake you up needing the toilet overnight and leave you feeling groggy in the morning.
• Quit smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant, like caffeine.
• Don’t have children. (Just joking. However, as a mum I can attest to the fact that sometimes, no matter how hard you try to get a good night’s sleep, the kids have other plans for you and there’s just nothing you can do about it.)

Fast facts from the LiveLighter sleep study

• Almost a third of Australians only get one good night's sleep a week (28%)
• Those aged 55 and over are more likely to get enough sleep most of the time, compared to younger age groups
• 52% of people get a good sleep less than half the time
• Only a third (33%) of Australians use an alarm
• Younger generations are more likely to need an alarm clock than older age groups
• 58% of the population wakes up naturally

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Plastic isn’t inherently bad; however, every piece of plastic produced remains in our environment for thousands of years.

The problem comes from our behaviours and the throw away mentality that many of us have. Plastic Free July is about rethinking those behaviours.

We can each make a difference by avoiding single-use plastics as much as possible, or reusing and recycling anything we cannot avoid. It can take a little forward thinking to remember shopping bags, but collectively that difference can have a real impact.

If you’re still not convinced, traces of a plastic container you threw away last year may be in the next pint of beer you drink.. We’re seeing the formation of gyres, large patches of garbage, forming in the oceans. As these ‘trash vortexes’ degrade into the ecosystem they’re consumed by wildlife, causing traces of plastic to make their way into our food chain.

That’s not just uncomfortable to think about, it can lead to serious health issues for both humans and wildlife.

Is it possible to completely remove single-use plastics from our lives?

Many people don’t realise we’ve only been mass producing plastic for the past 70 years or so. Our lives have become much busier, and so we have adapted to the convenience of plastic.

In some cases, plastics enable people to lead more independent lives, particularly those living with disabilities, who rely on pre-packaged foods or straws to feed themselves with minimal assistance.

It’s not realistic to completely remove single-use plastics from our lives, but we do need to look for sustainable options, and particularly those that can be reused.

It’s quite exciting to see new biodegradable materials being produced, but ultimately it will require behavioural change from all of us to adopt those options.

What role does Bupa have to play in reducing the negative impacts on our environment?

Like any business, Bupa has a responsibility to its customers to remain commercially sustainable, but we also have a responsibility to think and act in environmentally sustainable ways.

The digital revolution is exciting and brings countless opportunities to innovate. At the same time, we’re learning that the systems we have created and inherited are significantly changing the environment.

Bupa is aiming to future-proof health and care by reducing our environmental footprint and taking a sustainable approach to growth and development.

In Australia, we recently made digital cards available to many of our health insurance customers. While this change was initially made to improve the claiming experience for our customers, it also carried a side benefit – removing around 5,000kg of plastic from the environment annually. The great news is our customers are getting on board, and the number of claims processed digitally is growing each week.

Similarly, our aged care homes make up 83% of our greenhouse gas emissions footprint, but as one of the largest private rooftop solar owners in Australia we’re able to produce 12 per cent of our electricity sustainably, and by installing over 36,000 LED lights we’re making that power work harder for us.

How can businesses ensure they’re making meaningful change, rather than just ‘greenwashing’?

There are many reasons for businesses to act sustainably whether it’s cutting down operational costs, getting some positive publicity, or simply being motivated to do the right thing.

However, if your sustainability claims are unsubstantiated or misleading you might be criticised for greenwashing, and rightly so.

To avoid this, it’s important to first create a culture within your organisation that is resilient to change and invested in sustainability as a strategy.

The reality is, social media brings greater transparency. A business that markets itself as green while producing goods in a country that has more relaxed environmental regulations can be exposed by anyone with a smart phone within minutes. In this landscape, a proactive and genuine approach will always be rewarded.

There is no plan(et) b, as they say.

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But is this a good thing for the health of the nation or is it all just a marketing con?

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery operated devices that are designed to mimic smoking by emitting an aerosol (or vapour). They typically contain propylene glycol or glycerol, and some contain nicotine.

Are e-cigarettes safer than tobacco smoking?

There is very little evidence that e-cigarettes are safer, or have any effectiveness in helping people quit tobacco.

