WA right to check the pulse before signing up to Federal Health deal, Holt
Author: Colin Holt
Published on: 19-April-2010
“Will giving Canberra more money from State coffers really lead to greater health outcomes in regional WA?” This is the question posed by The Nationals WA Party President Colin Holt
“If the answer is categorically yes, then we should immediately sign the deal with the Federal Government. If there are any doubts then the Premier and Minster for Health are right to proceed cautiously with any suggested deal” he said.
Like all operations, the real challenge will be in the detail and if the Federal Government is to dissect Health across the nation the State’s should check all vital signs before proceeding.
Regional WA has been fighting too long for a fair deal from the Federal Government. It is a long way across the Nullabor to Canberra, and it seems an even longer trip from Canberra to Regional WA. There are many doubts that the intravenous drip of cash from Canberra will make it back to our regional hospitals and a very big risk it will be used on the haemorrhaging health systems in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. We must be sure we are not disadvantaged.
Activity based funding is a big concern if it does not have a regional and remote weighting. There is no way that delivering a baby, having an appendix operation or getting a knee reconstruction can be done in regional areas in Western Australia for the same costs as in Sydney or Melbourne. It is not just because our babies are special, but is more to do with distances and population size.
We must have increased weighting for regional medical activities and the Medicare Benefits Schedule should also be increased for regional areas to help encourage doctors and health professionals to remain or move to regional areas. This will also take some pressure off Local Governments who often subsidise health services for the betterment of their communities
However, The Nationals WA like the idea of Local Hospital Networks, if properly resourced they will give the local community the ability to help make decisions on their own health issues, but believe the suggestion of two networks for all of regional WA is like putting a bandaid on a broken arm. It will be stretched too far.
