SOCIAL WELFARE, HEALTH AND SERVICES
AUSTRALIA
Health care in Australia is provided by both
private and government institutions. The
federal Minister for Health, currently Sussan Ley,
administers national health policy, elements of
which (such as the operation of hospitals) are
operated by state governments.
Australia is a high income country, and this is
reflected in the good status of health of the
population overall. In 2011, Australia ranked 2nd
on the United Nations Development Programmes
Human Development Index, indicating the level of
development of a country
Australia has the fourth highest life expectancy in
the world after Iceland, Japan and Hong Kong.
[301]
Life expectancy in Australia in 2010 was 79.5
years for males and 84.0 years for females.
Total expenditure on health (including private
sector spending) is around 9.8% of GDP.
Medicare is the publicly funded universal health
care system in Australia and was instituted in
1984. It coexists with a private health system.
Medicare is funded partly by a 1.5% Medicare
levy (with exceptions for low-income earners),
with the balance being provided by government
from general revenue. An additional levy of 1% is
imposed on high-income earners without
private health insurance.
SINGAPORE
PHILIPPINES
Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare
system, even though their health expenditures are
relatively low for developed countries. The World
Health Organisation ranks Singapore's healthcare
system as 6th overall in the world in its World
Health Report.[204] In general, Singapore has had
the lowest infant mortality rate in the world for the
past two decades. Life expectancy in Singapore is
80 for males and 85 for females, placing the
country 4th in the world for life expectancy. Almost
the whole population has access to improved water
and sanitation facilities.
Healthcare in the country are mostly taken up by
private health providers. In
2013, total
expenditures on the health sector was 3.8% of
GDP, below the WHO target of 5%.As of 2009,
67.1% of healthcare came from private
expenditures while 32.9% was from government.
External resources accounted for 2.9% of the
total. Health expenditures represented about
6.1% of total government spending.
The government's healthcare system is based upon
the "3M" framework. This has three components:
Medifund, which provides a safety net for
those not able to otherwise afford
healthcare,
Medisave, a compulsory health savings
scheme covering about 85% of the
population, and
Medishield, a government-funded health
insurance program.
Public hospitals in Singapore have autonomy in
their management decisions, and compete for
patients. A subsidy scheme exists for those on low
income. In 2008, 32% of healthcare was funded by
the government. It accounts for approximately
3.5% of Singapore's GDP.
Singapore has "one of the most successful
healthcare systems in the world, in terms of both
efficiency in financing and the results achieved in
There are an estimated 90,370 physicians or 1
per every 833 people, 480,910 nurses, 43,220
dentists, and 1 hospital bed per every 769
people. Retention of skilled practitioners is a
problem. 70% of nursing graduates go overseas
to work. The country is the biggest supplier of
nurses
Large areas of the Philippines do not have daily
access to any pharmaceuticals at all.
The government health care insurance system is
PhilHealth
Health care in Australia is universal. The federal
government pays a large percentage of the cost
of services in public hospitals
Health Program Initiatives:
1. Medicare Australia
[Link] Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme provides
subsidised medications to patients.
3. National Immunisation Program Schedule that
provides many immunisations free of charge by
the federal government. The Immunise Australia
Program has increased national immunisation
coverage rates and has helped reduce the
incidence of vaccine preventable diseases in the
community. Under
the
Immunise
Australia
Program, the National Immunisation Program
(NIP) includes: provision of free vaccines to
Australians; recording of immunisation coverage
by
the Australian
Childhood
Immunisation
Register (ACIR), and community education
programs and technical advice on NIP vaccines.
4. Australian Organ Donor Register, a national
register which registers those who elect to be
organ donors.
5. Each state is responsible for the operation of
public hospitals.
6. Healthcare Initiatives State based projects
are regularly set up to target specific problems
such as breast cancer screening programs,
indigenous youth health programs or
school dental health
community health outcomes," according to an
analysis by global consulting firm Towers Watson.
The government regularly adjusts policies to
actively regulate "the supply and prices of
healthcare services in the country" in an attempt
to keep costs in check. However, for the most part
the government does not directly regulate the
costs of private medical care.
The specific features of the Singapore healthcare
system are unique, and have been described as a
"very difficult system to replicate in many other
countries."
Many
Singaporeans
also
have
supplemental private health insurance (often
provided by employers) for services not covered by
the government's programs.
Social Services
1. Families and Children
The Department of Social Services helps to
support families and children through programs
and
services and benefits
and
payments.
Further support is provided through grants and
funding for organisations providing services for
families.
The Child Support Scheme
The Child Support Scheme (the Scheme)
aims to ensure that children receive an
adequate level of financial support from both
parents following separation.
History of the Child Support Scheme
The Child Support Scheme was introduced in
1988 in response to concerns about the
adequacy of court-ordered child maintenance
and the difficulties that existed in the
collection of maintenance in Australia.
Parenting
Paid Parental Leave scheme
Information on the Paid Parental Leave
scheme introduced in the 2009-10 Budget.
Families and Children Activity
The Families and Children Activity (FaC) is
delivered under the Families and
Communities Programme and provides
support to families to improve the wellbeing
of children and young people to enhance
family and community functioning, as well as
increasing the participation of vulnerable
people in community life.
Intercountry Adoption
The Prime Minister has announced that a new
The goal of social services in Singapore is to promote the
well-being of people and communities. It seeks to help
individuals to be self-sufficient and less dependent, and
restore individuals, families or communities to
successfully function in the society.
1. Children, Youth and Family Services
Social Goal
For all children and youth-at-risk to be contributing
members to society, for families-in-need to be strong and
stable.
2. Mental Health Services
All persons with mental health issues are supported to be
re-integrated into the community.
Programs:
1. Integration Support
Children and Youth
a. Singapore Association for Mental Health YouthReach
Adults
b. Friendship And Mind Enrichment Club
c. Singapore Anglican Community Services Community
Rehabilitation and Support Services
d. SAMH Insight Centre Counselling and Support
Services
e. Silver Ribbon Singapore - Tze Hng Wellness Studio
2. Training and Employment
f. SACS Employment Support Services
3. Day Activity Centre
g. SAMH Oasis Day Centre
4. Homes and Hostels
1. Center Based Social Services
Services rendered in facilities referred to as
centers on a daily basis or during part of
the day. Clients of these facilities have
families to return to after treatment or after
undergoing developmental activities.
Programs:
a. For Women: INA Healing Center A facility
that provides psychosocial support to
bereaved mothers through programs and
projects aimed at helping them manage their
grief and empower them to reach out to
other grieving mothers
b. For People with Disabilities: Rehabilitation
Sheltered Workshop (RSW) A facility that
provides vocational/social rehabilitation and
skills training to persons with disabilities and
other special groups for socio-economic
independence and productivity.
2. Community Based Social Services
Programs:
a.
For
Families/Communities:
The Sustainable
Livelihood
Program or SLP is
a
community-based
capacity-building
program
aimed
at
improving the socio-economic status of its
participants. It operates on a two-track
system, in which participants are given the
option to take either the (a) Microenterprise Development track or the
(b) Employment Facilitation track after
participating in social preparation and
capacity-building workshops to be conducted