Bupa Australia’s head of Public Health Dr Zoe Wainer says:

“People may believe e-cigarette use is safer and healthier due to the absence of tar produced in conventional cigarette smoking. However, there is evidence that chemicals, particulate matter and metals are found in e-cigarette liquids at levels that also have the potential to cause toxicity and negative health effects when inhaled as vapour.

"These can include increased risk of oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory problems. And we as a community must be mindful of the negative impact of normalising smoking.”

Australian health authorities are also concerned that the public perception of health benefits may re-normalise smoking and actually deter people from quitting smoking altogether for better health.

San Francisco recently became the first major city in America to ban the sale of e-cigarettes, going as far as extending the ban to prohibit online retailers from delivering e-cigarettes to San Francisco addresses.

That decision is particularly interesting as the city is home to Juul Labs, the most popular e-cigarette producer in the US.

Juul is now fighting the ban, reportedly forking out $1.5 million US to assist efforts to overturn the decision.

There has also been research that suggests daily e-cigarette use is independently associated with significantly higher odds of poor oral health and dental problems that require attention by a health professional.

E-cigarettes attracting non-smokers

There are also fears that e-cigarettes may even attract people who would otherwise avoid cigarettes, and could become the gateway drug for a new generation of tobacco smokers.

This concern was backed up by a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which found young non-smokers who started smoking e-cigarettes were more likely to start cigarette smoking within two years.

The Cancer Council confirms that studies have found e-cigarette users were three times more likely than non-e-cigarette users to take up tobacco smoking. The Cancer Council has also expressed concerns over the products’ short and long-term health effects.

TGA issue e-cigarette warning

While e-cigarettes are generally used to simulate the act of cigarette smoking, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has not approved any e-cigarette products as a smoking cessation aid. Whereas TGA-approved cessation aids include patches, gum, lozenges, mouth spray and inhalators, which the TGA has found these products to be safe and can help increase a person’s chances of quitting smoking.

In fact, the TGA issued a warning in January about the potential risks of purchasing electronic cigarette liquid. This advice stemmed from a study which found undisclosed and potentially harmful ingredients in electronic cigarette liquid being sold in Australia, including nicotine and traces of other chemicals, in liquid that claimed to be 'nicotine-free’.

Tips for quitting smoking

We know that every cigarette is doing you damage, so it’s important that those who have decided to quit have the best chances of staying smoke free.

If you are thinking of quitting, talk to your GP about options available and suitable for you. This can include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which can help by reducing your nicotine cravings to increase your chances of quitting. NRT is available on prescription or over-the-counter at pharmacies as nicotine gum, patches, tablets, lozenges or inhalers.

You can also talk to your pharmacist for more information about these products and how they could help you.

Depending on your Bupa extras cover, you may be able to claim a benefit for (NRT) on our Health Management extras service.

You can call QUITline on 13 7848 (13 QUIT) or find more support and information at the Quit Now website.

Bupa’s Health Link also has a range of great articles to help you quit smoking.

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Ryan Ebert, a trained physiotherapist and Business Manager for Bupa Therapy, explains how looking down at our phones all day leads to neck pain.

Standing up straight and looking forward, the weight of our head will equate to roughly 5kgs of pressure and bending your neck just 15 degrees doubles this. At a 60-degree tilt, the pressure can be as much as 27kg. That’s about the same as having an eight-year-old child sit on your neck.

Cardiovascular health can also be affected. Your lungs compress as your head tilts forward, changing the amount of air being inhaled and exhaled.

Ryan’s top tips for avoiding text neck

1. First of all, don’t text as much! Use your phone as it was originally intended and call people to talk to them whenever possible instead of texting.
2. If you do need to text, consider sitting down and putting your elbows on a desk, holding the phone in front of your face so you are looking straight ahead and not increasing the pressure on your neck by tilting your head forward.
3. Consider doing regular neck and shoulder exercises, especially if you are sitting down for an extended period of time.
4. Try neck extensions every couple of hours. Bend you head back and hold briefly, then bring your head forward to an upright position and repeat.
5. Every hour or so, stretch your chest by rolling your shoulders backwards and forwards in a circular movement, eight to ten times.
6. Consider your general posture. When walking or standing, keep a straight back with your shoulders square and back, keep your head level and have most of your weight on the balls of your feet.
7. If you do experience neck soreness, try taking a hot shower as a starting point, and then put a heat pack across your shoulders for roughly 20 minutes at a time.
8. If you continue to experience neck pain, see a healthcare professional.

