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The Forum > Article Comments > Only fundamental reform can save our health system > Comments

Only fundamental reform can save our health system : Comments

By Fiona Armstrong, published 1/10/2007

The current dysfunctional structure of the nation’s health care system poses a risk to the health of Australians.

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Trained Medical Practitioners

What has caused the problem of staffing Public Hospital and the wider community with qualified medical practitioners?
 The funding of our Universities in order to create additional places.
 Universities have become reliant on Full Fee Paying Students from overseas, who once qualified often return home.
 The Commonwealth Government in consultation with the States have failed to establish the number of Specialists that should be trained each year by our Medical Colleges in order to meet the nations’ needs
 Standards been set for Foreign Trained Medical Practitioners.

Foreign Trained Medical Practitioners

It is the Commonwealth Government who should not only set the standards, both in qualifications and matters pertaining to National Security, but who should be responsible for verifying a person qualifications and issuing a security clearance.

Why the Commonwealth? Before a Foreign Trained Nurse can practice nursing in this country that person must undertake an english test and meet the requirements set by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. State Governments do not set the standards.
Posted by southerner, Monday, 1 October 2007 10:29:13 AM
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"Responsiblity" Yes! Begins with the sharing of knowledge, vital local and national discussions with the help of well written articles like this one.

Thank You Fiona, please help us ALL - please keep writing.

I find the health issues are hard to argue because there is not enough debate involving stakeholders at community level.

In my own community (Cooktown in Cape York) Health is a POWER STRUGGLE at the mercy of PARTY POLITIC's. LOCAL Party politic's and forms of structural violence (silo) within the local and district health system has abused the "COURAGE" of this community, which used to stand for univeral values, with greater interest at the center of the forum, proudly.

SPEAKING OUT ON HEALTH IN COOKTOWN CAN HAVE YOU LOCKED UP + I AM SERIOUS.

Local Nurses are divided on process and issues in Cairns and Cooktown and the consumers movement (Cairns) very muched out of reach, with it's own issues of leadership and prioity. Far North Queensland is UNDER_RESOURCED by all definations to cope with the real strategies necessary to face the social-economic challenges underlying health and community well being now and in the future.

We need to LEARN TO ACTION inclusive strategies the most.

And I agree "dysfunctional structure of the nation’s health care system poses a far greater risk to the population than the actions of the Reserve Bank to keep a buoyant economy in check".

http://www.miacat.com/
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Posted by miacat, Monday, 1 October 2007 10:29:21 AM
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There is another way of tackling the problem that will lead to more efficient expenditure. Do not distribute money for non emergency medical services except through patients themselves. Rather than the government giving money directly to health services or indirectly through health insurance schemes give the money to individuals who in turn pay for the medical services when they need them. The difficulties have arisen because it is not the people who need the services who pay for the medical services. Give everyone money each year to use for health services. If people do not spend it in any given year let them keep it for use in future years. Require everyone to spend some of their money on health insurance for large emergencies but for everyday health needs give everyone some money that can only be used for health. If people go beyond the amount of health money then they have to pay for it themselves. People will be careful with their money and most will tend to save and most will shop around for health services to get better value for money. Still have safety nets for chronic illness and accidents but give expenditure control to people themselves and make it worth their while to get the best value for money.
Posted by Fickle Pickle, Monday, 1 October 2007 11:25:37 AM
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Australia has to decide whether we want a publicly funded universal health care system or whether we want an American style privatised health care system.

Our current system subsidises private health insurers, private hospitla building owners and private hospital operators. The private health system is attractive to shareholders of Ramsay, Symbion, mortgage trusts who purchase the hospital buildings and overseas insurers like AXA who own HBA.

State governments have renovated public hospitals and sold them to private owners.

In Victoria hospitals have outsourced the staffing of hospitals. This has led to the owners of nursebank purchasing the most expensive house in Toorak and caused the directors of hospital boards to re-evaluate their relationship with Nursebank

There is no reason why public servants can't operate an efficient universal health system more cheaply than a privatised system owned and operated by "for profit" providers.
Posted by billie, Monday, 1 October 2007 11:52:42 AM
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Fiona,

Your advocacy of Labor Party policy comes undone. You compare what Labor says it will do to what Rudd says it will do.

Rudd said if the states don't get the hospitals in order then he will take them over. That implies the states have a problem with running hospitals.

Rudd's into apportioning of blame for the state of hospitals while you show an exact opposite Labor 'announcement(s) about health reform aimed at reducing the blame game'.

