Hello to all our supporters and readers of the Emerge Australia newsletter!
As we approach the end of the financial year for 2023/24, I am delighted to share with you all the monumental decision by the Albanese Labor Government and announced by Health Minister Mark Butler to allocate $1.1m funding to the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for new ME/CFS Clinical Guidelines.
This landmark decision is the result of 20+ years of advocacy by people with ME/CFS, and the sector more widely. Updating Australia’s clinical guidelines for ME/CFS was also front and centre of Emerge Australia’s pre-budget submission, the Roundtable meeting held at Parliament House and our recent meeting with the Minister Butler.
Undertaking the process to update Australia’s clinical guidelines marks a significant milestone in improving the diagnosis, management and treatment of ME/CFS and long COVID. In addition, it underscores the important need for additional funding for GP education, expanded patient support and ME/CFS targeted research. This announcement isthe critical first step towards better care for ME/CFS and long COVID patients.
Emerge Australia is extremely grateful for the tireless efforts of so many in the community who have worked long and hard to enable this historic outcome. Your voices have been heard, you have been seen, and change is on the horizon.
End of financial year appeal
As we bask in the afterglow of the Ministers game changing announcement, Emerge Australia needs your ongoing support to continue our work in clinical education. There are only 13 days left until 30 June which means there is still time to donate to our EOFY appeal.
Emerge Australia is proud to be an RACGP CPD Provider in the 2023-2025 Triennium and we are actively involved in training as many GPs annually as our funding allows. Every cent of your donation to our appeal will be used on development and delivery of training on the diagnosis, management and treatment of ME/CFS in primary care.
Despite having trained several hundred GPs in recent years, there are an estimated 38,388 GPs in Australia (June 2022). We still have a long way to go! Given the process of updating Australia’s ME/CFS clinical guidelines will take at least 2-3 years, this critical work educating our GPs must continue, until such time as training on implementation of the new clinical guidelines can occur.
We thank you all for your ongoing support of our work on your behalf. Exciting times ahead!!!