Find out more about Bupa Therapy

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“Humans are by nature, social beings and we are wired to need to belong and be accepted by others, and in some ways, social media ‘likes’ reinforce this need,” Ms Nesci said.

“We all have an ideal version of ourselves which is more than likely who we usually promote on our social media platforms.

"This can sometimes create a false sense of perfection when perceiving the lives of others, and can make some people, especially young people, feel inadequate," she said.

The recent #StatusOfMind study published by the UK Royal Society for Public Health found Instagram to be the most detrimental social media platform for young people's mental health and interaction commonly linked to anxiety, depression and a fear of missing out.

A 2018 survey of teens in the United States by the Pew Research Centre found that 37 per cent felt pressured to only share digital content that had accumulated a lot of likes or comments.

“I hope that this move will mean people will focus less on ‘likes’ as a way of increasing self esteem and personal validation, and more so on sharing and enjoying experiences with their friends and family to establish and maintain relationships and genuine connection,” she said.

Australia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Brazil and New Zealand are all involved in the new trial, which follows an initial test that was launched in Canada earlier this year.

Although Instagram described the hiding of the likes for users as a "test", no deadline was given for when it would end.

Facebook, which owns Instagram, has listened to research and responded accordingly with the director of policy for ANZ, Mia Garlick telling the BBC it made the change in an effort to improve users' wellbeing, and to create a safe space.

"We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love," she said.

The test would indicate whether users could "focus less on likes and more on telling their story".

So what exactly has changed?

The way accumulated likes are displayed has had a revamp. Instead of a post showing up "Liked by [name] and 9 others", you'll now just see "...and others", with no count.

The number of total likes will no longer be visible to you or your followers when scrolling through your feed. You can click on "others" to see the like count on your own photos, but your followers will not be able to see how many likes your post has received. Likewise, you will not be able to see how many likes other people’s posts have received.

Read more health news

In that capacity, Gerald has partnered with Bupa on many significant programs of work over the past few years.

Prior to his extensive experience at both EY and Deloitte, Gerald has also held a number of roles in both the banking and private equity sectors.

“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Gerald Marion as our new Chief Customer and Strategy Officer. He has a key understanding of our businesses and customer challenges. Gerald will be a valuable addition to Bupa’s Executive team and help us make a step change in how we think about and deliver for our customers,” said Hisham El-Ansary, Chief Executive Officer of Bupa A&NZ.

Gerald will start at Bupa on 1 August 2019.

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The third year of medical school is also the first clinical year taught in the hospital setting. It has been both exciting and terrifying to complete procedures such as cannulation, catheterisation and venepuncture on real patients. Luckily most people are supportive and enjoy helping to educate medical students.

My hope was to complete my placement at Frankston Hospital, so I could stay close to family and I was fortunate to get my first preference when I started my rotation in February. The days are quite long, ward rounds start at 7am followed by classes until 5pm, but I have really enjoyed my first three rotations.

When I am not on the wards I help to mentor two first year postgraduate medical students. It’s an intensive year covering content from two preclinical years, and having completed it myself last year I understand that it can be difficult, especially when placed away from family. They both share my interest in obstetrics and gynaecology and we aim to meet at least once a month.

I was also voted in as site representative for Peninsula Health, and work with other site representatives to coordinate events such as an upcoming R U OK day fundraiser. I have also used the position to help educate my peers about NAIDOC week by organising workshops and educational activities. Outside of university I have commenced a research project alongside doctors and researchers at the Department of Health to investigate women’s health issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, an important cause that is close to my heart.

It’s now second semester, and I’m at the Alfred hospital for a rotation in renal medicine, trauma, and urology. I look forward to further improving my procedural skills and to continue building on my medical knowledge.

I am incredibly grateful toward Bupa and the Dr. Evelyn Scott Scholarship for helping to support me through my medical studies. Without the stress of daily living costs I have been able to move out of home to be closer to my placements. I believe the reduction of financial stress has helped me maintain a high distinction average in my assignments, which would not be possible without the scholarship.

