AMA statement on the interim NHHRC report
The Australian Medical Association congratulates the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission (the Commission) on its interim report released today. We recognise that its’ task was not easy, evidenced by the 400 plus pages in the report. The Commission has worked tirelessly within very short timeframes to deliver this extensive interim report. It deserves credit for its work to date on this important exercise of shaping Australia’s long-term health system.
We are pleased that the Commission has recognised the central and essential role of assessment, diagnosis and treatment by a doctor in Australia’s future health system. Clearly, the Commission recognises that Australia is a prosperous enough nation to continue to afford to invest in medical training so that we can expand access to high quality health services.
From what we heard today, the Commission would not be surprised that the AMA sees no value to the community, or in particular for patients, in pursuing some of the tired policies of budget-holding and restrictions on patient choice and rationing that have failed patients in the United Kingdom.
We would prefer, and would be keen to discuss with the Commission, measures that make general practice more accessible to patients through better use of allied health teams and general practice nurses working with doctors. Many multi-disciplinary clinics already exist, offering a broad array of health services to patients. It is important not to duplicate existing services.
The Commission would also not be surprised that the AMA has consistently cautioned against placing benchmarks and performance pay systems and structures above more resources for direct care at the bedside or in the surgery. Performance reporting must be used as an indication of the need for more funding and resources and not used for a penalty when benchmarks are not achieved. Performance indicators must not encourage perverse incentives that could detrimentally affect patient care.
We understand that there are many elements of the report that hold great promise for better preventive care, bolstering medical and health services in the community, investing in aged care, better management of chronic disease and a renewed focus on improving health services for those groups in the community most in need, such as young people, older Australians, people with a mental illness and those living in rural and remote areas.
The ambitious recommendations to turn the table on the gap between Indigenous health and the health of other Australians have a lot of merit and we would be keen to explore them further with the Commission. This warrants serious consideration in order to address a situation that cannot continue to be tolerated in an Australian health system designed to provide universal access to health care.
We look forward to further discussions with the Commission before its’ final report is delivered to the Government. We believe that Australians will want a future health system is less bureaucratic and government-centred and more patient-centred, that it will have fewer gaps such as those through which patients are presently falling and more access to the health services that they need and that it will continue to provide the high quality and safe health care that all Australians deserve. Let’s build on what works.
16 February 2009
CONTACT: Kirk Coningham 02 6270 54 / 0417 142 467