New Govt says more needs to be spent on public health
National expenditure on public health activities has remained constant at about 1.8% of total health spending over the past seven years, according to the report National public health expenditure report 2005-06 released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The report shows that Australian health departments spent approximately $1.5 billion or $71 per person on public health activities in 2005-06, with the amount spent on public health falling by 2.3% from the previous year after taking inflation into account.
Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, commented that the report showed the previous Government just wasn’t interested in preventative health.
“The Rudd Government believes that prevention should take a far greater role in the health system,” she said.
“We have already committed to a National Preventative Health Strategy, to be developed by a National Preventative Health Taskforce. That taskforce will seek to tackle the looming burden of chronic diseases, with an initial focus on alcohol, tobacco and obesity.
“We have also announced that the forthcoming Australian Health Care Agreements will include a focus on preventative care.
“We will review the Medicare schedule, with a view to introducing incentives to encourage longer GP consultations.
“We are determined to shift prevention from the margins to the centre of health care – a crucial part of building a health system for a modern Australia.”
