Coalition Finishes Ahead on Health

The policies have been assessed against the policy headings and benchmarks set out in the AMA's Key Health Issues for the 2007 Federal Election document, which was released prior to the formal election campaign. Analysis is confined to policy statements made from June 2007.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said the Coalition finished ahead of Labor in what has been a difficult contest on health policy.

"The Coalition's practical measures to expand medical training positions in both the public and private sector for the increased doctor numbers are the most significant response to the medical workforce shortage in the health system," Dr Capolingua said.

"The Coalition has recognised that investing in training is necessary in order to ensure we have enough doctors to work in our hospitals and in the community. It is disappointing that Labor has not shown a commitment to doctor training.

"Australians should always have the right to see a doctor when they are sick. They should always have the right to at least the same high standard of health care as they have now. Any move towards doctor substitution must be totally rejected, as this will compromise patient safety and quality of care.

"The Coalition's position, characterised by their GP-supervised practice nurse policy, is much stronger than Labor's.

"While neither of the General Practice 'clinic' policies will relieve pressure on Emergency Departments, there are significant differences in these plans for patients.

"The Coalition's Family Emergency Medical Centres provide investment in existing general practices to expand their services for patients. In addition, patients will receive a significant increase in patient rebates for all GP emergency items, loaded when provided after hours, and increased rebates for all GP consultations after hours from any GP they attend.

"Labor's Super Clinics are designed to take GPs away from their existing areas of practice to where the Super Clinic is located, meaning that patients could lose their local doctor."

Dr Capolingua said the biggest disappointment in this election health debate has been the failure of both sides to invest significantly in the long-term future of the health system in regard to public hospitals, Indigenous health, rural health, and aged care.

"We know that Australia is prosperous, but both major parties fell well short of committing to the major funding needed to bring our public hospitals up to standards that should be delivered in this country," Dr Capolingua said.

"The AMA estimated that $3 billion in new funding from the Commonwealth should be included in the first year of the next Australian Health Care Agreement (AHCA), and that a minimum of 3750 new hospital beds would help to bring our hospitals to safe occupancy levels and ease access block and Emergency Department pressure.

"The single biggest pledge that any party could make would be to significantly increase the number of beds in our public hospitals.

"The Coalition made the pledge, but did not back it up with the funding details.

"Labor committed its $2.5 billion of new health funding for various initiatives.

"We welcome Labor's promise to slash elective surgery waiting times in the first year, but this was not supported by the necessary bed numbers or workforce. Incentives to public hospitals will be paid for patients 'not' being in hospital rather than for delivering episodes of care. The AMA is interested in seeing public hospitals having the capacity to provide the care that the community needs, not seeking to avoid treating patients.

"Aged care policies could also have offered more. The Coalition commits further than Labor with community care places, and doubling capital funding for aged care facilities.

"Both the Coalition and Labor promise 2000 transition care beds. More should have been done to encourage GPs to attend residential aged care facilities.

"Setting the aged care sector up to care for our ageing population will be a major challenge for the new Government.

"Rural health has missed out with neither party seriously investing in the retention and recruitment of rural doctors, both opting instead to fiddle around the edges with funding top-ups for existing programs.

"There is no new rural health plan on offer that will attract new doctors to country Australia, or reward and retain our bush doctors.

"The Coalition acknowledges a commitment to funding for rural and regional hospitals to maintain, upgrade and keep them open, but once again the dollars were not defined because of the forthcoming Health Care Agreement.

"While both sides are committed to the Northern Territory Indigenous communities initiative, Labor has announced more policies to address the broader problems in Indigenous health nationally.

"However, both Indigenous health policies fail to offer comprehensive solutions to bring the health of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders to an acceptable level.

"There is no defined action or funding to back up the promises to close the 17-year life expectancy gap. Verbal promises without dollars or a detailed plan in this area are unacceptable.

"Both major parties say they are committed to the Medicare Safety Net, the Private Health rebate, and the Dementia Initiative. Labor has said it will simplify Medicare items for GP services, but has provided no detail.

"Labor has a national preventative healthcare strategy, which is good in theory, but it too is lacking detail and not backed with any significant funding announcements.

"The Coalition has a better Veterans Health package and is putting funding and resources into the Medicare Easyclaim system. Labor has announced policies on obesity and smoking.

"Alcohol policy has been ignored. Neither party has properly addressed the specific concerns around the health effects of climate change.

"The Coalition has expressed concerns around the COAG plans for the national registration and accreditation of health professionals, while Labor has remained silent. This is a 'sleeper' issue that will need urgent attention from the new Government."

Dr Capolingua said that, overall, the respective health policies are disappointing and do not meet community and voter expectations for what, to them, is the biggest election issue.

"The respective policies are piecemeal, although both contain enough positive elements to give the AMA some confidence of being able to develop a positive working relationship with the new Government after this weekend, whoever wins," Dr Capolingua said.