Media release

Short term fix not enough to put public hospitals on solid footing to meet current and future need

SHORT TERM FIX NOT ENOUGH TO PUT PUBLIC HOSPITALS ON SOLID FOOTING TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEED

AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said today that, as expected, the Federal Government has provided an inadequate short-term public hospital funding downpayment to appease desperate States and Territories ahead of the Federal election.

Professor Owler said the State and Territory leaders had no choice but to be thankful for any new funding to help them cope with the ever-increasing demand on their already stressed public hospitals.

Under today’s COAG Agreement, the States and Territories will receive an extra $2.9 billion over three years from 2017 to 2020.

Professor Owler said the States will be grateful for any new funding, but the Australian public and the people who manage and work in the hospitals are right to be disappointed.

“Today’s agreement goes nowhere near meeting the long-term needs of the nation’s public hospitals, and falls dismally short of replacing the funding taken away from the States in the 2014 Federal Budget,” Professor Owler said.

“We need funding certainty for at least the next decade for public hospitals,” Professor Owler said.

“Australia’s public hospitals are under pressure. Today’s new funding will help relieve some pressure, but the pressure will remain and build once this short-term fix expires.

“The AMA will continue to advocate for significant new investment in public hospitals and the broader health system.”

The AMA acknowledges the Federal Government’s leadership in the Agreement on reducing violence against women and their children.


1 April 2016

CONTACT:        John Flannery                     02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761

 

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