Government launches new health care policy for the future

3/3/2000
Health Minister John Day today released the State Government's blueprint for improving health services in the metropolitan area.
Mr Day said 'Health 2020: A Plan for Metropolitan Perth' proposed the most significant changes in health service delivery in the metropolitan region since the 1960s.
"It responds to a wide range of challenges facing the delivery of health care in the Perth region which includes preparing for a rapidly growing and ageing population," he said.
"The plan also assesses the present concentration of services in the inner city and the forecast that demand for publicly-funded health services will more than double over the next 20 years."
Mr Day said 'Health 2020' was the culmination of more than two years' work and the most extensive consultation ever undertaken by the Health Department, with more than 3700 people and organisations making their views known.
In launching the plan, the Minister said that Health 2020 signalled the Government's commitment to an innovative, modern health system that would provide the right services in the right settings close to home, and ensure continuing access to
high-quality services.
"We live in an information-rich society where people want greater choices about their health care and are looking for quality services as close to home as possible," he said.
"Rapid population growth in outer suburbs means that the inner city is no longer the focal point for the delivery of many health services."
Mr Day said a key part of Health 2020 was the establishment of ambulatory care centres to relieve pressure on inner-city tertiary hospitals.
"The centres will provide walk-in, walk-out services such as day surgery, day medical procedures and outpatient services,"
he said.
"Planning of the centres is already under way, with the Health Department considering sites in major regional centres in areas of Perth with the greatest health need."
The Minister said inner-city tertiary hospitals would continue to deliver high-technology specialist services for people from all parts of the State, as well as secondary services to people living nearby.
Selected secondary hospitals would be progressively upgraded, and together with ambulatory care centres, would increase specialist services to people living in the middle and outer Perth suburbs.
Mr Day said one of the hallmarks of the plan was that doctors, nurses and other health professionals would have the opportunity to take the leading role in shaping the direction and operation of health services across the metropolitan area through a new system for managing services called Integrated Clinical Services.
He said Integrated Clinical Services would improve the quality and co-ordination of patient care. Groupings of related clinical services in areas such as mental health, rehabilitation and aged care, and women's and children's services would provide metropolitan-wide integrated care that would be more responsive to people's varied and changing health needs.
"Clearly there will be considerable scope for services to be organised in a variety of ways according to the most appropriate models of care. The benefit which will flow to the community is that health services across Perth will be of uniformly high quality, and clinical need will determine priority," the Minister said.
Health 2020 also recommended comprehensive funding reforms, including replacing the historical budget approach with a model for sustainable funding that recognises health service needs and associated cost increases.
"The plan outlines a strategic framework with clear objectives and inbuilt flexibility to allow for changing circumstances. Reaching these objectives will require further strengthening of partnerships between the public, private and non-Government sectors," Mr Day said.
"Health 2020 sets a course that will lead to a healthier future for all Western Australians."
Media contact: Mark Thompson on 9213 6600