The National President of the AMA has taken journalists on a ‘house tour’ of the Australian health system while addressing the National Press Club.
In her nationally broadcast speech, Dr Danielle McMullen said it was important the health system does not fall into disrepair or “into the trap of a quick lick of paint”.
She said cracks in the health system were being felt by patients but also doctors who were trying to hold the system together.
“From my perspective, they’re not small or insignificant or cosmetic,” Dr McMullen said.
She said some parts of the system were no longer structurally fit for demand.
The foundation
Dr McMullen said in the foundation of the healthcare system – primary care – the funding system needed attention.
She said given the aging population and increase in chronic and complex conditions, primary care required funding for longer consultations and was dependent on strong coordination.
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“Medicare still largely rewards short consultations and penalises the time it takes to provide that more comprehensive care,” she said.
“What we need is a new seven tier Medicare item restructure that supports GPs to deliver not just the acute care but also the chronic and complex care.”
Prevention and maintenance
Dr McMullen said governments continued to treat preventative health as optional, or “nice to have when the budget allows”.
However, she said with overweight and obesity being the largest cause of preventable disease in Australia, there was a measure the government could use to assist people to better maintain their health and work to prevent poor health outcomes.
She said a tax on sugar sweetened beverages would be a win for patients, health and Treasury.
“Our own House of Representatives Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport recommended a sugar tax in 2024, and yet the advice keeps being ignored.”
She said evidence from other countries had shown a sugar tax – around 40 cents on a can of soft drink – had been shown to change behaviour.
Recent renovation attempts
Dr McMullen described increases in pharmacy prescribing as “new doors that aren’t really connected to the rest of the house”.
“We’re yet to see any evidence that it’s working to improve outcomes or access, but we are concerned that it doesn’t line up with our primary care 10 year plan,” she said.
“Is it dangerous? Who knows, mechanisms to report near misses are absent or hard to find.”
She said the system wide changes, which varied between states and territories, increased risk and reduced double checking.
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She described urgent care clinics as another front door being opened that did not connect back to GPs.
“It seems at the moment access is the only goal in health policy,” she said
“One in three of the interactions at an urgent care centre doesn’t have any communication back to the usual GP.”
She said solutions that supported GP clinics to open for longer hours and recognised staff costs during those periods could allow GPs to provide more care should be adopted.
“If we act now we can undertake the renovations and repairs that our health system needs.”
Health Minister Mark Butler is due to speak at next week’s National Press Club event.
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