FH Australia, as the voice for all Australians living with inherited high cholesterols, is committed to advocating at all levels for the inclusion of FH in the health policy landscape. One of the ways we do this is to provide submissions to consultations or draft service plans in all areas that impact FH.

In May 2024, the WA Department of Health opened consultation on a proposed 5-year Service Plan for Genetic Health WA (formerly the Genetic Services of WA) – the state-wide public clinical genetics service which provides diagnostic and genetic counselling services.

At present, genetic services for FH are fragmented with the majority of detection, cascade screening and genetic counselling done through a single tertiary hospital. Through a piloted shared care model and the availability of the MBS item for cascade testing, patient management and referrals are being extended to include primary care and other clinics.

FH Australia has contributed to the consultation with the position that in order to reduce service fragmentation and centralise the genetic service in a manner that streamlines all activities related to genetic testing, that GHWA coordinate all screening activities for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia for the State. It is our position that with an expansion of testing pathways to detect FH, cascade testing should no longer be coordinated out of a single tertiary hospital cardiology/cardiometabolic service.

In order to meet these recommendations, GHWA will need to be sustainably resourced in alignment with the success enablers referenced in the WA Genomics Strategy 2022-32.

Opportunity to contribute your opinion to the Service Plan is open until 31 May.