Fed: Govt should take over primary care: report

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2009
Fed: Govt should take over primary care: report

Eds: changes master keyword from Hospitals



Eds: Embargoed until 1230 (AEDT) Monday, February 16.

By Melissa Jenkins

CANBERRA, Feb 16 AAP - The federal government's health reform body has called for a
commonwealth takeover of primary care but stopped short of recommending the same step
for hospitals.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, charged a year ago with delivering
a blueprint to overhaul the healthcare system, released its interim report to the Rudd
government on Monday.

The federal government has threatened to hold a referendum on whether or not Canberra
should assume control of public hospitals if the states don't lift their game by the middle
of the year.

But it has not made clear exactly what the trigger point is for such action.

The commission's key recommendation is that the federal government assume total responsibility
for primary care, that is health care provided outside the hospital system.

But it stopped short of recommending similar action for the hospital system, only raising
it as an option.

A major advantage of a federal takeover of the nation's hospitals would be that it
would resolve the `blame game' by making one government squarely accountable for all aspects
of health care.

But such a significant change would also involve major risks, including a lack of accountability
to voters, the commission says in its report.

"(This) option ... potentially weakens community and electoral accountability and responsiveness
by having only the national level of government involved in health and health care," the
report said.

"Arguably, state and territory governments are more responsive to the views of their
electorate than a national government that has to balance the interests of Perth or Launceston
against those of Sydney or the Gold Coast."

A new tension between regional health authorities and the federal government about
funding adequacy would arise if the commonwealth took over hospitals, the commission says.

It has also suggested the federal government consider allowing accommodation bonds
to be paid for high-care places in nursing homes.

The Rudd government has repeatedly ruled out permitting accommodation bonds for high-care places.

Other key recommendations contained in the A Healthier Future for All Australians report include:

- A regular report be produced that tracks Australia's progress as a nation in tackling
health inequity;

- A scheme be developed for universal access to preventative and restorative dental
care and dentures, regardless of a person's ability to pay;

- Delivery of wellness and health promotion programs by employers and private health insurers;

- Establishment of a national health promotion and prevention agency to be responsible
for leadership on 10-year health goals;

- Performance payments for prevention and quality care;

- Development of a electronic personal health record system;

- A share of commonwealth hospital funding to the states to be tied to meeting or improving
progress performance targets, payable as a bonus;

- A youth-friendly community-based service to provide information on sexual health
and mental disorders to be rolled out nationally;

- Greater investment in mental health training for the primary care workforce with
the training to be part of accreditation processes.

The commission will provide its final report to the government at the end of the year.

AAP mj/kms

KEYWORD: HEALTH (EMBARGOED) (CHANGES KEYWORD)

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