Diagnosis gets faster
Stroke Foundation is excited to partner with the New South Wales Government to revolutionise emergency stroke care for people in the state's rural and regional areas.
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Funding for the $21.7 million Centralised Stroke Telehealth Service and treatment pathway to country hospitals was confirmed in the NSW State Budget.
The joint State and Federal Government three-year investment builds on a pilot project underway on the mid north coast, which utilises telehealth technology to connect patients in regional areas to city-based neurologists.
A telehealth service right across our state and will make a real difference to the lives of patients and their families by removing barriers to time-critical stroke treatment that saves lives.
The more rapidly a patient accesses treatment after stroke, the fewer brain cells die and the better the chance of a positive outcome.
Currently, regional Australians are 19 percent more likely to experience stroke than people in our cities.
They are also more likely to die or be left with a serious disability as a result of stroke because of limited access to best-practice treatment and care.
The NSW Centralised Stroke Telehealth Service will connect a neurologist to the patient remotely. This will speed up diagnosis and supporting regional clinicians to administer blood clot dissolving treatment or to transfer the patient to a comprehensive stroke centre for blood clot removal.
Investment in telehealth will ensure people in country NSW receive high-quality healthcare for stroke and are given the best opportunity to live well.
NSW is home to 12 of the country's top 20 hot spots for stroke - with 10 located in regional areas of the state. Too many lives are currently being devastated by stroke, but it does not need to be this way.
The mid north coast pilot has delivered promising outcomes for patients at Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour Hospitals and we look forward to expanding its reach.
The service will also decrease the burden of stroke on the health system and economy.
R. Paton-Kelly, Stroke Foundation
Tax cuts failed
Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign of the 1980s included economic policies for cuts in tax rates, but the tax cuts did not cause tax revenue to rise, tax revenue fell, what ensued was the largest peacetime increase in the government debt in the history of the US.
There is no credible evidence that lower tax rates lead to a rise in taxation. In fact, in Australia a smattering of companies (foreigners included) pay no tax at all.
It is perceived in recent times Donald Trump has not learned a lesson. The 2017, $1.5 trillion, Trump tax plan to lower corporate tax rates from 35 to 21 per cent has had a considerable impact on the revenue intake by the US Treasury-the result-a 31 per cent drop in corporate tax revenue for the year ended 2018.
And where are the figures to say that a tax cut in Australia won't end up the same or even worse. Surely the government wouldn't rush into cutting taxation without a proper audit to establish the consequences.
A better approach would be to use Kevin Rudd's Keynesian economics to create a productive workforce and increase tax revenue.
J. Macleod, Berry
A HUMBLE CHAMP
What a wonderful achievement for tennis player Ashleigh Barty, an amazing athlete who goes about her work very humbly and always credits her whole team for her success.
There are no bad manners, personal quarrels or lack of sportsmanship what so ever. She is a true role model for a lot of people and loosing sleep to watch her play is worthwhile.