#ausvotes

ALP Health Policy

• Summary

  Dedicating more than $7b over 5 years and $15b over 10 years, the ALP have made unprecedented reforms in the health system, with intensive focus on primary care and the opportunity for all Australians to consult a GP more easily. Waiting times for surgery and broader health services will be reduced and new national standards of health service will have to be complied with. Preventative health care will continue in mental health, obesity, diabetes and binge drinking. A modern cancer care system is being developed to extend to regional Australia. The Indigenous mortality rate is specifically being targeted.

  
  

  More

  The ALP has affected the largest reformation in the Australian health system since the introduction of Medicare in 1975. Focusing on strengthening primary health care, the ALP have dedicated $7.3b over 5 years and have made it easier to receive services from a General Practitioner, have made more hospital beds available, and have ensured that more qualified medical professionals are available. All Australians regardless of their location or income will receive quality health care.

  
  

  The new health system will be funded federally but administered by the States. The Federal government will fund 60% of the expense while at the same time retaining 30% of the GST collected by the states (all of which with the exception of WA have agreed). GP and other primary care services will be exclusively funded by the Commonwealth along with aged care health services. Additionally, the ALP is determined to ensure the sustainability of this health scheme and will provide another $15.6b from its own coffers directly toward public hospitals over the next 10 years.

  
  

  Primary health care relies heavily on our GP’s and so the ALP has instituted an afterhours GP service with a 24 hour hotline and follow up visits. They endeavour to upgrade 425 GP practices to allow for more capacity in each, and are providing more support for nurses in primary care facilities such as these. More incentives are being provided for GP’s to operate in rural Australia.

  
  

  1300 new sub-acute hospital beds and 2500 aged care beds are being made available. Emergency waiting times are being capped at 4 hours. 95% of patients will now receive elective surgery in the time frame recommended by their physician. The intake of GP’s in universities will be doubled and 6000 more doctors of varying disciplines will be trained. From now on, if a patient requests it, they will receive a personal electronic health record. While an annual Hospital Performance Report will rate every Local Hospital Network and every Private Hospital against new national standards, local medical professionals will now have more opportunity to participate in the manner in which their services are delivered.

  
  

  The ALP has also invested in preventative health services. Continuing campaigns against smoking will be taken, and extensive investment in mental health services will be made to ensure that 20 000 more young people receive mental health services including direct suicide prevention intervention. Young people will be assisted in developing resilience to endure and prevent suicide later in life.

  
  

  More mental health services will be provided for men who statistically, are unlikely to seek help. Obesity and diabetes will be addressed as significant health issues challenging Australia.

  
  

  During the past 3 years the ALP have increased funding for hospital by 50%, 125 hospitals have received new elective surgery equipment, $1.5b is being spent on 35 emergency departments to increase capacity and provide for the cap of 4 hours waiting time. A total of 31 GP Super Clinics with medical specialists from a variety of disciplines in one location will be built. $2b is being invested to build a state of the art cancer care system and regional cancer care centres throughout Australia. $1.6b has been invested in Indigenous health to reduce within two generations, the difference in life expectancy of Indigenous Australians to that of others. The ALP has delivered 850 000 dental checkups for teenagers under the Medicare Teen Dental Plan. Over the past 3 years aged care places have been increased by 10 000 under the ALP. Alcopop sales were targeted to prevent binge drinking and a tax was exacted to fund a $103m binge drinking campaign. Alcopop sales have fallen by 30%.