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The ABC are reporting: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Quote:
A pre-election review has found that both major political party's health policies are "fractured" and that neither side has paid enough attention to Indigenous health.
The report, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, says neither party has a cohesive strategy to deal with major challenges such as the ageing population and the shrinking medical workforce.
Report author Professor Stephen Leeder says so far the approach has been piecemeal.
"A lot of what has been discussed to date has been bits and pieces, taking over a hospital here, and improving the number of nurses there," he said.
Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Doctor Rosanna Capolingua says Indigenous health has been neglected across the board.
"We haven't seen any other commitment by the Coalition or Labor into what we call closing the gap," she said.
She says the AMA wants to ensure the health system can serve Australians well into the next decade.
And she says the state of the public hospital system is the biggest problem in Australia's health system.
"The major issue going forward has got to be addressing the public hospitals in Australia, ensuring indeed that we actually open beds so that we can increase the treatment of patients who need treatment through the public sector," she said.
Labor defends policy
But Opposition health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon says her party has long-term strategies to improve health services.
"Labor's set out a $2.5 billion health and hospital reform plan," she said.
"We believe we've set out a clear agenda for the future, including our strategies to fix the hospital system, end the blame game, and invest in healthcare, frontline healthcare like GP superclinics to help keep people out of hospital."
Challenges in health and health care for Australia
Bruce K Armstrong, James A Gillespie, Stephen R Leeder, George L Rubin and Lesley M Russell.
Med J Aust 2007; 187 (9): 485-489. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/...m11047_fm.html
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
The ABC are reporting: Election candidates urged to think of health crisis
Quote:
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia is urging Tasmanian candidates for the Federal election to tell voters how they plan to fix the heath crisis facing rural communities.
The Association's President, Peter Rischbeith says in northern Tasmania alone there are around 22 unfilled doctor vacancies, 12 of those in the electorate of Braddon and seven in Lyons.
Dr Rischbeith says Tasmanian candidates do not seem to be taking the crisis seriously.
"There needs to be some major system incentives to support the workforce and to ensure that our local hospitals and community hospitals are maintained and the resources are put into those hospitals and the workforce supported to provide those essential services living as close as possible to their health services are delivered," Dr Rischbeith said..
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
I stand to be corrected (if anyone cares?), but this may be the first mention of "podiatry" in this election campaign. The Age are reporting:
Labor pledges $2.5m for rural health scheme
Quote:
A federal Labor government would provide $2.5 million to establish an allied health rural health scholarship plan.
The plan would provide rural clinical placement scholarships for students in allied health disciplines such as psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and podiatry.
Labor's health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon said a similar scholarship scheme exists for medical students but there is no such scheme for allied health students.
She said the plan would provide a much-needed boost to the allied health care workforce in rural Australia.
"Recruiting, training and maintaining adequate staff in the allied health professions is a particular issue for rural, regional and remote Australia," Ms Roxon said in a statement.
"These scholarships will be offered to encourage allied health students from metropolitan, rural and remote backgrounds to undertake clinical placements in a rural and remote communities."
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Correct - this is the first mention of anything Podiatry in the whole lead up.
One would have thought APodC would have been knocking down doors to both parties in the lead up asking for their policies?
Did we miss the boat on this?
On a brighter note - good to see Labour pledging $2.5million for rural placement scholarships - now all they need to do is pledge some more money to ensure our University programs stay up and running!!!!!
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
The AMA are not wasting any time. The ABC are reporting: AMA heaps early pressure on Rudd
Quote:
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says fixing the nation's ailing health system has to be the new Federal Government's first priority.
AMA Queensland president Dr Ross Cartmill says Kevin Rudd's promises to spend $100 million to fix hospital waiting lists and $200 million on improving hospital infrastructure are totally inadequate.
He says Queensland has already allocated $7.2 billion for health from the state budget alone.
"The AMA made it clear during the campaign we need $3 billion in the first year of the next Commonwealth State agreement and then we need to index that at eight or nine per cent," he said.
"Unless we're talking those sort of figures the problems of inadequate beds and problems with staffing of public hospitals, waiting lists will continue."
Dr Cartmill says if the extra funding is not provided waiting lists and staff shortages will continue.
"$100 million across the whole nation over one or two years will not make any significant difference to the waiting lists and we did know that during the campaign and we thought that was inadequate," he said.
"They need to understand that that assurance of attacking the waiting lists with such an inadequate fund is not going to achieve anything."
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaVinci
What about APodC?
The nurses have not wasted any time either. Also from the ABC: Nurses urge Labor to keep pre-election promises
Quote:
The Australian Nursing Federation is calling on federal Labor to implement its election campaign promises on health care.
Spokeswoman Ged Kearney says Labor promised to increase funding for public hospitals and aged care.
She says it also promised to improve work conditions for nurses.
"We campaigned very heavily against WorkChoices, we campaigned for health reform, better resources for primary care and for our public hospitals, and we campaigned for aged care," she said.
"We feel the Rudd Government had pre-election promises around all of those issues."
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaVinci
What about APodC?
One hopes they have enough political savvy to be actively engaging the new government without a moment's delay.
Somehow, I doubt our decidedly unsophisticated professional body has enough ability to focus on this potential opportunity, they have far too much pathetic interstate infighting to carry on with.
LL
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***************************************** Remember, it's just a foot.
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Wasn't it really exciting - listening to the usual fantasy promises impossible to fund.
Now everyone has to wait for the best bit - the usual cuts to this and that so everyone can see how enterprisingly wonderful the new old government is.
Last edited by scottneyturbill : 27th November 2007 at 01:11 AM.
Reason: missing word
Re: Major parties' health policies lacking: report
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuckyLisfranc
they have far too much pathetic interstate infighting to carry on with.
That is over. A clear agreement has been reached between the states on the role of APodC; most states have new national delegates; a new CEO is about to be appointed....from where I sit, things are looking up. To get to that point it took a lot of anguish, time and money, not to mention the commitment and soul searching of a lot of dedicated individuals...but it was needed and a good outcome has been reached.
Major parties' health policies lacking: report
NEITHER THANKS - I wonder what the Democrats are doin' right now. 
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