AMA Vision for Australia’s Health a blueprint for a healthier country
Launching the Vision at the AMA’s national conference on the Gold Coast today, AMA President Professor Steve Robson said a collective effort from everyone in the health system was needed to ensure Australia’s healthcare system is maintained as one of the best in the world.
“In developing the Vision for Australia’s Health, we heard from doctors that the biggest challenges facing the profession were the things that impeded timely and equitable access to care,” Professor Robson said.
“We heard about long waiting lists for appointments, workforce shortages, public hospitals that are over capacity, the increasing costs of healthcare, and inadequate supply of services in many areas of Australia.
“The AMA’s research in the past two years reflects this system-wide struggle, with access and affordability issues in primary care; a logjam in our public hospitals; a private system in need of reform, and persistent and new public health issues. Meanwhile, we have a lack of investment in preventive health — with growing rates of chronic disease further burdening the system.”
Professor Robson said AMA advocacy over the past two years had resulted in significant Commonwealth investment delivered in general practice and extra funding committed to support our struggling public hospitals.
“We have also seen continued efforts to break down the silos in the health system, and deeper collaboration across governments. While this is a good start, pressures remain, and we see the impact those pressures have on doctors and patients across the country,” Professor Robson said.
“Now is the time for innovative policies and measures to address the issues facing our healthcare system and ensure all Australians, regardless of where they come from, have access to good healthcare.”
Professor Robson said prevention was key to an effective health system, with the burden of chronic disease in an ageing population impacting the healthcare sector across the board.
“The pandemic underscored the importance of our health system and those who work in it, and demonstrated what could be achieved, with shifts in thinking about policy,” he said.
“While governments recognise the pervasive impact of poor health, healthcare is still viewed as a cost rather than a strategic investment. This creates a system that responds to poor health outcomes rather than preventing them. We need to change this thinking.
“The AMA’s Vision for Australia’s Health is a blueprint for governments to tackle the issues in our healthcare system. I look forward to seeing governments continue to work with the AMA to deliver on that plan.”
Read the AMA's Vision for Australia's Health
