AMA Backs Long Term Disability Care And Support Feasibility Study, Australia

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 24 Nov 2009 - 3:00 PST

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The AMA fully supports the Productivity Commission feasibility study into new approaches for funding and delivering long term disability care and support, which was announced last night by the Prime Minister.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the AMA has for many years been calling for a long term care scheme for people with a severe or profound disability.

"Doctors are strong supporters of social justice and equity and believe that people with a disability and their families have a right to participate in the community and be supported to do so," Dr Pesce said.

"Doctors regularly provide medical care for people with disabilities and see the downstream impact of inadequate early support and assistance for these patients and their families.

"Many doctors get frustrated at being unable to get assistance, care coordination and support services in the community for their patients who have a disability.

"We need a new system that provides fairness, equity and a better quality of life for disabled people, their families and their carers.

"We need a system that assists people to make decisions about the support they can access, and which is better tailored to meet individual needs and circumstances.

"The AMA looks forward to participating actively in the feasibility study process on this important issue.

"We will be contacting the Prime Minister and the Minister for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, to seek the appointment of an AMA representative to the independent panel of experts that will be advising the Productivity Commission and the Government," Dr Pesce said.

The AMA believes the feasibility study should be comprehensive and should examine questions such as:

- The scope of the scheme (i.e. who is covered/eligible and what would it provide?);
- How will it be funded and how do we ensure it is sustainable?
- How will services be delivered and, importantly, how do we ensure that we have a robust service delivery sector to provide the necessary services?
- How would such a scheme be managed/governed and coordinated nationally?
- What are the implications for existing insurance and compensation arrangements that are in place across Australia? and
- What are the implications for existing disability service funding and programs?

Source
Australian Medical Association