We were delighted to welcome Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler MP to a press conference in Adelaide today to announce the official launch of the Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme (CWCS). 

Minister Butler called it 'an exciting announcement that will make such a difference for thousands of patients' and acknowledged Wounds Australia's role in bringing the scheme to life. 

"We said a couple of years ago that one of our major focuses was going to be strengthening Medicare... I also said at the time I wanted to see Medicare brought up to date with the needs of 21st century patients," Minister Butler said. "About that time Wounds Australia and the AMA came to see me and said that one of the pressing needs in our healthcare system was good care for people with chronic wounds. 

"[Chronic wounds] are very expensive... The consumables, the things used to treat the wound itself, can run to thousands of dollars a year, which is a cost either born by the patient or often by the practise itself," Minister Butler said. "Today this scheme starts to take effect, and will deliver support to around 20,000 patients every single year. 

"We're really excited about seeing the results of the evaluation into the second half of next year and I think it's a type of funding program by the Commonwealth that has a really strong future." 

The event took place at the University of South Australia's City West Campus Clinic, and ABC TV and Channel 7 attended. 

Board Director Dr Peta Tehan represented Wounds Australia and, in her speech, gave valuable context on the size and scale of Australia's chronic wound epidemic, as well as insights into the expected impact on her professional practice as a Podiatrist. 

"Chronic wounds impact up to half a million Australians and have a huge impact on them personally, but also as a society," Dr Tehan said. "Being able to access the right consumables at the right time will improve outcomes. 

"I have patients who will really benefit from this scheme right now and, as a health practitioner, I'll be able to do my job to the best of my capability to assist them in their healing." 

Dr Caitlin Jeffries, Chair of UniSA's Podiatry Advisory Committee, a Podiatrist in private practice in Adelaide and a Wounds Australia member, shared a patient case study that brilliantly illustrated the potential life-saving benefits of the Scheme.  

Pictured above, L-R: Dr Peta Tehan, Minister Mark Butler MP, Dr Caitlin Jeffries, Jeff Antcliff and Adelaide University Pro Vice Chancellor of the College of Health-Elect, Professor Andrew Zannettino.

'Frank', a 73-year-old man living with diabetes and neuropathy, struggled to afford the expense of the dressings required to heal his foot ulcer, stretching out provisions for cost reasons and changing bandages less frequently than prescribed, leading to infection and, eventually, to a below-knee amputation that would significantly reduce Frank's expected lifespan.

"This highlights that this really can affect the average Australians," Dr Jeffries said. "The cost of dressings became the cost of dressings became the cost of, not only Frank's foot, but ultimately his life." 

Wounds Australia CEO Jeff Antcliff attended the announcement and congratulated the Minister and the Albanese Government on launching the CWCS. 

"We know that people living with chronic wounds can spend on average $4000 a year on the consumables required to manage their wounds," Mr Antcliff said. "The CWCS is designed to help some of society's most high-risk patients with a cost they can ill-afford to bear, and we are delighted to see it launched today." 

Find out more about the CWCS

Your patients may be eligible to access the Scheme if: 

• They are aged 65 years or over, or if they are a First Nations Australia aged 50 plus 
• And they live with diabetes and chronic wounds 
• And they are currently paying for their own consumables. 

They will be ineligible to access the Scheme if they receive wound care or access the following: 

• The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 
• The Department of Veterans' Affairs rehabilitation and treatment programs, including Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) dressings 
• Australian Government-funded residential aged care homes, Home Care Packages or Community Home Support Program. 

Full details about eligibility and registering for the Scheme can be found on the Department for Health, Disability and Ageing's website.

Need help? Health professionals can call 1800 700 199 (option 3) if they need assistance with PRODA or the ordering portal, plus there's a series of help modules available on the Services Australia website. 

Be Wound Aware campaign launches

Wounds Australia's campaign to educate consumers about chronic wounds has begun in earnest, with new resources available on the woundaware.org site. In addition to a range of factsheets covering everything from risk factors to early warning signs to prevention - now available in six languages - the first edition of the Be Wound Aware newsletter is out now. 

A major press campaign to share the results of our groundbreaking consumer insights survey is underway, with an exclusive story running on Channel 7 in coming days and more media to follow. Our team will be busy giving interviews in coming weeks and we'll update you on those stories as they're published.

Additionally a digital campaign has begun featuring videos with Nurse Mel Freeman on subjects like the wound warning signs, sources of professional advice, the basics of good wound care and the essentials in any home first aid kit. Follow our Wound Aware channels on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram! 

In the next few months, we'll be advertising in shopping centres, on regional TV stations, and in GP surgeries around the country to reach as many people as possible. 

Pictured, top: Minister Mark Butler MP, Wounds Australia Board Director Dr Peta Tehan, CEO Jeff Antcliff