DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

Media Release

Monday, 2 January 2006

VOUCHERS AND COMPETITION FOR MENTAL HEALTH A MAJOR CONCERN

“Reports that the Federal Government is considering the use of vouchers for patients with mental illness to ‘buy’ their own care or trust an agent to buy their care raises many concerns,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President of the Doctors Reform Society.

“Patients, particularly the very ill, the elderly, and those with mental illness, are frequently not in a position to choose appropriate health care, they need the advice of professionals of some kind,” said Dr Woodruff.

“Substituting ‘consumer agents’ for such professionals is simply adding another layer to the complicated maze, another group of people who need to be controlled from overtreating or undertreating patients depending on how the budget looks,” said Dr Woodruff.

“Where would the protection for patients be when they’ve spent all their vouchers and they remain sick?”

“Patients cannot compete for best health care. Health care is a right, not a commodity, and applying market forces at the level of the patient will be a health disaster for many.”