Ministers get careless over long-term care scheme

The Joint Communique of the meeting states that 'Ministers agreed to proceed to the second stage of analysis of a national scheme for the long-term care of the catastrophically injured.  The first stage of the project, on which Ministers heard a report today, involved detailed analysis of data on the number of people that would be covered by such a scheme and the associated costs'.

Dr Glasson said the bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo in the communique indicates a long drawn-out process.

"There should only be one stage in this process - implement a national care scheme immediately," Dr Glasson said.

"It is clear that yesterday's meeting failed to address the urgent concerns of doctors and their patients and the expectations of the broader community.

"Doctors with huge medical indemnity bills are still uncertain about the future.  The only certainty is that patients will be paying more for their health care if Governments do not get to work and introduce the national long-term care scheme for the catastrophically injured.

"The Joint Communique from yesterday's meeting reads like the minutes from a meeting of lawyers talking about lawyers.

"The Ministers have failed to address the biggest crisis facing the Australian community and that is medical indemnity and its effect on the medical workforce and the cost of health care for all Australians.

"Yesterday's meeting reveals a process that could take years to implement a national long-term care scheme.

"Doctors and patients cannot wait that long.  The community cannot wait that long.  It looks like we'd have more luck waiting for Godot," Dr Glasson said.

CONTACT:     John Flannery               (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761

                   Judith Tokley                (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306