Inquiry into operation and effectiveness of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes (PATS)
Terms of Reference
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On 28 March 2007 the Senate agreed that the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 20 September 2007.
The operation and effectiveness of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes including:
- the need for greater national consistency and uniformity of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes across jurisdictions, especially the procedures used to determine eligibility for travel schemes covering patients, their carers, escorts and families; the level and forms of assistance provided; and reciprocal arrangements for inter-state patients and their carers;
- the need for national minimum standards to improve flexibility for rural patient access to specialist health services throughout Australia;
- the extent to which local and cross-border issues are compromising the effectiveness of existing Patient Assisted Travel Schemes in Australia, in terms of patient and health system outcomes;
- the current level of utilisation of schemes and identification of mechanisms to ensure that schemes are effectively marketed to all eligible patients and monitored to inform continuous improvement;
- variations in patient outcomes between metropolitan and rural, regional and remote patients and the extent to which improved travel and accommodation support would reduce these inequalities;
- the benefit to patients in having access to a specialist who has the support of a multidisciplinary team and the option to seek a second opinion;
- the relationship between initiatives in e Health and Patient Assisted Travel Schemes;
- the feasibility and desirability of extending patient assisted travel schemes to all treatments listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule – Enhanced Primary Care items such as allied health and dental treatment and fitting of artificial limbs; and
- the role of charity and non-profit organisations in the provision of travel and accommodation assistance to patients.
Written submissions are invited and should be addressed to:
The Secretary
Senate Community Affairs Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Closing date for the receipt of submissions is 25 May 2007.
The Committee prefers to receive submissions electronically as an attached document - email: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au
Submissions become Committee documents and are made public only after a decision by the Committee. Publication of submissions includes loading them onto the internet and their being available to other interested parties including the media. Persons making submissions must not release them without the approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by parliamentary privilege but the unauthorised release of them is not protected.
Following consideration of submissions, the Committee will hold public hearings. The Committee will consider all submissions and may invite individuals and organisations to give evidence at the public hearings.
Information relating to Senate Committee inquiries, including notes to assist in the preparation of submissions for a Committee, can be located on the internet at https://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm
For further details contact the Committee Secretary, Phone: (02) 6277 3515, Fax: (02) 6277 5829.
E-mail: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia