Volume 48, No. 15, August 24, 2006
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TAKING
CARE: Reserves should be familiar with the instructions
governing provision of health care.
Photo by SGT Kevin Berriman |
The
provision of health support to Reserve members is important. GPCAPT
James Ross gives you the latest updates.
Provision of Health Care
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) requires the medical and dental
fitness of its personnel in order that they are able to undertake
operational duties. As such, the provision of health care by the
Defence Health Service (DHS) to members of the ADF is a requirement
of service. Integral to this is the need to maintain a comprehensive
health record and to undertake health surveillance and preventive
health measures to monitor and maintain medical and dental fitness.
Equity with Medicare under the provisions of the Health Insurance
Act 1973 underpins the basic entitlement to the range of medical
services provided to members of the Permanent Forces. Usually
the range of, and ease of access to, health care provided to such
members will exceed that available through the public health care
system because of the requirement to meet and maintain operational
readiness.
However, Head DHS (HDHS) will, from time to time, issue policy
which may exclude or limit the provision of certain medical or
dental treatment on the grounds that such treatment is contra-indicated
or unnecessary for operational readiness.
Reserve members serving on continuous full-time service
Subject to a medical examination establishing that the member
meets the relevant medical standards of the ADF, the DHS is required
to provide members of the Reserve Forces serving on continuous
full-time service (CFTS) the same health care that is afforded
to the Permanent Forces.
When an injury or illness resulting from Defence service is suffered
by a Reserve member while on CFTS, health care for that injury
or illness will be continued after the member ceases to be on
CFTS and resumes part-time service, until the transfer of the
member into the military compensation system administered by the
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) has been completed.
Reserve members serving on other than continuous full-time
service
For routine health requirements that are not related to Defence
service and treatment of injury or illness that did not result
from Defence service, members of the Reserve Forces serving on
other than CFTS should consult their civilian health practitioner
under their usual arrangements.
The DHS is required to provide the following health care for Reserve
members serving on other than CFTS:
1. Reservists will receive health care for injury or illness resulting
from their Defence service until the transfer of the member into
the military compensation system, administered by the DVA, is
complete.
2. Reservists when serving away from their home locality, or serving
in their home locality but unable to access their usual health
practitioner, will also be provided with immediate treatment for
any other emergency or acute condition until the member is returned
to their home locality, ceases to be on duty, and is handed over
to the care of their usual practitioner. This health care will
not normally include treatment of non-acute pre-existing ailments
or routine dental care.
3. Preventive care, such as sun screen, will be provided when
necessary to directly support Service activities.
The Senior Health Officer (SHO) of the Area Health Service (AHS)
will withdraw treatment if the member suffering injury or illness
as a result of Defence service fails to submit a compensation
claim to DVA within a reasonable period, or their claim is rejected
(after any appeals are finalised) by DVA.
Specific health interventions, such as vaccinations, health assessments,
and other preventive care, may be provided at the request of the
Service or Operational Headquarters for individual or unit readiness,
or for pre-deployment reasons.
Post-separation health care
Post-separation health care will be provided to Reserve members
on CFTS under the same provisions as for Permanent Forces. Reserve
members not on CFTS may only be provided with post-separation
health care if it is necessary to transition the member to the
military compensation system administered by DVA.
A member seeking post-separation health care must make representation
through their health staff to the SHO describing the exceptional
circumstances that prevented them from completing outstanding
health care prior to separation. The member’s health staff
is to provide details of the treatment required to the SHO.
If the SHO decides that post-separation care is appropriate for
a member’s rehabilitation for civilian life, there must be
a written agreement between the member and the ADF. This will
define the treatment that will be provided and whether this treatment
will be provided by a Service health facility or by civilian health
practitioners.
Elective use of Non-ADF Health Care by Members
If members of the Reserve Forces entitled to receive health care
provided by the ADF, elect to be treated through non-ADF approved
sources, they must do so at their own expense. Approval for absence
from work for the anticipated period of hospitalisation and recovery
is to be obtained prior to the event. Where members are rendered
unfit for duty, they will be entitled to sick or convalescent
leave subject to prior approval.
If entitled, members access health care from non-ADF sources they
are to advise ADF health staff. Failure to provide such advice
may lead to incorrect decisions regarding treatment, deployment,
posting or employment, and may compromise compensation entitlements.
The hiding of serious medical, dental or psychological conditions
may place the member, or other members, at risk of injury or illness,
and attempts to hide such conditions may lead to disciplinary
action.
DHS staff are to counsel members who wish to undertake procedures
which are contra-indicated on operational grounds that they may
be subject to medical re-classification and discharge action.
For procedures which are not contra-indicated on operational grounds
DHS staff may provide a letter of referral.
Individual Readiness (IR)
IR describes compliance with the IR requirements established by
respective Service Chiefs within their responsibilities for capability
management.
Total force includes all ADF personnel. The trained force comprises
those who have completed their initial employment training, and
are required to be deployable in accordance with their particular
single Service IR requirements. The force in training comprises
those members who have not yet completed their initial employment
training.
Within the ADF, IR comprises six components, one of which is medical.
Medical
The ADF requires medical fitness of its members in order to undertake
their operational duties. A member is deemed medically ready if
they are Medical Employment Category (MEC) 1 or MEC 2, and have
completed an Annual Health Assessment (AHA), Specialist Medical
(SM) or Comprehensive Preventive Health Examination (CPHE) within
the preceding 12 months, and have been recommended as Medically
Individually Ready on Form AD 146—Annual Health Assessment.
High Readiness Reserves
The entitlements/requirements for High Readiness Reserves are
being finalised. Further information will be provided in due course
to assist members in understanding their entitlements and responsibilities
for health care and fitness.
The policies which cover this subject are:
DI(G) PERS 16-1 - Health care of Australian Defence Force personnel;
DI(G) PERS 16-18 – Australian Defence Force policy for the
Health Promotion Program;
DI(G) PERS 16-22 – Australian Defence Force rehabilitation
program; and
DI(G) PERS 36-2 – Australian Defence Force policy on individual
readiness.
