Senator the Hon Fiona Nash, Assistant Minister for Health, has praised Vision 2020 Australia members for the work they had done in developing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision care sector funding proposal.
The Minister said at a meeting in Sydney last week that she was pleased to see the sector working together to address the needs that existed in closing the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait eye health and vision care.
Attending the meeting was a delegation led by Vision 2020 Australia CEO Jennifer Gersbeck including Jaki Adams-Barton, The Fred Hollows Foundation; Mitchell Anjou and Professor Hugh Taylor from the Indigenous Eye Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population Health; Genevieve Quilty, Optometry Australia; Kerry Gallagher, Australian Society of Ophthalmology; and Dr David Andrews, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
On the table for discussion was system strengthening and coordination, current gaps in optometry and ophthalmology service delivery, access issues and establishing an oversight function.
The Minister asked for further information and prioritisation of recommendations in the proposal.
The full version of Close the Gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision care sector funding proposal is available in the Resources Section of this website.