DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

Media Release

 

Saturday, 4 November 2006

 

 BLAME GOVERNMENT, NOT DOCTORS, FOR FAILING PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES

 

"Reports today that doctors don't look after chronic illness well (Australian) ignore the fact that doctors work in a health system run by government," said Dr Tim Woodruff, President of the Doctors Reform Society.

 

"It's government which must take responsibility for the facts that 50% of GPs are not well prepared to deal with patients with a mental illness and 30% are not well prepared to deal with patients with general chronic diseases," said Dr Woodruff.

 

"Governments control the inadequate workforce numbers, the fee for service funding which stops doctors going to areas of need, promotes copayments which makes care unaffordable, waste taxes supporting private care which goes to patients least likely to have chronic illnesses, and are responsible for payment mechanisms which discourage integrated care, "said Dr Woodruff

 

"When governments work together to provide primary health care teams funded in an efficient way, working in areas where needs are greatest, our patients might finally have the same level of care as those in other Western countries which spend less on health than we do and report better preparedness to look after patients with chronic illnesses," said Dr Woodruff.

 

"Let's put the responsibility for poor care where it belongs and ask governments to look at real reform of our dysfunctional health system, turn away from the obsession with profit driven private care, look to a real co-operative approach between state and Federal Governments, and put our patients' needs first."