AMA’s hospital logjam campaign gains traction

The AMA’s Clear the hospital logjam campaign for increased hospital funding has this week sparked public debate and elevated the issue to the federal election agenda.

The Australian Medical Association’s Clear the hospital logjam campaign gained traction in the media this week with State and Federal Health Ministers at loggerheads over calls for fairer and more sustainable public hospital funding.

AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid, who this month launched the AMA campaign for political parties to address long-standing hospital funding failure, was quoted in the media.

The Sunday Age reported that the Morrison government is on a collision course with the states over health funding months out from a federal election after Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt rejected state demands for a 50-50 hospital funding share between the Commonwealth and states and territories.

Dr Khorshid said the AMA was pushing for a 50-50 split between state and federal governments with the Commonwealth increasing its funding from 45 per cent to 50 per cent. However, he warned that an increase in federal funding should not allow states to pay less.

“Neither Liberal nor Labor are willing to even have a conversation about public hospital funding,” he said.

The AMA is seeking a pledge before election day from both political parties to end the logjam in hospitals through better targeted, more equitable funding to fix public hospitals and stop the Commonwealth and states evading their responsibilities.

The Guardian reported that an Essential poll, commissioned by the AMA, found voters who had traditionally supported the Coalition on health and hospital funding were deserting them.

The poll of 1069 voters conducted on 3-6 February found that 34 per cent of Coalition supporters questioned the Coalition’s health record. Only the Morrison government’s handling of climate change and cost of living pressures registered higher levels of disapproval.

Dr Khorshid was quoted as saying that the poll results “put the political parties on notice that public hospital funding is resonating as a vote changer with the Australian electorate”.

In an article in the Age/SMH, AMA Federal Councillor, Dr Sarah Whitelaw, says that despite signs of easing of the current Omicron outbreak, there is no relief in sight for exhausted and stretched staff, highlighting the need for increased hospital funding.