Hospital reform promising, primary care almost forgotten

Issue 

"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 departments when needed", Dr Tim Woodruff, president of the Doctors Reform Society, said in response to PM Kevin Rudd's March 3 statement on healthcare reform.

"It appears, however, that primary care — that is care in the community from GPs, nurses, psychologists, and other allied health professionals — is a very low priority with minimal changes suggested.

"While 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."

Woodruff pointed out that the proposed improvement to hospital care requires increased staffing. "The issue of workforce to carry out the increased workload has not been addressed. 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. 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."

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