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Fair go from the feds needed to rescue Victorian hospital performance
12 November 2008
An increased Commonwealth contribution to public hospital funding would dramatically improve patient care and declining performance at Victoria’s public hospitals, AMA Victoria President Dr Doug Travis said today.
The call came as the AMA launched its annual Australian Public Hospital Report Card, which showed many of the country’s public hospitals were running at dangerously high capacity and patients were waiting longer for care in emergency departments.
“Victorian hospitals perform better than those in many other states – we are the most efficient – but there is no cause for celebration. I am proud of the efforts of our nurses and doctors and other hospital staff, but we should be doing a lot better. Victoria’s lack of capacity to treat the growing number of Victorians had left public hospitals struggling to cope,” Dr Travis said.
"The lack of public hospital capacity placed the state last for the number of beds per population,” Dr Travis said. "That's why we are struggling with elective surgery. That's why our emergency departments are becoming clogged up. That's why so many people are waiting for care."
Dr Travis said it was worth noting that AMA’s Report Card used 2006/07 data and since then, Victoria’s public hospital performance had declined even further.
“More Victorians than ever are missing out on clinically appropriate care. 363,000 Victorians did not receive access to medical care within clinically appropriate timeframes in 2007/08. That’s an increase of 43,000 people on the pervious year.
“Across the public health system productivity gains are slowing, innovation is suffering and the pressure on doctors and nurses is immense.”
Dr Travis said Victoria had been short changed by the previous Federal Government, which was now funding only 40.5 per cent of Victoria's public hospital system - down from more than 50 per cent.
“The upcoming negotiations of the Australian Health Care Agreements is the Federal Government’s opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to long term, sustainable health planning.
“Victorian hospitals are bursting at the seams. The federal contribution is $715 million a year short - a fair go from the Federal Government would go a long way in improving care in Victoria’s public hospitals.”
Background:
Victorian Medical Directory
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