Doctors and nurses get together on health policy
Australia's peak doctors' organisation, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), and the peak nurses' organisation, the Australian Nursing Federation(ANF), today jointly called on the Government and the Opposition for policies to urgently address the national crises in public hospitals, aged care,and the health workforce.
The AMA represents more than 27,000 doctors. The ANF represents more than 120,000 nurses. Together, these doctors and nurses care for the health of millions of Australians every day in every community in every State and Territory.
AMA President, Dr Kerryn Phelps, and ANF National Secretary, Ms Jill Iliffe, today called for:
- greater public hospital funding and resources to overcome insufficient beds, long waiting lists for non-urgent procedures and premature discharge from hospitals.
- more residential aged care funding because people requiring rehabilitation or 'step down' transitional care are often forced to stay in acute care beds because high care beds in residential aged care facilities are not available.
- an end to public hospital cost shifting between the Commonwealth and the States, and a clearer delineation of responsibility and accountability - the buck stops where?
- an appropriately skilled and qualified workforce in residential aged care facilities.
- wage parity and more realistic workloads for nurses working in aged care facilities to bring them in line with their colleagues in other sectors.
- greater incentives and resources to make it more attractive for GPs to call on residential aged care facilities.
- consolidated workforce data and projections at a national level to ensure the health workforce - doctors and nurses - is distributed in a way to achieve maximum quality and safety and optimum use of resources, especially in hospitals and aged care.
The ANF today released details of its Aged Care Phone-In , and the AMA re-issued its updated survey of conditions in Australia's public hospitals.
CONTACT:
AMA: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
ANF: Jill Iliffe (02) 6232 6533 / 0419 576 590