Issues - Health

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From July 1 this year the Australian Government will start delivering $5.3 billion in additional funding over the next four years to provide:

• 1,300 new sub-acute hospital beds;
• Over 6000 new doctors;
• An additional 2500 aged care beds;
• Emergency department waiting times capped at four hours;
• Elective surgery delivered on time for 95 per cent of Australians;
• An historic agreement to reshape mental health services and help 20,000 extra young people get access to mental health services;
• More coordinated care for patients with diabetes in general practice;
• A Commonwealth takeover of primary care; and
• A Commonwealth takeover of aged care.

The Commonwealth and seven states and territories have agreed to the Commonwealth retaining one third of the GST and becoming the dominant funder of the nation’s hospital system.
 
One dominant funder under the National Health and Hospitals Network means that patients will no longer be shunted from one system funded by the states and territories to another funded by the Commonwealth.
 
Under these reforms, the Australian Government:

• will become the dominant funder of public hospitals;
• fund 60 per cent of building, equipment, teaching, training and services;
• take pressure off public hospitals by improving the health care provided in the community; and
• fund all GP and primary care services and all aged care services.