Posted in Industry News

The Labor Government has handed down its first budget this week. There were no real surprises with many of the spending measures going towards election promises.

The Government introduced cost of living support measures including increases to paid parental leave and improvements to childcare affordability.

Aged Care reforms discussed in these updates previously were also funded. The relevant Bill passed the Senate yesterday. ADIA continues to advocate for improvements to oral health services in Residential Aged Care.

There was no extension of the Temporary Full Expensing provision. This measure is due to finish 30 June 2023.

ADIA will now begin work on a pre-budget submission for 2023-2024. Members are invited to provide comments or feedback for the submission here.

If you have any questions, or suggestions for ADX, please don't hesitate to contact me by email.

  2022 Australian Dental and Health Services figures now available

In the lead up to the Federal Government's first budget, there has been much media attention on inflation, skills shortages in healthcare, and the cost of doing business in Australia.

It is with this focus I am pleased to provide you with the latest Dental and Health Services in Australia Report, which uses key data to benchmark the provision of dental services in Australia against the wider health sector. 

Dental and Health Services in Australia Report 2022

Featuring data sourced from IBISWorld as well as the Dental Board of Australia and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, this report provides key statistics about dental and health services in Australia.

The 2022 edition shows:

• Revenue in dental services up to $10.6 billion with a profit of 26.8%
• Revenue in the wider health services sector of $197.8 billion with a profit of 10.9%
• A slight fall in private health policy holders has constrained growth
• A growth rate of 1.4% in dental services

2022 Skills Priority List released

In the weeks since the Australian Jobs and Skills Summit, solutions to the skills and labour shortages including immigration and funding for training and education have been highlighted. Last week the National Skills Commission released the 2022 Skills Priority List, in which dental professionals and the wider health sector featured quite prominently. 

The report shows:

• Overall, 286 occupations were listed as having national shortages, up from 153 in 2021
• An increase in the national shortage in professional occupations from 19% in 2021 (1 in 5) to 39% (2 in 5) in 2022 (see page 10)
• The increase in professional occupations shortage was largely driven by health professionals (see page 17)
• Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Dental Prosthetists, Dental Technicians and Dental Therapists were all added to the Skills Priority List in 2022
• Dental Assistants were on the list in both 2021 and 2022

We will keep you up to date regarding any discussion on national skills shortages as it relates to the dental industry via these updates.

ADX Series Update

With two weeks to go, there are now more than 3,700 registrations for our first ADX event in Brisbane. We are expecting a great show and look forward to welcoming you all on the 27th of October. 

Looking ahead, I am pleased to report that exhibition booths for ADX Melbourne (30 March - 1 April 2023) are sold out. If you have missed out and would like to join the waiting list, you can do so here.

Please save the date for ADX Sydney 2024 - to be held at the  International Convention Centre Sydney, Thursday 21 - Saturday 23 March 2024.

If there is a topic you wish to see covered in these updates, or feedback you would like to provide, please don't hesitate to contact by email. 

As the TGA continues to build the framework for regulation around Unique Device Identifiers, it is calling for member feedback on the latest consultation paper. 

Please go to the TGA Consultation Hub by Tuesday 11 October to provide your feedback. 

Your input requested

This is your opportunity to ensure your input is taken into account to maintain manageable regulatory compliance requirements for your business. 

You can view the Unique Device Identifier (UDI) Consultation 3 here. I would like to draw your attention to a few sections of the paper:

Page 19: The scope of devices required to comply
Page 20: Suggested exemptions from scope
Page 30: Questions open for consultation

This third consultation relates to the details of the proposed regulatory framework. 

The TGA is seeking feedback on:

• the impact of accepting both European and USA-compliant labels
• acceleration of delivered benefits through a phased implementation approach
• scope and exemptions in applying the UDI
• providing and maintaining data over the full life of the device
• UDI-related fees and charges
• UDI labelling and supporting documentation
• any potential regulatory burden
• adoption and use in the broader healthcare setting

There are 11 questions in total. Respondents are free to answer any or all questions that apply to them.

ADX Brisbane Registration Update

Registrations for ADX Brisbane stand at just over 2,200 with six weeks until the show.

At 30% of target, registrations  are on track to exceed the benchmark set for the event.

The exhibition and associated ancillary events provide a fantastic opportunity to network with your clients in Queensland. Why not host them at one of the breakfasts before escorting them to your stand?

As a valued member of ADIA, I encourage you to invite your networks to experience Australia’s premier dental event. You can access useful marketing assets here.

We will continue to provide you with the opportunity to provide feedback for regulatory and legislative matters relevant to your business as they become available.

If there are any further matters you would like to raise, you can do so by email.

The Federal Government's  Jobs and Skills Summit has come to a close with more than 30 immediate initiatives in place, and a white paper recommending further measures to come.

ADIA participated in several roundtables with MPs and other stakeholders in the lead-up to the Summit, to ensure members’ interests and concerns were effectively represented at the event.

The Summit addressed labour shortages, the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the job market, and pathways to broaden the skillset of those entering the workforce, while maintaining the Labor Government's commitment to ‘full employment, productivity growth, and equal opportunities for women’.

Thirty-six initiatives are in motion following the Summit last week including:

• An increase in the permanent Migration Program ceiling to 195,000 in 2022-23 to help ease widespread, critical workforce shortages;
   
• Extending visas and relaxing work restrictions on international students to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour, and providing additional funding to resolve the visa backlog;
   
• An additional $1 billion in joint Federal-State funding for fee-free TAFE in 2023 and accelerated delivery of 465,000 fee-free TAFE places; and
   
• A one-off income credit so that Age Pensioners who want to work can earn an additional $4,000 over this financial year without losing any of their pension.

You can read the outcome of the Jobs and Skills Summit, including immediate actions and areas for further work here.

ADX Brisbane Update

There are now more than 2,000 registrations for our first ADX event in Brisbane.

If you are planning to host your clients while you are in Queensland, consider the ADX Opening Breakfast. Our keynote speaker, Gus Balbontin, an alternative futurist, investor and adventurer is sure to inject enthusiasm and adrenaline into the audience before they hit the exhibition floor. Register for tickets and table discounts here.

I encourage you to invite your Queensland contacts (use our script and collateral here) to experience your brand in the ADX environment and see all you have to offer.

If you would like to get in contact about the Jobs and Skills Summit or other advocacy matters, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email.