Why the discrepancy? What will we actually see? A continuation of the Labor states blame game with Rudd? Most likely since Labor never takes responsibility for any stuff up.

Labors rhetoric on the subject is, as you repeat the mantras, long on words short on detail....

'As recognised by Labor, a national health reform commission is also required,'...

or put another way. More billions spent on another level of bureauracy looking into things and issuing reports.

'...removing the inefficiencies between different levels of government, and focusing the system on prevention and health promotion ...'

Wonderful...exactly what inefficiencies and how are they to be removed?

'Only by eliminating the opportunity for cost and blame shifting can we have truly accountable systems that are transparent, evidence based, and use resources efficiently.'

Really this begs the question and it needs to be addressed: why aren't there transparent accountable systems now...they were there once?

'...the current dysfunctional structure of the nation’s health care system ...'

As for a system... the currently a system is not dysfunction as you claim. It's called funding. It is allocated by the Federal Government annually and negotiated by states on a lump sum basis. They have for many past years been responsible for spending that money. What is dysfunctional is where that money is being spent and, as you correctly point out, there is a 'lack of truly accountable systems that are transparent, evidence based, and use resources efficiently.' in the state jurisdiction.

Under Labor's generalisations would everyone then be truely accountable and transparent?... given the discrepancies in the rhetoric and past form, not bloody likely... ooops probably not.
Posted by keith, Monday, 1 October 2007 12:18:33 PM
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Hi Fiona, I am interested in explanations for the problems and your article certainly adds to that. In my view the problems at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney - and many others - are a combination of several factors only one of which is the unsatisfactory hospital management style. However, there are three external political conditions that cause the sad outcomes common to many other hospitals. These are (a) the huge fiscal imbalance in federal-state relations (b) the electoral system (c) aspects of the Westminster system. The financial imbalance in the federation is a major cause (discussed in OLO earlier). Secondly, Australia's single-member district system creates safe and marginal seats. Safe seats, such as North Sydney, are at a disadvantage while pork barreling in marginals is part of the same problem. Thirdly, the Westminster system, which requires that Ministers are "in and of the Parliament", produces functional amateurism. This is not the exception. It is the norm. So don't blame Health Minister Reba Meagher, a young labour lawyer, blame the system instead. There are many such examples. Vanstone and Scully come to mind. Do the once politically neutral and professional public servants come to the rescue? Alas, that was the practice. All these problems can be fixed but don't expect much from the major parties. So whom will you vote for now? Who offers system change becomes the really important question. The structure of government and the electoral system are in urgent need of reform. We need candidates and parties to come forward who are system changers. Major party candidates are system reinforcers.

Klaas Woldring
Posted by klaas, Monday, 1 October 2007 1:59:26 PM
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Allied-Supports need to intergrate NGO-Services. "Workforce shortages are such that access to services is becoming increasingly difficult."

Candoo NGO requires practical assistance from Federal politicians in the Liberal and Labour Governments and ASIC.

We need a workplace solution.

I agree with Kevin Rudd’s claims that Australian Federal Government could do more productive work with it’s media advertising budget to help people who are trying to genuinely help make a Aussie difference, or get paid for their work.

Below (Address made next post) I list a critical problem. Candoo (NGO) known also as Candoo Research, Training and Development or formally as Candoo Development Corporation Ltd is a valuable organisation working in Cooktown at a micro community level.

We lobby for a local Multi-Purpose Event Centre. (Note while we have $3 million odd State Funding, the Federal Government has held out on any real contribution to assist funding processes with our local Council over seven years).

http://www.miacat.com/Media_Pan_One/CreativeEssentials/mia_Shire_letters/Candoo_NGO_Events_Letter.htm

http://www.miacat.com/SantasLetter/Health/Health_HumanMatters_List.asp

Candoo lobbies for Crime Prevention and Local Alma Ata Resources, to promote and encourage learning and engaging inclusive Community.

http://www.miacat.com/Media_Pan_One/WorldSystemsOfHealing/Community_MH_papers/Peer_To_Peer_Support.asp

http://www.miacat.com/index_March.html

http://www.miacat.com/SantasLetter/OfferDoc/RegionalOfferDoc.asp

http://www.miacat.com/SantasLetter/OfferDoc/CP_HP/Assets/ID_Boom/ID_Boom.asp

We do all sorts of little things that contribute to a local community business. Our concerns target an inter-regional community that finds it difficult to be heard because of the low population, distance and low value of the spatial vote.

I ask that Mr John Howard’s office, Mr Rudd’s offices, ASIC and members of the media to please assist in airing a solution to this Candoo NGO Aussie problem.

