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

Overview of jurisdictional activity from July 2011-June 2014 - Key Action Areas

Key Area for Action 1: Reducing the risk

Objective: Eye disease and vision loss are prevented, where possible, through addressing known modifiable factors.
Specific action areas: Raising Public Awareness /Maternal and Child Health/People with Diabetes /Eye Injury Prevention/Research.
Outcome: Jurisdictions achieved considerable progress in the period 2011-2014, particularly in the action areas of Raising Public Awareness, Maternal and Child Health, People with Diabetes and Eye Injury Prevention. Eye conditions of particular focus were trachoma and those related to diabetes. Common activities implemented were in the areas of Maternal and Child Health, People with Diabetes and Eye Injury Prevention. For this KAA, challenges reported by jurisdictions related to recruitment and retention of staff, patient transport to specialist appointments and availability of resources to address chronic disease and injury specific to eye health disease prevention.
Key Area for Action 2: Increasing early detection

Objective: Treatable eye conditions are detected early, so that interventions can be applied to preserve vision and prevent any further vision loss.
Specific action areas: Raising Public Awareness /Maternal and Child Health/People with Diabetes /Eye Injury Prevention/Research.
Outcome: Jurisdictions achieved considerable progress in the period 2011-2014, particularly in the action areas of Primary Health Care, People with Diabetes and Childhood Screening. Common activities implemented were in the areas of People with Diabetes and Childhood Screening. For this KAA, challenges reported by jurisdictions related to recruitment, retention of staff and resources available to address early detection of eye disease in the context of a range of competing health priorities.
Key Area for Action 3: Improving access to eye health care services

Objective: All Australians have equitable access to appropriate eye health care when required.
Specific action areas: Workforce Supply/Rural and Remote Communities/Access to Cataract Surgery/Affordability/Cultural Accessibility/ Public Awareness.
Outcome: Jurisdictions achieved considerable progress in the period 2011-2014, particularly in the action areas of Rural and Remote Communities, Access to Cataract Surgery, Affordability and Cultural Accessibility. Common activities were in the areas of Access to Cataract Surgery and Affordability, with Spectacle Subsidy Schemes available in all states and territories. For this KAA, challenges reported by jurisdictions related to an identified gap in the paediatric ophthalmology workforce and retention of skilled trachoma staff.
Key Area for Action 4: Improving the systems and quality of care

Objective: Eye health care is safe, affordable, well-coordinated, consumer-focussed and consistent with internationally recognised good practice.
Specific action areas: Service Integration/Workforce Development – Specialist Workforce /Workforce Development – Primary Health Care Workforce/Consumer Focus.
Outcome: Jurisdictions achieved considerable progress in the period 2011-2014, particularly in the action areas of Service Integration, Workforce Development – Specialist Workforce and Workforce Development – Primary Health Care Workforce. Common activities implemented were in the areas of Service Integration and Workforce Development – Specialist and Primary Health Care Workforce. In this KAA, jurisdictions reported challenges relating to high staff turnover in remote clinics, competing priorities for health service delivery and orthoptic staffing capacity.
Key Area for Action 5: Improving the evidence base

Objective: Eye health care policy, planning and programmes are supported by high quality research and data collection systems.
Specific action areas: Research Gaps and Priorities/Eye Research Workforce Development/Knowledge Transfer/Eye Health Data.
Outcome: Jurisdictions achieved sound progress in the period 2011-2014 across all Action Areas of the KAA. The Australian Research Council funded a number of research projects in the area of eye health and these are outlined in detail in the Jurisdiction update for the Commonwealth. Common activities implemented were in the areas of Eye health Data, Eye Research Workforce Development and Knowledge Transfer.

Tabulated summary of jurisdictional activity for the period 2011-2014 - Key Action Areas *

KEY ACTION AREA (KAA)	ACTION AREA	ACT	CWLTH	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA
KAA1 - Reducing the Risk	Raising Public Awareness	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Maternal and Child Health	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	People with Diabetes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Eye Injury Prevention	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
	Research	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
KAA2 - Increasing Early Detection	Public Awareness	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
	Primary Health Care	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	People with Diabetes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
	Childhood Screening	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
KAA3 - Improving Access to Eye Health Care Services	Workforce Supply	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Rural and Remote Communities	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Access to Cataract Surgery	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Affordability	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Cultural Accessibility	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Public Awareness	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
KAA4 - Improving the Systems and Quality of Care	Service Integration	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Workforce Development - Specialist Workforce	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Workforce Development - Primary Health Care Workforce	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Consumer Focus	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
KAA5 - Improving the Evidence Base	Research Gaps and Priorities	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Eye Research Workforce Development	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
	Knowledge Transfer	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Eye Health Data	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

(*NOTE: JURISDICTIONS WERE NOT EXPECTED TO REPORT AGAINST EVERY ACTION AREA. THIS DATA REFLECTS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME WHICH MAY NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT EXHAUSTIVE EFFORTS ADDRESSING EACH ACTION AREA ACROSS EACH STATE.)