Minister outlines health reform at Sunshine Coast
Chris Cummins,Dan McIntyre,Warren Snowdon
posted Monday, 26 July 2010
Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, today hosted a health forum in Maleny to discuss health reform and health issues with local residents and medical experts.
Warren Snowdon joined Federal Labor Candidate for Fisher, Chris Cummins, and Labor Candidate for Fairfax, Dan Mcintyre, at Maleny Hospital to meet with health professionals and community members.
Warren Snowdon also visited the site for the new Sunshine Coast Hospital at Kawana.
At the forum, the Minister said the Gillard Labor Government was committed to an ambitious reform agenda which will deliver better health services and better hospitals to regional and rural Australia, particularly across the Sunshine Coast.
The Gillard Labor Government’s National Health and Hospitals Network will mean health and hospital services will be funded nationally, but run locally.
It will also mean better access to care in the community – including after-hours care, and more local input into local services.
Federal Labor is committed to delivering better hospitals and better health outcomes to all hard working Australians, regardless of where they live.
The Gillard Labor Government has increased funding for rural health by 65 per cent or $795 million [2010-2011] since it has come into office.
That’s in stark contrast to the previous Government, which ripped $1 billion from our hospitals and capped GP training places, causing severe doctor shortages in rural and regional areas.
Tony Abbott will cut funding to GPs by scrapping grants of up to $500,000 to improve patient facilities and end the GP Super Clinics program. He would cut the afterhours GP phone line and e-health funding.
Tags: fairfax, fisher, health, queensland