Catholic Health Australia has used its submission to a Senate Inquiry into income inequality in Australia to highlight the need for people from different socioeconomic groups to be able to access similar levels of health care. In its submission, CHA recommended that "particular attention be given to ensuring that any barriers in access in particular to health care for socioeconomically disadvantaged Australians are continuously monitored and removed such that socioeconomically disadvantaged Australians enjoy the same health care access, and health care outcomes, as the most advantaged Australians". Click here to access the submission.

In its submission to the Community Affairs References Committee Senate Inquiry into Australia's domestic response to the World Health Organisation's Commission on Social Determinants of Health report Closing the Gap Within a Generation, Catholic Health Australia called on the Government to implement a model for action on the social determinants of health. The model would include the development of principles by the Social Inclusion Unit, the development of a national strategy to address health inequality, the coordination of data collection by the Productivity Commission and the presentation in Parliament on the indicators for action on the social determinants of health by the Prime Minister, as well as a number of other steps.

Click here to read CHA's submission.

Click here to read CHA's response to Questions on Notice following CEO Martin Laverty's evidence given to the Committee.