Prime Minister Announces 'Positive' Plan For The Health System, Australia

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 10 Mar 2010 - 3:00 PDT


The Prime Minister's health announcement today represents a significant commitment by the Commonwealth Government to provide a national health system, says the Director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) at The Australian National University.

MCHP Director Mr Robert Wells welcomed the plan to set up a National Health and Hospitals Network to establish standards and manage Commonwealth and State funding for hospitals.

"The announcement provides a bold blueprint to take Australia's health system forward," Mr Wells said.

"As part of this, the Commonwealth has committed to raise its contribution to hospital funding from about 35 cents per dollar to 60 cents per dollar, through readjustments of GST revenue.

"This is a good start for health reform that this country sorely needs," he said.

"The onus for making the reform work now shifts to the states, and the clinical leaders who'll be expected to take responsibility for implementing the reforms."

Mr Wells added that reform of Australia's primary health care was just as pressing as hospital reform.

"I look forward to further announcements from the Prime Minister on the Government's plans for reform of the wider health system."

Source
Australian National University

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