Commitment to boost local health infrastructure
AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the Coalition’s commitment to invest $85 million in health infrastructure in local communities is a small but good start in meeting growing demand for important services and equipment, especially for public hospitals.
Dr Pesce said that capital investment in health infrastructure, particularly in neglected areas of rural, regional and remote Australia, is sorely needed.
“The Coalition’s Community Health Fund is a good idea but it will need much more funding if it is to match the critical need and meet the shortfall in infrastructure investment across the system and across the whole country,” Dr Pesce said.
“The infrastructure of our public hospital system has been neglected for a long time.
“It will require substantial funding to bring all hospitals to an acceptable level and provide the vital health buildings and equipment that is long overdue in many parts of the country.
“The major parties must commit significant funding and services to ensure that all our public hospitals, but especially our smaller country hospitals, have the modern technology and resources to provide quality medical and health care to their local communities,” Dr Pesce said.
6 August 2010
CONTACT: John Flannery 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761
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