DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

DRS

Media Release

Wednesday, 3 March 2010

Hospital Reform Promising, Primary Care Almost Forgotten

 

“The Prime Minister’s proposed shake up of public hospital funding has the capacity to reduce waiting lists to see specialists, to have surgery, and to get seen in Emergency department when needed,” said Dr Woodruff, president, Doctors Reform Society.

“It appears however, that Primary Care, ie care in the community from GPs, nurses, psychologists, and other allied health professionals, is a very low priority with minimal changes suggested, said Dr Woodruff. “ Whilst the idea of funding nationally and organising the provision of services locally is the basis for the reformed hospital funding model, such a model has not been suggested for Primary Care, despite the obvious appalling inequities in access to such care, and the inefficiencies and lack of co-ordination in Primary Care. Canberra based programs and policy will not address these issues. Neither Superclinics nor some extra money to Divisions to carry out some preventive care will address this problem.”

“The issue of workforce to carry out the increased workload has not been addressed,” said Dr Woodruff. “Indeed, there has been a consistent refusal to accept that taxpayer support for private hospitals attracts specialists away from the already under-staffed public hospitals.”

“National standards and performance measures are essential to determine what is working”, said Dr Woodruff. “But if such measures are to be required of publicly funded public hospitals, why will they not also be required of publicly funded private hospitals. It is imperative however, that performance measures are adequately adjusted for the many risk factors which influence health outcomes.”