Nine in ten tradies experienced a work-related injury in the past year and one in two say they live with severe pain. The new data released ahead of Tradies National Health Month shows the backbone of Australia’s workforce is suffering as productivity pressures mount.

One in every ten Australian workers are a tradieⁱ, and one in four of them fear they will need to retire early because of stress on their bodies.ⁱⁱ  

New data shows nearly 50 per cent of Australians in their prime earning years living with chronic pain are unable to work¹, with almost 30 per cent of those returning to work only capable of working at a reduced capacity.¹

April 2024

This week brings a new feature at The Zap, in response to reader feedback: a list of consultations that we hope will be helpful for Croakey readers. Please keep us updated of any new ones to add.

Charles Maskell-Knight also reviews concerns about spinal surgery and aged care reform, brings the latest data on food consumption trends, and reports that the Australian College of Nursing has been 'in the news for all the wrong reasons'.

April 2024

This week's ABC Four Corners episode Pain Factory highlighted that our health system is failing Australians with chronic pain. Patients are receiving costly, ineffective and risky care instead of effective, low-risk treatments for chronic pain.

In a flash poll conducted by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), over 90 per cent of physiotherapists said they have treated patients suffering after unnecessary and potentially harmful surgeries. This comes following a confronting exposé of Australia’s chronic pain industry on ABC Four Corners, which highlighted potential overuse of surgical procedures, despite physiotherapy treatment being considered part of best practice.

The NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) is going down the path of ‘Americanising’ healthcare by changing who patients can see for complex and serious low back medical problems.

SIRA has announced the seemingly innocuous removal of the term ‘physiotherapist’ from the clinical care pathway in its Low Back Pain Model of Care, replacing it with ‘physical therapies’ to allow NSW patients to be treated by non-Ahpra regulated and limited scope exercise providers. 

Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide¹. The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is drawing attention to the condition and providing guidance on how physiotherapy can help.