National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss

Executive Summary

In the period 2011-2014, Commonwealth and state and territory jurisdictions continued to successfully implement activities in line with the Key Areas for Action (KAA) under the National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss:

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  KAA 1: Reducing the risk
  
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  KAA 2: Increasing early detection
  
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  KAA 3: Improving access to eye care
  
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  KAA 4: Improving the systems and quality of care
  
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  KAA 5: Improving the evidence base
  

The key areas of focus over the period 2011-2014, were similar to previous reporting periods, with an emphasis on: Improving access to eye health care services (KAA 3); Increasing early detection (KAA 2); and Reducing the risk (KAA 1). There were also sound levels of activity in the remaining areas, Improving the systems and quality of care (KAA 4) and Improving the evidence base (KAA 5).

It should be noted that as in both the First and Second Progress Reports, it was not expected that individual jurisdictions would provide input for all of the KAAs, or report every relevant activity. Jurisdictions have collectively highlighted a range of activities undertaken during the reporting period.
The format of the Third Progress Report includes:

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  a high level overview of activity for each KAA;
  
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  a tabulated summary of jurisdictional activity against the ‘action areas’ of each KAA; and
  
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  jurisdictional updates, that include detailed information on activities for each KAA by jurisdiction, along with advice on a number of successful initiatives.
  

Common eye health activities identified in jurisdictions

There were a range of eye health activities that were common in state and territory jurisdictions over the report period, and these included:

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  Maternal and child health (KAA 1);
  
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  Eye injury prevention (namely Work Health and Safety practices) (KAA 1);
  
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  Childhood screening (KAA 2);
  
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  People with diabetes (KAA 1 and 2);
  
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  Access to cataract surgery (KAA 3);
  
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  Affordability (namely Spectacle Subsidy Schemes) (KAA 3);
  
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  Service integration (KAA 4);
  
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  Workforce development (KAA 4); and
  
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  Eye health data (KAA 5).
  

Collaboration between the Commonwealth and jurisdictions

The Commonwealth provided four jurisdictions – New South Wales, South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia – with funding for trachoma screening and treatment. Commonwealth funding was also provided to jurisdictional fund-holders for the Rural Health Outreach Fund (where eye health is one of the four priority areas) and the Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program (eye health services such as those for diabetic retinopathy can be supported through this programme).

Eye conditions

Certain eye conditions received particular attention over the reporting period across a number of jurisdictions, and these included:

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  trachoma;
  
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  eye conditions related to diabetes;
  
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  cataracts; and
  
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  trichiasis.
  

Challenges

Common challenges experienced by jurisdictions during the reporting period included:

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  recruitment and retention of staff;
  
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  sporadic visits by endocrinologists, eye health teams and optometrists in rural/remote areas; and
  
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  access to transport for clients to attend specialist appointments.
  

It is not possible to directly compare this report against the previous two progress reports, due to differences in the way information on activities was compiled for Progress Report One (covering the period 2005 to 2008) and Progress Report Two (2008 to 2011).

Background

In May 2003 the 56^th World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA56.26 on the elimination of avoidable blindness in recognition of the fact that 45 million people in the world are blind and that a further 135 million people are visually impaired. The resolution urged all member states to develop national plans¹ in collaboration with non-government organisations and the private sector to prevent avoidable blindness.
In 2005, Australian Health Ministers agreed to the National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss (the Framework). The Framework provides a blueprint for nationally co-ordinated action by governments, health professionals,
non-government organisations, industry and individuals to work in partnership.

In accordance with the World Health Assembly resolution, the focus of the Framework is on the elimination of avoidable blindness and vision loss in Australia, rather than on the provision of low vision and rehabilitation services.
The Framework outlines five key action areas that have the potential to lead to the prevention of avoidable blindness and low vision. All jurisdictions are required to report three yearly to
Australian Health Ministers on progress against these key action areas.
The First Progress Report to Health Ministers in 2008 was compiled by the Eye Health Working Group of the former Australian Population Health Development Principal Committee, now consolidated into the Community Care and Population Health Principal Committee (CCPHPC).
In 2011, the Commonwealth Department of Health engaged Vision 2020 Australia to conduct a stocktake of jurisdictional eye health activities that contributed to the implementation of the Framework. This stocktake formed the basis of the Second Progress Report, which covered the period July 2008 to June 2011. The Second Progress Report was endorsed by Health Ministers in December 2012.