Member Services
- Text Decrease
- Text Increase
- Print Page
Government health advertising blitz – no patient benefit
07 June 2010.
AMA Victoria today challenged the Prime Minister to provide health services to patients rather than spend an estimated $2.5 million advertising the government’s health reforms in Victoria.
"These ads provide no practical information to patients about accessing health services, and appear designed simply to promote the government’s policy," said AMA Victoria president Dr Harry Hemley.
"Doctors don’t want to see political advertising; we want to see the improvements in patient access to services on the ground."
Dr Hemley said that if the reports of $10 million being spent on the advertising campaign were accurate, then he would expect about a quarter of that to be spent in Victoria. "That’s almost $10 million that we could spend on patient care," he said.
Dr Hemley suggested a number of alternative uses of $2.5 million, including:
- 5 new intensive care beds; or
- An additional 72,886 general practitioner services; or
- An additional 220,264 vaccinations; or
- Expand rural youth mental health teams to provide personalised mental health services to over 1300 rural young people at risk.
Dr Hemley said he wanted to see more services funded. "We see enough glossy brochures come over our desks," he said, "we don’t want to see glossy TV ads promoting health reform.
"Taxpayers want government funds spent on patient care and improved services, not promotional material."
Victorian Medical Directory
Quick Reference Links
Networks
Preferred Providers
Next
Prev