AMAV VICDOC Winter 2024 - Magazine - Page 70
INQUIRY INTO VAPING AND TOBACCO CONTROLS
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AMA Victoria has provided a submission
to the Victorian Parliament’s inquiry into
vaping and tobacco controls.
Noting that the regulation of vaping and
tobacco products remains a significant
concern for medical practitioners and their
patients, the submission outlines concerns
regarding the regulation of vaping and
tobacco products, stressing the health risks
associated with their use, especially among
youth. It highlights trends in vaping and
tobacco use, noting increases in vaping,
particularly among young people, while
tobacco smoking rates have been gradually
declining. Additionally, the submission
details that tobacco smoking imposes
significant costs on healthcare and the
economy, while vaping is seen as a cheaper
alternative, albeit with health risks such as
lung disease and nicotine addiction.
More: AMAV Hub
REPORTING RESTRICTIVE
INTERVENTIONS COMMENCES
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Legislative changes requiring Designated
Mental Health Services (DMHSs) to report
the use of restrictive interventions,
including chemical restraint, in Emergency
Departments (EDs) and Urgent Care
Centres (UCCs) to the Chief Psychiatrist,
came into effect on April 1st.
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AMA VI C TO RIA
AMA Victoria has consistently kept
members informed of its meetings with
the OCP, the Department, and the Mental
Health Minister’s Office to discuss the
implementation of the Mental Health and
Wellbeing Act in these areas. AMAV’s goal
was to ensure that this process occurs
as seamlessly as possible, with early
reports — or lack thereof — indicating that
the lessons from the Act’s initial haphazard
implementation in designated psychiatric
wards in September 2023 were heeded.
E-SCOOTER UPDATE
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AMAV has previously informed members
of its advocacy on e-scooters, recognising
them as a sustainable mode of
transportation. However, AMAV has also
highlighted the significant contribution of
e-scooter-related injuries to Emergency
Department overcrowding and hospital
access block. Given this concern, AMAV
has contended that it is necessary to
undertake further steps to mitigate
e-scooter accidents and reduce their
healthcare burden.
In this context, AMAV welcomes (and
indeed likely had some influencing in
shaping) the Victorian Government's
recent announcement to extend the
current e-scooter trial for the next six
months. This extension aims to explore
additional safety and compliance measures
before implementing permanent regulatory
settings later this year. The goal is to
ensure that e-scooters become safer
for all road users.
AMA Victoria remains committed to
collaborating with the government to
improve e-scooter safety for all road
users and pedestrians.
