Content warning: this episode of The Checkup discusses highly sensitive topics, including vicarious trauma and psychological harm. If you find this episode triggering, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. As legal professionals, we might find ourselves navigating emotionally challenging subject matters, graphic material or cases that involve emotionally charged parties. This can, in some instances, lead professionals to encounter 'vicarious trauma,' a phenomenon often experienced in high-stress industries such as law or healthcare at various stages of one's career. In this episode of The Check ..read more

Content warning: this episode of The Checkup discusses highly sensitive topics, including death and suicide. If you find this episode triggering, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.   The Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws have been passed in all Australian states and are currently being rolled out across the country. While the laws are already in operation in some states, other states will commence the laws in 2023.   These new laws will have a significant impact on the healthcare industry in Australia and they raise complex questions around practical implementation and their ..read more

Content warning: this episode of The Checkup discusses highly sensitive topics, including death and suicide. If you find this episode triggering, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. In Australia, criminal law prohibits active voluntary euthanasia, however Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation has been introduced and/or passed in various states, making it accessible for persons who meet a certain criteria. The intersection of criminal law and new end-of-life legislation raises a few questions: What will we see change across the healthcare industry? Will patients and their treatment options be ..read more

Understandably, the thought of being contacted by the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) following a complaint can be stressful for practitioners and health service providers. However, in many cases, this is usually a result of a lack of understanding of the HCC's processes. In this episode of The Checkup, BN's Scott Shelly is joined by Felicity Lathrop, Resolutions Manager for the Health Complaints Commissioner in Victoria, to uncover the role of the HCC in the complaints resolution process, and hopefully relieve some of the anxiety practitioners and health service providers often feel when ..read more

Following the death of a patient, the treating health professional may be asked to provide a statement to the coroner about their management of the patient, and required to attend court to provide evidence at an inquest. Understandably, the prospect of dealing with the Coroners Court can be stressful, however, this is usually due to a lack of knowledge regarding the role and function of coroners. In this episode of The Checkup, BN’s Kate Hughes speaks to His Honour Coroner Simon McGregor of the Coroners Court of Victoria to demystify the process behind coronal investigations. Coroner McGregor ..read more

Most people will be familiar with the very public rise and fall of Britney Spears - from pop princess to a young mother tormented by the paparazzi, and the toll this inevitably took on her mental health which played out publicly for the world to see. However, in recent years, Britney has hit headlines for unexpected reasons. It's come to light that she has been the subject of a conservatorship since 2008, with her father appointed as her conservator and therefore responsible for making all personal and financial decisions on Britney's behalf. 13 years later, and after numerous court hearings ..read more

As we continue to witness the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world, especially across countries like the UK, the US and of course, the devastating effect its having on India, the development and implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination has become an important and topical conversation for everyone.   In this episode of The Checkup, BN’s Kate Hickey and Hannah Shiel are joined, once again, by Dr Lai Heng Foong, an emergency physician and frontline worker, and Chair of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine’s Public Health and Disaster Committee. We talked to Dr Foong ..read more

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s the importance of having the necessary infrastructure in place to allow us the ability to pick up the phone and get the health and medical assistance we require. This includes mental health support. Telehealth hasn’t just helped prevent the spread of the virus, it’s made quality healthcare more accessible to people who, due to various circumstances, were unable to access these services previously. In this episode of The Checkup, BN's Kate Hickey and Hannah Shiel talk to Dr Erika Penney, a clinical psychologist and lecturer at the University of ..read more

Since the Closing the Gap initiative began 10 years ago, some progress has been made to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But there is still work to be done in achieving equity in Indigenous health. In this episode, BN's Melissa Carius is joined by Avelina Tarrago to discuss the cultural and legal issues for health practitioners who have patients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island background. Avelina is a barrister with North Quarter Lane Chambers in Brisbane, and President of the Indigenous Lawyers Association of Queensland.   This episode of The ..read more

Whilst COVID-19 caused incredible loss, fear and panic around the world, there was a silver lining to the pandemic – a rejuvenation of our environment. With the world in lockdown and an unprecedented downturn in manufacturing, there has since been countless observations and reports of a worldwide ‘re-awakening’ and renewal of our ecosystems due to a reduction in burning fossil fuels. But as we begin to ramp up industry, just as quickly we return to the same destructive path. But it’s not just the environment it affects, it’s people, too. With a rising number of floods, heatwaves, bushfires and ..read more