Health reform has failed the poor
The Government’s health reform plan has ignored the needs of Australia’s most vulnerable, Catholic Health Australia (CHA) said when releasing its 2010 Federal Election Platform.
CHA chief executive officer, Martin Laverty, urged all candidates in the coming Federal election to prioritise the health needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged Australians.
“People living in socioeconomic disadvantage are sicker and die earlier than people of more affluence. Health reform has not prioritised the needs of the poor; the reform agenda has largely ignored Australia’s most vulnerable.
“A person’s health should not be determined by their wealth.”
CHA, representing not for profit providers of one in every 10 Australian hospital and aged care beds, has called on election candidates to commit to making the health of the poor a measurable outcome for Local Hospital Networks and Medicare Locals.
“Each Local Hospital Network and Medicare Local currently being established as part of the COAG reform process should be given publicly reportable goals requiring them to reduce inequalities in health access and outcomes for people who live in their area,” Mr Laverty said.
“Success against these goals and targets should be reported to the new National Performance Agency. Areas of disadvantage should be given extra resources for health services, but also for improved education and social services to improve the social determinants of health.”
Other election priorities identified by CHA include:
- Adopting a health and aged care workforce plan to meet the population’s care needs of the future
- Establishing a Health Reform Implementation Advisory Council comprising non-government experts to help the reform process achieve maximum benefits for all Australians
- Ensuing a choice of quality aged care is available to every Australian who needs it, with a focus on the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged Australians
- Improving Australia’s palliative care services to provide care to all who seek it
- Establishing a Prime Minister’s Mental Health Summit
CHA’s full 2010 Federal Election Platform is available at http://www.cha.org.au
