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Rudd vs Abbott (ABC's The Drum Wrap, opinion)
23 February 2010. Dr Harry Hemley, President of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Medical Association:
The Prime Minister won the debate but left many questions unanswered. How does he plan to improve general practice, prevention, IT, mental health and aged care? We already have casemix funding and local boards so how will Victorian patients benefit?
There was a lot of sizzle, but not much steak. For example, it's unclear how a 60/40 funding split will end the blame game, when the existing 40/60 split results in this sort of naming, shaming and blaming.
The Prime Minister and Tony Abbott presented us with proposed administrative changes and some vague promises that things will get better. This isn't good enough.
We need a commitment to increase public hospital funding and add beds to the system - that's the only way to reduce patient waits for emergency care and elective surgery.
We need action, we need reform and we need to improve our health system. However, to make a real difference, we need a fulsome discussion about reform, and what it means for Victorian hospitals.
This debate — maybe predictably — was an over-rehearsed puff piece of preening politics rather than profound policy. It's time to get into the details of the reform plan, and answer Victorian doctors' questions.
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