Rudd health proposal threatens 100 regional NSW hospitals
04-March-2010
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has called on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to guarantee that no regional hospital will be worse off under his proposed health reforms.
Following warnings today from NSW Health officials that up to 100 smaller community hospitals may become financially unviable under the planned payment-per-procedure funding model, Mr Coulton said every measure must be taken to protect health services in regional areas.
“There are 44 hospitals in the Greater Western Area Health Service that have been identified by a number of NSW Health officials as now being ‘at risk’ as a result of the reforms,” he said.
“After more than a decade of neglect from the NSW Labor Government it now seems that the Federal Government is intent on following the same path and increasing the divide between metropolitan and regional health.
“Yet again regional NSW is set to be made the scapegoat for a Government that cannot see beyond our cities.”
Mr Coulton said the proposed changes will not deliver control of hospitals to local people.
“Simply adding another layer of bureaucracy that will not contain the knowledge, skills and competence needed to deliver health services will be to the detriment of patients in regional NSW,” he said.
“Only the Coalition’s plan for community controlled hospitals and the establishment of local hospital boards will put the budget, staffing and capital requirement decisions into the hands of the people who work and use the hospital.”
Mr Coulton said the Rudd Government need to release more detail as to how this policy will funded, when it will be implemented and who will take responsibility for it.
“This proposal is very light on detail. The Government have so far been unable to explain the most basic details as to how much this will cost, when it will come into effect and what the benefits for patients will be,” he said.
“This only increases people’s doubt as to how a Government that is incapable of implementing a relatively modest program such as the home insulation scheme can be competent enough to tackle to the most complex challenge facing us today – fixing public hospitals.”