Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says $500,000 for new mental health nurses in the North East and additional funding for counselling appointments is to ensure people in bushfire-affected communities "get the services they need".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Hunt visited the Wodonga Incident Control Centre ahead of meetings with health services in the Upper Murray and spoke to the mental health response.
"I offer my sympathy, condolences and support to everybody in the community in the North East who has suffered ... we know there have been deep human impacts," he said.
"We know there have been challenges, but what we have seen is a magnificent rising of the community, the health services, local state and federal teams all working together.
"The North East has had the first ever deployment of the Australian Medical Assistant Teams; teams we send overseas in the case of crisis or disaster.
"They have been deployed here ... and in Southern NSW.
"We know that there are specific needs in this area and nationally.
"In terms of this area, we will be providing an additional $500,000 for mental health nursing across the North East ... for an additional two-and-a-half places over the next two years.
"The Primary Health Network led by Matt Jones will be doing that and the Commonwealth will be providing the support.
"As soon as they can recruit [those nurses], we will deliver."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Mr Hunt said $5 million for research into the long-term effects of bushfire and subsequent smoke, also announced on Wednesday, would aim to provide reassurance.
"One of the concerns many people have raised is to understand the impact and effects of the prolonged exposure to the bushfires," he said.
"My latest advice is that 200,000 [P2 Masks] which the Commonwealth has provided to Victoria are expected in Wodonga ... within the coming days.
"We have announced we will be providing $5 million for research into the long-term effects of the bushfires.
"The collective advice of the chief health and medical officers ... is that as the smoke goes, the respiratory effects also subside.
"This funding is ultimately about deep, positive reassurance for families ... about what happens once the smoke goes."
Acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly joined Mr Hunt at Wodonga and said most knowledge of smoke impacts was around ongoing pollution in places like India.
"That's very different to where we are today, where our air quality is usually extraordinarily good," he said.
"That's the gap in our knowledge; about what happens when you get an intermittently very high level.
"The air quality here in the North East and Eastern Victoria is visibly bad and myself together with all of the chief health officers around the country ... have met many times through this crisis to make sure our messaging is very clear.
"The main message is to avoid the smoke as much as you can and to stay indoors."