I believe little efforts from NGO’s help in invaluable ways and I believe more needs to be learnt about how the 'candoo’s' of the world contribute, regardless of the formal problems of government and policy gaps.

Candoo (NGO) is different to an Association.

We support micro-enterprise skills development. We compete with larger corporations from outside the local area (Cairns + Townsville) who provide mostly “regional fly-in” staff, who are difficult to work with because you can’t pin them down.

Please see problem out-lined below, and this is a follow-up to the open letter written on this forum last month.

http://www.miacat.com/Open%20Letter_Sept_14th.htm
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Posted by miacat, Monday, 1 October 2007 10:41:15 PM
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Fiona, I just want to highlight one sentence you have written :

" Careful consideration is naturally prudent when major changes are required, as is the gathering of research data to ensure that any reform is evidence-based and likely to be effective. "

Today Abbott/Howard will announce they want local communities to have control of the finance and management of each hospital.

In respect of what you have written it seems Howard has just decided anything will do as long as it's "different". There is no evidence at all that local Boards could do anything other than represent their own vested interests.

That is why we have services run by eiter Federal or State governments. To achieve savings and efficiences based on the scale of things.

Imagine how your hospital will be if Howard's insanity became reality. Each Board would be fighting for their hospital. Amongst each Board peole would be fighting for their "favourite" ward. What I mean here is their family's needs will be placed above yours and above the community's needs.

Imagine the fighting between Boards and hospitals for funds. Howard wants your hospitals to oppose each other which can only reduce the overall service to the community.

Just imagine, given the corruption now, how easy it will be for any Board to simply reallocate resources to themselves and their family and friends. I guess that's Liberal Policy at it's rawest isn't it?

I just cannot believe Howard would be so low as to try and destroy the system we have, with all it's problems, simply because he has failed to fund our hospitals in order that we have what we need.

If you think about Howard's latest insanity on this you have to ask "Who decided this". I haven't heard one word of public discussion, one cry for this style except from one person. John "Lostit" Howard.
Posted by pegasus, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 4:20:11 AM
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It seems like every election is the same as both sides of federal politics try to buy our votes.



Back in August this year KEVIN Rudd has promised to takeover of state-run hospitals with a $2 billion overhaul of the health system.

Now Tony Abbott has announced that if re-elected, the Government will require hospital budgets to be managed by local boards as part of health funding arrangements.



Here we go again!



Australians are being held to ransom between the State and the Federal government on the delivery of vital services that we as tax payers have already payed for.



Its time that both major parties put up their completed policies well before Election Day so that citizens can decide for themselves who they will vote for.



Instead what we must endure at every election are never ending games of one upmanship, half promises, slanging matches and character assassinations from both sides.



They should put all their policies up well before we vote so that we, Australian voters, can debate the details, not the rhetoric. Spare us the BS please
Posted by Rainier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 6:00:46 PM
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The Health Care Reforms being talked about by politicians (note well)'before election day' are just the stage before the full privatization process. Which will be announced after the elections! Which means, to hand over those sections of the health care system that will generate the biggest profits for their cronies. The privatization process, translated means private wealth for a few individuals that will implement life and death decisions on millions. A few private individuals matter more than the multi millions who pay excessively for health care now. Another stage, but a big stage of moving into big bucks - paying for health care over and over again. If you cannot pay, these economic considerations may well mean, untold hardship, traumatic sufferings, loss of life or limb for workers and their families.
Posted by johncee1945, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 8:02:45 PM
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Australia's economic growth is tied to IMMIGRATION. Get used to it.

You can't expect us rich folks tied to federal Liberal and state ALP instruments to add commensurate health, police, water, transport and communications services out of our OWN ever expanding profit margin. For the record 307,000 new arrivals last year we actually cut health services and boosted YOUR taxes to pay for desalination plants for future migrants. If you skippies don't like it you shouldn't have elected us and given us the mandate. I can tell you, its too late to change your mind now. We've got immigrant cells in every branch and electorate across the country. Future elections are OURS.

Australian's will just have to get used to lower standards of living so the better genetic stock of immigrants we are importing can live better lives and make this a first rate nation of sportstars, academics and financiers when they finally get here. We are replacing the load of genetic garbage that prevails in Australia today. It holds back this nation from the greatness of place in the world it so richly deserves.

If a few of you don't get hospital treatment on time. That's tough but it serves our cause.

Zeich!
Posted by KAEP, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 9:29:25 PM
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