Rudd 'must deliver on health promises'

27 Jul 2009, 12:23 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Medicare levies would go up by 0.75 per cent in order to fund a universal dental care scheme under a governmental reform plan. (File AAP)

Medicare levies would go up by 0.75 per cent in order to fund a universal dental care scheme under a governmental reform plan. (File AAP)

Malcolm Turnbull has warned he won't back an increase in Medicare levies in order to introduce 'Denticare', and said PM Rudd must 'keep his promises' on health.

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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has broken too many promises and should be held to his commitment to take over the nation's hospitals, federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says.

He added that the coalition would not support recommendations to raise the Medicare levy to 0.75 per cent to cover the cost of a new universal dental health care scheme, to be called Denticare.

"That is not our policy," he said.

A federal government commission into the health system stops short of calling for a full federal takeover of hospitals but has left open the option of the commonwealth funding 100 per cent of hospital admissions further down the track.

The report gave a damning picture of the health system, showing that hospital error was responsible for over 4,500 deaths each year, and children's dental health was worsening.

Turnbull said the Prime Minister had vowed to fix the nation's hospitals or take them over.

"The critical thing is that Mr Rudd be held to account for his promise," Turnbull told reporters in Sydney.

"Let's be quite clear about this. In 2007, Mr Rudd said to the Australian people he would fix the public hospital system by 30 June this year or he would take it over.

"And he has done neither. He hasn't fixed it. Things have gone backwards and he hasn't taken it over."

He said Rudd's response was another broken election promise.

"He said he was going to bring down grocery prices. We had Grocery Watch - a complete flop," Mr Turnbull said.

"He said he was going to bring down fuel prices. Fuel Watch, another flop.

"He said he wasn't going to change the rules on the private health insurance rebate, he broke that promise too.

"One broken promise after another. At some point he's going to have to deliver."

Catholic Health 'disappointed'

Earlier, the peak body for Catholic health services said it was disappointed the federal government's health commission fell short of recommending a single national funder of public hospitals.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission's report, released on Monday, has stopped short of calling for a full federal takeover of hospitals, but left open the option of the commonwealth funding 100 per cent of hospital admissions further down the track.

Catholic Health Australia (CHA) chief executive Martin Laverty said he would have preferred the report to have recommended an immediate plan for a single, national funding body for public hospitals.

"CHA is disappointed that the commission has not taken the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for reform by only going as far as suggesting the commonwealth part-fund hospital services," he said in a statement.

"This is deferring real decisions about commonwealth-funded public hospital services for years into the future. What we need now is action on patient care, not more debate."

But Catholic Health backed recommendations for government-funded aged care places to be calculated on actual need, and for aged-care league tables.

Greens welcome scheme

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown has welcomed the reform commission's recommendation of a universal dental health scheme, but says plans for the Denticare program must be genuine and start immediately.

The scheme is estimated to cost $3.6 billion a year, and would not be means tested.

"(Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd has not gone as far today on health reforms as Australians were encouraged to believe (he would) at the last election," Senator Brown said in a statement.

"He must make sure that universal dental care is not left on the shelf."

GPs bowled over

The nation's general practitioners have described the health commission recommendations as the most far reaching since the Hawke government introduced Medicare.

Australian General Practice Network chairman Dr Emil Djakic backed proposals to have the commonwealth take responsibility for all primary health care outside of hospitals and fund all outpatient services in hospitals.

"What has been proposed today is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reduce avoidable hospitalisations and deaths, reduce the burden of disease on society, and reduce the overwhelming strain on our health system," he said in a statement.

The reality was that pressure on hospitals would not be relieved unless there was a stronger primary health care system.

AMA urges focus on workflow

Australian Medical Association president Andrew Pesce said the health commission's recommendations of standalone elective surgery hospitals had merit.

"There are great efficiency gains to be made if you can have something like that," Dr Pesce told ABC Radio on Monday.

Unlike private hospitals, public teaching hospitals often had to cancel elective surgery procedures to deal with emergency cases.

"If you can just focus on a predictable workflow you can get very efficient use of your operating theatres and get through more elective surgery."

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Your Comments

health care

oncewas - from bribie island, 2 years ago

When will it ever be enough? Where did it all go wrong. When was it decided that government should provide health care. Why have we walked away from being responsible for ourselves and relying on government.What has Australia come to???Why don't we ask government to spend our leisure dollars for us, if we have any. Why doesn't government feed and clothe us. Couldn't government give me a house and a job.Alas, a sorry state.

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