Joint Statement from all the Premiers and Chief Ministers

28/8/03
The Premiers and Chief Ministers today unanimously called for health reform to be listed as the first agenda item at the Council of Australian Governments' meeting this Friday.
"Every Australian knows health is the biggest domestic issue facing this country," they said.
"Australians expect their leaders - the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers - to discuss this issue as the number one agenda item at the most important Government forum this year.
"It is extraordinary that the Prime Minister will not discuss health as the number one agenda item.
"The Commonwealth Government has a critical role in the delivery of services in our public hospitals."
The health reform agenda the Premier and Chief Ministers want to discuss with the Prime Minister includes:
1. GP services and emergency departments
There have been a number of successful trials of providing general practitioners in or near hospitals on weekends and after hours. These trials have helped to reduce pressure on emergency departments, while ensuring that patients get the services they need. This is an example of governments working together and they should be extended.
2. The public hospital system and the aged care system
A national shortage of residential aged care beds means older people are being kept in acute care wards in public hospitals. This situation benefits neither older people nor public hospitals. Trials including the Multi Purpose Services are a good example of the Commonwealth and the States working together. We need to build on this.
3. Co-ordination of patient care
A continuum of care needs to be provided for patients so there is no disruption to the service they receive arising from movements between inpatient, general practice and community based parts of the system.
4. Elective surgery
A national elective surgery access strategy should be developed to provide surgery for those who have been waiting a long time for procedures such as total hip replacements and total knee replacements.
5. E Health and the quality of care
The quality and transfer of health records for patients must be improved by taking advantage of new information and communication technologies.
6. Workforce issues
Further reforms are needed to overcome the shortage of GPs, nurses and other health professionals and to obtain a better distribution of all categories of health workers to ensure adequate coverage of rural and outer suburban areas. These sorts of practical proposals would make health service delivery more effective and efficient for both the Commonwealth and the States and Territories, and importantly they would improve services to the public. The current draft agreement only tackles the second of these issues with the proposed Pathways Home program, the details of which need considerable work. Ideally, there should be programs to tackle each of these priorities.
7. Remote Service Delivery
Indigenous Australians, particularly those in remote regions, have significantly lower levels of access to appropriate health services than other Australians. This includes access to primary health care and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Reforms are needed to ensure that mainstream services are more responsive, that there is a health workforce equipped to address the needs of indigenous and remote Australians and that planning processes for health services involve indigenous Australians.
Premier's office: 9222 9475