I also wanted to say another thank you as the scholarship has allowed for me to organise a voluntary medical placement in the Torres Strait, on my mother’s home of Thursday Island. The placement will allow for me to learn from other doctors, whilst also further educating me on my culture.

UPDATED

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Health Services contract sees Bupa responsible for supporting the provision of end-to-end health care to 85,000 Defence personnel, delivering services both on-base and through a network of off-base providers.

Following a 6-month handover between the previous service provider and Bupa, operations officially commenced on 1 July 2019.

Bupa has worked closely with the ADF to minimise any disruption to personnel.

“Throughout the handover, our priority has been to ensure a smooth transition and continued health care to ADF personnel,” said Emily Amos, Managing Director, Bupa Health Services.

Bupa is one of Australia’s largest and most diverse health and care companies.

Bupa’s values underpin its purpose, its people and culture, and the way health and care are delivered to its customers.

If you're a health provider that would like to join the ADF Health Services Contract network, please visit our Provider Hub for more information. 

For more information or assistance, contact Bupa Central Support Office on 1800 316 915 or adfhscproviders@bupa.com.au.

14 January 2019

Bupa awarded ADF Health Services Contract

Bupa has confirmed it has been awarded a contract to provide an integrated health care system to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Richard Bowden, Bupa’s Chief Executive Officer, said the ADF Health Services Contract would see Bupa responsible for supporting the provision of end to end health care to Defence personnel.

“Bupa is delighted to have been selected to provide this service and we look forward to leveraging our network of care providers to deliver health outcomes for the Australian Defence Force community,” Mr Bowden said.

“This complements the care we provide for more than five million Australians every day as both a health insurer and care provider through our dental, optical, audiology and medical assessment clinics.”

The handover between the incumbent and Bupa will take place over the next six months with the contract commencing on 1 July 2019.

“Our first priority is ensuring the people and processes are in place to allow for an orderly transition and continued health care to ADF personnel,” Mr Bowden said.

“Information on the range of health and administrative positions that will be available is on our website and we invite contact from anyone who is interested in being part of this exciting health care environment.

“Bupa will provide stakeholders with further information on the ADF Health Services Contract and we look forward to a productive relationship,” Mr Bowden said.

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Barunga is home to an ‘END RHD Community’, a project which brings together the community, local school, service-providers, and researchers to develop culturally appropriate approaches to prevent Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) and ensure those already living with the disease receive the support they need.

Wanting to share their learnings about RHD to help their peers in other communities with high rates of the disease, the Barunga kids created Boom Boom to spread the word. With some help from ABC presenter Justine Clarke and Darwin record label Skinnyfish Music their vision has come to life in the form of a music video.

Aboriginal Community Worker Anne Marie Lee, who is leading the ‘END RHD Communities’ project in Barunga, has high hopes that ‘Boom Boom’ will help other communities consider key messages to prevent RHD.

“By doing this video in an Indigenous community it opens the eyes of a lot of families members that have rheumatic heart disease – and families with kids that don't – about how it’s important that they get treatment for skin sores and sore throats,” she says.

The Bupa Health Foundation has pledged nearly half a million dollars in funding to support END RHD communities, a community-led, research-backed approach to ending RHD driven by the End Rheumatic Heart Disease Centre of Research Excellence (END RHD CRE) based at Telethon Kids, and the Menzies School of Health Research.

Find out more about the Bupa Health Foundation.

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Today while sitting in my office at Bupa’s Mt Gambier store, I could hear lots of laughter coming from out the front. A regular customer and his wife were just passing by and stopped for a chat. These customers have been with us since they married and, now both aged 83, they’ve each had their own cancer journeys and health issues.

Last year Mrs K was unwell and in hospital after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, waiting to be transferred to Adelaide by air ambulance for treatment. Her husband was understandably lost, and unsure what he needed to do, his first thought was to make the trip to our store.

He just needed to talk. We listened and then helped him find accommodation in Adelaide close to the hospital, so he could be near his wife.

It’s so wonderful that he knew he could come to us and we would be able to help. As a manager I couldn’t be prouder of my team and the relationships they build in the local community. The K’s have no family here; all their children have moved away with their own families so it’s nice to know we could be there in some way.

We have travelled the cancer journey with them, helping with providers and aids, helping with forms and just being a listening ear.

