Public Hospital Report Verifies AMA Concerns
AMA Federal Council Chair, Dr Dana Wainwright, said today the Federal Government's report on public hospitals verifies the AMA's concerns that the safety and quality of our public hospitals is under threat.
Dr Wainwright said the alarming trends in the State of Our Public Hospitals Report highlights the need for governments, both State and Federal, to work with practicing hospital clinicians, not bureaucrats to find solutions the country's sick hospitals.
"Our public hospitals are in serious trouble. They are slowly deteriorating and we are very concerned," Dr Wainwright said.
"Waiting lists are getting worse. Hospitals are overloaded and under-bedded and unless we fix the problem now, we'll end up with a two-tiered system - public and private.
"There has been an increase in acute medical admissions over the past five years.
"But at the same time there has been a decrease in the total number of beds, despite an ageing Australia and an increase in the general population.
"Fewer beds and more medical admissions means far fewer beds for surgical patients. Hospitals are not coping with demand.
"Waiting lists are made worse by the fact that patients who need care in outpatients are having to wait longer to see specialists, effectively increasing the wait for elective surgery.
"We need more beds and we need the staff to run these beds.
"Hospital administrators focus on budgets and driving efficiencies.
"They hire countless middle managers and project officers to meet the bottom line. They've lost sight of the need to provide beds and services to meet demand," Dr Wainwright said.
Dr Wainwright said Australia's ailing public hospital system will only improve when governments, administrators and doctors work together in the interests of patients.
30 June 2005
CONTACT: Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306