Hospital’s new clinic for musculoskeletal illness
THE ship that was launched in December 2019 to carry hydrogen between Hastings and Japan (Ship another link in the chain” The News 16/12/19).
Brodie Cowburn brodie@mpnews.com.au A DEDICATED rheumatology clinic has opened at Frankston Hospital for people suffering from musculoskeletal conditions. The clinic can treat arthritis and 150 other types of musculoskeletal issues. As well as providing rheumatology services in the outpatient clinic, Frankston Hospital’s upgraded service aims to improve care for patients who are being treated in other areas of the hospital by allowing them to be referred for a rheumatology consult. Peninsula Health rheumatology consultant Dr Bita Omidvar says the clinic is “the first of its kind at Peninsula Health.” “Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula has not had local access to a publicly funded outpatient rheumatology for some years,
meaning some patients would be travelling two, even three hours to get the treatment they need – which is not very convenient,” Dr Omidvar said. “We’re bringing world class care closer to home for the local community in Frankston and Mornington Peninsula. Now GPs can refer any patients with arthritis, gout, any sort of inflammatory connective tissue diseases – such as lupus, vasculitis– and those with suspected rheumatological conditions for specialised care to an easily accessible public clinic. “Hospital inpatients are referred to us by other specialists on wards services or in other departments. This is a game-changer, because previously the admitting team was required to manage any rheumatology condition and sometimes need to transfer the patient to another hospital. Since we introduced this service, we don’t have to do that anymore.”
State on the road to mobile detection stored emissions to be monitored and managed. To spread the cost of CCS over time the commercial project will have to be large and therefore will lock significant investment and technology in place when strong evidence suggests it will be less economical in the very near future. With the HECS project it is clear that the direction set 10 years ago is increasingly at odds with the reality of now; environmentally, technologically and economically. Given the evidence that is emerging and rate
of change in clean hydrogen production, it will be difficult to justify progressing the HECS from a trial to large-scale production. In line with the shire’s climate emergency declaration and the climate emergency plan we need to be making it clear from a local level that we will not accept anything other than best practice and best outcomes from the other two levels of government. * Simon Brooks was a councillor for Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Seawinds Ward 2016-20.
THE state government is spending $33.7 million on technology that can detect drivers using their mobile phones. Legislation will also be introduced to back up the methods being used to detect “distracted” drivers. A three-month trial assessed 679,438 vehicles and found that one in 42 drivers were illegally using a mobile phone while driving. The trial was conducted while stage four coronavirus restrictions were in place, leading authorities to believe the rate of offending could be higher when roads are busier and movement is not restricted.
Using two portable cameras across several metropolitan and regional locations, the trial found the highest rates of mobile phone use at Craigieburn Road East, Wollert (one in 18 drivers), Calder Park Drive, Hillside (one in 21) and Old Geelong Road, Laverton (one in 28). The new technology can also detect drivers not wearing a seatbelt, driving without hands on the wheel or with pets on laps. Research from Monash University Accident Research Centre estimates the technology - scheduled to be rolled out by 2023 - can prevent 95 casualty crashes a year.
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14 April 2021
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