We are truly lucky to be able to get to know our customers, pick up the conversation from their last visit and check in, add their partners and new born babies to their policies and watch them grow.

We also get the privilege of crying with them when a loved one has passed away and holding their hand.

There are times like today, when Mr and Mrs K come in to have a laugh and catch up. Other times they’re upset, it's a difficult journey they’re on. In those moments we have this opportunity to sit down with them face to face and just talk. Or help them navigate through whatever they are concerned about. It’s an amazing part of the job that we get to have this opportunity to connect in this way with our customers.

If you’ve ever passed through Melbourne’s Parliament Station you might recognise Mark.

He’s famous in that neck of the woods for his infectious smile and cheery disposition as he sells The Big Issue magazine to commuters.

“People call me ‘the happy man’ because I’m smiling all the time. People often say it’s good to see a smiling person so early in the morning,” he said.

Life’s pretty good for Mark these days but it’s taken hard work and a supportive community to get him to where he is.

“I wish I found The Big Issue 20 years earlier because it has just done so much for my confidence. I used to be embarrassed but I wear my uniform everywhere now. I’m proud to wear it,” he said.

Article continues after video. WATCH:

“I used to just lock myself away. I was in my own little world with nothing to look forward to, nothing to aim for in life. Now I get the first train into the city in the morning because I’m anxious to get to work and meet people.”

The Big Issue is a social enterprise that helps those who are marginalised in society to help themselves. Many have faced homelessness, others live with intellectual or physical disability.

Vendors buy the magazine for $4.50 and sell it for $9, making $4.50 out of every sale.

“But sometimes it’s not the sale that’s important,” Mark said. “If someone gives me a compliment it’s more than a sale, just to be noticed and recognised that I’m doing something worthwhile.”

Vendor Sales and Support Co-ordinator Alex McKay says winter can be a tough time for vendors and that staying well is critical for their livelihood.

“It is a huge issue when it gets colder because they’re out on the streets all day selling the magazine, and many of them are sleeping out too. It’s really important for them to stay healthy and warm so they can continue to do their job and make a living,” she says.

“For most of our vendors, if they caught the flu, that would be them out for two weeks or more. So, it’s really critical that we can try to prevent that the best we can.”

Every fortnight Melbourne-based vendors gather in the Bourke Street office for a meeting and to collect the latest edition of the magazine.

This week, Bupa Wellness nurse Helen Ryan was also there, delivering free flu vaccinations donated by Bupa. 

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“The flu virus is quite a nasty virus and it can just hit you out of the blue even if you’re young, fit and healthy,” she said.

“It’s really important for Big Issue vendors to be vaccinated every year, especially as they’re outside all day in the elements and interacting with members of the public,” she said.

Bupa has been donating surplus vaccinations to disadvantaged groups for a number of years including family and women’s shelters and soup kitchens.

Bupa Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Manager Kate Driessen says this is the second year the company has teamed up with The Big Issue, with five Bupa Wellness nurses delivering the service to vendors in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

“I think the really wonderful thing about this program is that it’s so mobile, we’re able to go out to The Big Issue offices which is a space where we know the vendors feel comfortable and safe,” Kate said.

“It’s easily accessible for them so they can receive a quick vaccination when they pick up their magazines and head back out to work without disrupting their day.”

Vendor Garry Salt says he chooses to work a 12 hour day so he can maintain his apartment and look after his cat Squishy. Taking time out sick isn’t an option.

“Some mornings I’ve got to go out in three or four degrees and sell at Flagstaff station. People say, ‘I don’t know how you do it,’ but it’s just something I have to do to survive out here,” he said.

Mark says that without the gentle nudge, he wouldn’t have even thought about protecting himself against the flu.

“Getting the flu injection just wouldn’t have crossed my mind, but it makes me feel a lot better because people have actually died from the flu. I do feel protected now. It only took a few minutes and it’s given me peace of mind,” he said.

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With two thirds of Australian adults now overweight or obese, there is a growing amount of information available online. A new website, The Obesity Evidence Hub, was launched last week to distinguish which information is most up-to-date, from a trustworthy source, and based on the best available evidence.

