Media Statement - 24th August 2007
Federal Labor has established a Health and Hospitals Advisory Group (HHAG) to identify the urgent capital needs of hospitals and health services in the community which will improve the operation of our health system and promote preventative health care.
It will be chaired by Shadow Health Minister, Nicola Roxon.
The HHAG will undertake a national tour of Australia over the coming weeks – consulting with hospital administrators, health care professionals, industry bodies and Australian families.
Federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd made the announcement at Canterbury Hospital in Sydney today.
The new plan is part of Federal Labor’s comprehensive plan to end the blame game on health.
Australia needs a systematic approach to fixing the health system; not just one-off policies for marginal electorates.
We need a long-term plan which helps families to take responsibility for their own health and provides them with a health system when they need it.
Yesterday, Federal Labor announced a $2 billion National Health Reform Plan over four years to improve Australia’s health system and ensure better health services for patients in hospitals.
Federal Labor’s National Health Reform Plan has two central elements:
1. $2 billion in investments to deliver improved health outcomes for patients in Australia’s health care and hospital system.
2. A commitment that a Rudd Labor Government will seek to take financial control of Australia’s 750 public hospitals if State and Territory Governments have not begun implementing an agreed National Health Reform Plan by mid-2009.
This group will inform the work of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Group whose task will be among other things to determine the benchmarks for the States and Territories to:
- Reduce avoidable hospitalisations and readmissions to hospital;
- Reduce non-urgent accident and emergency presentations;
- Reduce waiting times for those people who require essential hospital services such as elective surgery; and
- Provide more appropriate non-acute care for older Australians.
If by mid-2009 the Commonwealth and the States and Territories have not begun implementing the National Health Reform Plan, a proposition for the Commonwealth to assume full funding responsibility will be developed and put to the Australian people.