New Fund Should Buy Medical Equipment and Services, Not Red Tape and Administrators
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today welcomed the Government's $2.5 billion Health and Medical Investment Fund, and called for the money to be allocated specifically to medical equipment and services, not red tape and administration.
Dr Capolingua said the new Fund is a responsible investment in health for the future.
"The Fund is not big enough to build new public hospitals but it can provide modern facilities, equipment and new technology to meet patient needs in existing facilities, many of which have run down over many years," Dr Capolingua said.
"It is important that the funding goes directly to equipment and resources that directly improve patient care.
"Too much health funding is already wasted on administration and red tape.
"We need more hospital beds and equipment, not desks."
The Treasurer, Mr Costello, has indicated that the Fund would be given out through competitive tender, with proposals subject to cost-benefit analysis.
Dr Capolingua said the AMA wants an independent body with intimate knowledge of hospitals and medical practice to assess all the tender applications to ensure the money is allocated on the basis of genuine health need and not other considerations.