The initiative was born out of The Obesity Collective, a modern movement aiming to drive more action on obesity in Australia. What makes this movement particularly unique is that it brings together diverse individuals and organisations who collectively are committed to addressing this major health issue.

Bupa are represented among the 104 organisations who have already signed up to the collective.

In alignment with one of its principles - to be informed by evidence - the Obesity Collective put forward the need for a single resource where those with a role in obesity policy, care delivery, research and communications, can access and share up to date data.

The solution, The Obesity Evidence Hub, is an engaging and easy-to-use platform which summarises and presents the growing evidence on obesity in simple statements and sharable graphics.

To ensure credibility among users, all the data is referenced, and content authors include topic experts representing academia, clinical care and policy, who take a systematic approach to evidence review. The website also builds off the credibility of the three organisations who partnered to deliver the project; the Cancer Council Victoria, the Obesity Policy Coalition and our own Bupa Health Foundation.

As one of Australia’s leading charitable foundations dedicated to health, the Bupa Health Foundation is committed to building partnerships with the health research and healthcare communities to improve the health of the Australia Community. We are excited to see this partnership lead to a valuable resource for everyone who has an interest in improving outcomes for Australians living with overweight and obesity.

The next phase of this project is working to increase awareness among its potential users that this valuable resource exists. This will ensure as a community we are consistently using the best available evidence when communicating on obesity both within our individual organisations but also externally. Ultimately strengthening our collective voice on the importance of tackling this important public health issue, which will benefit all of society.

Dr Dwayne Crombie, Managing Director of Bupa Health Insurance, said that by looking at where the biggest expenditures came from, the health system can work together to deliver a sustainable system.

“These are all very good and very useful procedures. They are helping us live longer lives and have better quality of life. But many of these operations are symptomatic of people getting older and more of the population being overweight or obese.

“Greater access to more sophisticated technology to improve health outcomes should be celebrated, but we need to understand that these advances come with increased costs.

“It also tells us that if we want to be able to put downward pressure on health insurance premiums, we need to be able to trial different ways of delivering healthcare which don’t affect quality of care but may reduce cost or give patients more choice.

“This includes continuing to look at why prosthetics for hips and knees cost significantly more in Australia than other parts of the world. It means changing the mindset that a person must stay in hospital for rehabilitation after a knee or hip replacement where all the evidence says the outcome is the same or better if done in their home.

“And it also means understanding that surgery for many of these conditions could be avoided if appropriate preventative health measures, including weight management, are appropriately promoted and funded.

“We’re keen to have these discussions, to work with clinicians to see people getting the right care, in the right place, at the right time and for the right price,” Dr Crombie said.

Read more about factors affecting the cost of private health insurance. 

I recently had the opportunity to concierge for the flu vaccination service at The Big Issue as part of my role in Bupa's Corporate Wellness team.

I had always seen people selling The Big Issue around the city, and I am friends with a freelance writer who has written a few articles for the magazine, but as I walked to the site, it dawned on me how little I knew about the organisation. In 1996, The Big Issue began in Australia to aid the increasing homeless population. Since then, The Big Issue has provided opportunities to disadvantaged people from various backgrounds to earn an income by selling the magazine at numerous locations around the country.

The first thing that caught my attention was how busy the building was. There were a few rooms from which people were bustling in and out. I met Helen, the nurse, and we promptly got started. I went out to the main area, braced and ready to convince everyone of the importance of the vaccinations, however, it wasn't long before a small crowd formed of people who were waiting to receive their vaccination. While they were waiting in line, some of the vendors were happy to have a chat and share their stories. It was great to see how many people were already aware of the dangers associated with the flu virus.

With the help of some of the staff, the consent forms were distributed and filled, and we vaccinated almost 30 people throughout the day.

We were there on the day of their fortnightly meeting where all the vendors were briefed on their sales, were informed of any updates and could purchase the new issue of the magazine to sell. It was great to see the level of support the vendors received from The Big Issue. The vendors were offered a hot meal and the chance to pick from a range of knitted scarfs, hats and mittens to keep them warm during the cold season.

I have been very fortunate to be a part of the Bupa Wellness flu program, organising flu vaccination services around the country. I feel even more fortunate to have been able to actually witness a service being executed; to have been able to see the direct impact of organisations like Bupa and The Big Issue in helping people that need it most.