Red tape among health dept priorities.(Australian Federal Health Department)

Australian Doctor,  May, 2006  by Hingston, Chris; Smith, Paul

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By Chris Hingston and Paul Smith

THE Federal Health Department has outlined its key primary care priorities, including a continued crackdown on red tape and the removal of barriers preventing doctors adopting best practice.

Speaking at the NSW rural doctors network conference in Sydney, Mr Richard Eccles, the new first assistant secretary of the department's primary care branch, asked: "Why is it 50% of people with mental illness go undetected when we know that 85% of people see a GP each year?

"[W]hy is it that only 30% of GPs ask their patients if they smoke -- ...

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