Sue Boyce (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Can the minister advise the Senate of what the government is doing to address the problems of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question and her very real interest in this area. I am pleased to inform the Senate that the government is announcing today that it will be providing $9.2 million to a foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, plan. Measures contained in the plan will allow the government to implement targeted approaches to better prevent and manage FASD.

As part of the investment, the action plan will provide practical support to women who are alcohol dependent that is aimed at reducing—with a view to ultimately ceasing—alcohol consumption. And $500,000 has been dedicated to the implementation of the FASD diagnostic tool, which is being developed by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. A further $100,000 will be allocated to a technical FASD group chaired by Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM. It will advise the government on implementing future FASD programs and promote national evidence based research in ways to manage the impact of FASD. It will also improve information exchange and continue to build on and promote the results of the NHMRC Targeted Call for Research on FASD.

The government will be providing up to $1.5 million to develop best-practice interventions for alcohol dependent women. These targeted grants will allow further research to be undertaken to develop best-practice intervention guidelines for specialists and GPs. The government will be providing a further $3.1 million in grants to drug and alcohol services to better support alcohol dependent women. An additional $4 million will be provided to the New Directions: Mothers and Babies Services program.

I would like to acknowledge the work that the member for Murray, Dr Sharman Stone MP, has done in this area. This announcement today identifies and reinforces the government's commitment to addressing the significant challenges associated with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Sue Boyce (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister inform the Senate of how the government's decision to spend half a million dollars on the development of a diagnostic tool will help GPs to diagnose FASD?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The diagnostic tool is being developed by the Telethon Institute in collaboration with a group of clinical experts and consumer representatives. The institute has been contracted to conduct a clinical review and trial before the tool can be released nationally. The tool is due to be released for use in 2015 along with user and referral guidelines to ensure that babies or children who are diagnosed with FASD can be appropriately referred to support services.

Having a FASD diagnostic tool means that paediatricians have a level of certainty about diagnosing the disorder, which includes a spectrum of health and cognitive impairments. It will also allow our GPs, particularly those in rural and remote locations, who do not have immediate referral pathways to specialists, to make a proper diagnosis. Data will be collected on the tool, leading to a better understanding of the prevalence of FASD in Australia.

Sue Boyce (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question, and I would really appreciate hearing the answer to it. Can the minister advise the Senate how the government's Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Action Plan will support the prevention and management of FASD, particularly in Indigenous communities?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The FASD Action Plan will promote consistent messages through primary care providers about the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy, including the prevention of alcohol related harm, and continuing activities through awareness of the risk of FASD. The action plan builds the knowledge and capability of non-government alcohol and drug services and primary care services to provide practical support to pregnant women who are alcohol dependent through compassionate and effective interventions. It will also enable the development of guidelines to support diagnosis and early management of FASD through close consultation and partnership with key professional colleges. FASD health promotion resources and interventions will be developed to reduce alcohol related harm during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. The new direction services will be supported to implement these interventions, access health promotion resources and collect data on alcohol use in pregnancy.