The Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme has begun its rollout after delayed development.
As of now, the chronic wound consumables scheme (CWCS) has begun its rollout, covering the cost of many wound consumable products.
There are restrictions however, with the scheme only applicable to older people with diabetes and a chronic wound, aged 65 or over and for First Nations people aged 50 and over.
However, the scheme will allow for comprehensive bulk billing of products such as bandages, dressing and adhesives with further development of the product list expected.
This development will occur upon consultation between the Department of Health and Aged Care and wound care experts to ensure adequate coverage.
Monash University has collaborated with the scheme, developing a training and education program for health professionals to practice effective chronic wound management.
Additional advanced training scholarships have been announced, with at least 120 scholarships each year being funded for nurses and Aboriginal health workers to complete formal training in wound care.
Wounds Australia will also be delivering a nation education campaign to improve public awareness and patient knowledge on chronic wound prevention and treatment.
As for further expansions, Wounds Australia has announced a five-point plan to solve chronic wounds via investment into evidence-based prevention, treatment and education.
“Point 1 of the plan is to extend free wound care to people at high risk of a chronic wound,” Jeff Antcliff, CEO of Wounds Australia, told TMR.
“We proposed extending the CWCS to include people over 40 years of age with chronic conditions that increase the risk of wounds.”
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Ken Griffin, CEO of the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association said:
“We should be looking at how we actually make this kind of thing having less or no exceptions, but we understand that the government doesn’t know what it doesn’t know.”
APNA’s latest workforce survey showed that 87% of primary healthcare nurses were regularly performing wound care with 19% of them saying they’d want to do more.
“To say you want to do more of it actually tells you that they’re seeing stuff that they can’t do at the moment with current resources, they’ve clearly got the skill set,” said Mr Griffin.
“We’ve certainly got high engagement from nurses on this thing, but I think we also need it more across the board.
“Because it’s not just nurses that do wound care, albeit nurses are clearly picking up the lion’s share of it in general practice.”
Regarding further expansions to the scheme, many nursing bodies are still awaiting the first iteration to roll out before any calls for amendments are made.
However, APNA has raised concerns that the scheme may currently have too narrow a scope.
“From the data from our workforce survey, I don’t see how this scheme wouldn’t be oversubscribed, and so I think the government will be sort of made aware pretty quickly just how much demand there is out there,” Mr Griffin said.
“I think the scheme will be the first time they’ve been able to get a clear view as to just how high the demand is for this kind of funding.”
