| Publication: | The Australian |
|---|---|
| Date: | 8 December 2009 |
| Section: | Health |
Matthew Franklin, Chief Political Correspondent
PEAK health groups have demanded Kevin Rudd stop talking and act on improving the nation's health system, flatly declaring he is taking too long to decide how to reform the troubled sector.
And the opposition has ridiculed the Prime Minister as a health bureaucrat more interested in process than action after yesterday's Council of Australian Governments meeting in Brisbane failed to deliver substantive health reform.
Mr Rudd yesterday defended his reform process, insisting that reforms of the multi-billion-dollar system must be done properly and with proper consultation.
Mr Rudd won the 2007 federal election promising to end what he called "the blame game" between states and the commonwealth.
He vowed he would lift funding to states but relieve them of control of public hospitals if they failed to improve their performance.
Despite delivering a 50 per cent, five-year funding boost to the states in a $64 billion funding agreement signed last year, complete with more federal strings attached, Mr Rudd has yet to finalise his plans for structural reform of the system.
Yesterday, he emerged from a two-hour discussion on health with the premiers with no news beyond a $300 million boost in funding for elective surgery and an agreement on a decision-making process for next year.
"Our healthcare system is under great stress and pressure, and therefore we must get it absolutely right for the long-term," Mr Rudd said.
Earlier, he had briefed the premiers on the report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, produced earlier this year, proposing a range of possible changes to the operation of the health system.
The lack of progress drew a sharp response, with Australian Medical Association president Andrew Pesce saying the health sector was running out of patience. "People are losing confidence because the timeframes keep changing and getting put back," Dr Pesce said. "We can only tolerate further delays if we can get some assurance that solutions are being considered that will actually fix our deteriorating system. Our governments must give a firm indication of the direction and extent of the health reform that is being developed."
Catholic Health Australia chief executive Martin Laverty labelled COAG a talkfest and demanded Mr Rudd "stop talking and start acting". "We appreciate the level of consultation on health reform but today's Council of Australian Governments talkfest has not delivered what patients in hospitals and residents in aged care services need," he said.
"Unwieldy and inconsistent legislation and regulation, and overlapping responsibilities between states and the commonwealth, are delaying or even preventing timely access to aged care for many older Australians in need.
"By simplifying and centralising the funding and assessment processes, the federal government could ensure quality aged care is available to all who need it, when they need it, with choice over where and how to receive care."
Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association executive director Prue Power said she was disappointed by the lack of action.
"Now that these processes have been undertaken, it is time for governments to act," Ms Power said.
"The community expects it and the future of our health system depends upon it.
"The outcome today can only be characterised as a continued holding pattern for the
Australian community. If the government is not careful, the plane may run out of fuel before it has a chance to land safely."
Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton said Mr Rudd had spent two years making promises but had done nothing.
"Mr Rudd is Australia's favourite bureaucrat," Mr Dutton said. "He loves to talk in bureaucratic terms, he talks in convoluted terms and today he was the health bureaucrat."
Mr Rudd was unmoved. He said his reform process was adhering to his stated targets and that he had significantly boosted funding to states in the new funding agreement.
"These are massive numbers which affect the totality of the health system and therefore they have to be got right," the Prime Minister said.
"A bit of sticking plaster here and a bit of sticking plaster there frankly, when you are looking at long term reform won't work."
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