The health takeover - see your doctor if pain persists | Article

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Filed under: Health, Health Takeover, Kevin Rudd, Public Hospitals

18 comments

Doctor Rudd may have pulled out his stethoscope and come up with a correct diagnosis about the ailing health system in the states and territories, but many of his patients are not confident about his national plan for a cure.

Public health: where does it hurt?

The Prime Minister’s push to take over funding of public hospitals by diverting some of the GST revenue that currently goes to the states has raised skepticism among not just the various health administrations, but also among most online readers who commented on news sites in the past week.

If Rudd thinks he has a tough job talking the states and territories into agreeing to the rescue plan, he may also have a difficult time convincing many voters ahead of an election due later this year.

After three years of waiting for action on national health reform, Canberra Times reader Geoff said he didn’t trust Rudd’s panacea and thought the PM was merely engaging in spin doctoring: “This is great way to tick off an election promise. Make a promise. Explain later that you didn’t realise what you were promising. Say that you’ll deal with it in November 2010. Say it’s too complicated. Let the dates slide. Place it all back in the hands of the states to disagree and then hold a referendum that is likely to fail.”

Other readers thought the health plan was a diversionary tactic by Rudd from federal Labor’s other woes, such as the insulation rebate scheme.

Chuck of Brisbane wrote on the Daily Telegraph site: “Rudd has fast-tracked this to get the insulation debacle out of the news, no other reason. This is set up to fail even before it begins.”

Bill of North Ryde added: “Rudd can’t even facilitate the installation of batts. So how can he run the hospitals? Prepare for absolute carnage!”

Some readers thought Rudd’s plan would fail unless it provided more ground-level staff.

Peter of Brisbane commented to The Courier-Mail: “Taking over the funding of the hospitals from the states will not change anything unless there is a move to increase the number of nurses and doctors and hospital beds. We desperately need more front-line staff and less public servants.”

A suggestion of higher taxes being imposed to pay for the health reforms did not help make many readers feel any better about the Rudd scheme.

Gone Baby Gone wrote to the Daily Telegraph: “What this will mean is more tax and no action, except lots more pen pushers. Don’t fall for the big new tax grab!”

Other readers thought the national funding plan could prove to be a cop out on health care provision by the states.

Cat of Adelaide said on Adelaide Now: “There is far more to health care than hospitals. This is going to be a glorious excuse for the states to do even less to help those at risk unless some very strong safeguards are put in place.”

But there were also some voices of support for Rudd’s proposed reforms.

Gibbsey of Canberra wrote to the Daily Telegraph: “Good onya Kev. Good to see you making a stand against the states on this issue. They have sure made a mess of the health system and it needs a tough stance.”

Based on his own practical experience, John backed the Prime Minister’s plan on the Herald Sun site: “I work in a hospital and I welcome Rudd’s thought to do this. The state governments are strangling the public hospitals yet lining the pockets of the privates. I don’t think Rudd knows what he’s in for, but it’s better than what we currently deal with.”

But with support rupturing, Doctor Rudd may need to resort to further surgery if he is to succeed in his mission to save the nation’s health system and his Government.

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349"Gifting", "journey" and other words we hate

295Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking

24612 bigger issues than gay change and climate marriage

245A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...

241They must pay for one's bitter disappointments

224Punch on: Open thread 17/05/2012

224The most laughable, err, spoof since Einfeld

215Punch on: Open thread 18/05/2012

18 comments

Show oldest | newest first

- WKH says:
  
  05:59am | 08/03/10
  
  No amount of surgery will save Krudd.
  Krudd = fail
  
  Reply
- Bluey says:
  
  06:31am | 08/03/10
  
  Well, here ya go. After all the A-grade Bulldust from the coalition and its trolls, from Grech-hoax to Climate Change to Home Insulation to Health, what do ya get?
  
  “Resounding endorsement of Rudd health reform plan with eight out of 10 voters supporting the Commonwealth taking a greater role in funding the public hospital system.”
  
  “68 per cent of voters believe Labor will win the next election while only 22 per cent back the Coalition.” All in SMH Nielsen.
  
  “20% of coalition supporters prefer Rudd as PM”. That’s NewsPoll.
  
  Bit of a hint, dude - instead of all the “straight talk” porkies, try a bit of good policy and stick to the truth. Ya might not look quite so bad then. Maybe!
  
  He he he.
  Blue.
  
  Reply
Sherlock says:

08:16am | 08/03/10

Good advice Bluey but how about explaining to us “coalition trolls” exactly what Rudd’s great new health plan will actually achieve.

To most of us plebs it just looks like a money merry-go-round. A look busy but achieve nothing typical ALP spin event.

How much actual new money will be going into health? How many new beds will be opened? How many new nurses will be employed? How much will hospital waiting lists be cut?

What to you think about the Commonwealth dictating to the states will allocate their GST money? What’s to stop the states cutting back their 40% contribution to the health budget?

Instead of offering us simple abuse what not offer us a better explanation so we have an improved understanding of why you think this policy is so good
Bluey says:

04:55pm | 08/03/10

Abuse, eh, mate. What abuse? Just a few straight-talking facts.

You want to talk abuse, eh. OK, goodoh.

Find us 5 non-abusive posters from your side, son, just 5 of the swarm of regular Lib posters who can a) get their facts right and b) tell it straight without abuse - both at the same time.

Go on! Have a go!
Ryan says:

11:16pm | 10/03/10

@Bluey: fair enough, the Rudd government just got a second double-dissolution trigger, based on the sliding popularity of both Rudd and the party why wouldn’t the Labor party call an early election, could it be that they are scared? Surely not by Abbott?
- John A Neve says:
  
  07:01am | 08/03/10
  
  Here we go again, the I love Rudd versus the I love Abbott camps are out and about.
  
  No suggestions on how to fix health, no comment on what we (the public), want from our health system!!
  
  Seeing as nothing is for free, no comment on how much we are prepared to pay for our health system.
  
  The best thing for most bloggers to do, if they get sick, is to ask their hero, be it Rudd or Abbott to lay on the hands. That will fix your problems and it’s cheap.
  
  Reply
Julie Coker-Godson says:

12:55pm | 08/03/10

@John A Neve: What suggestions do you have John on how to fix the health system? I wouldn’t know where to start it is so bad in NSW.
John A Neve says:

03:48pm | 08/03/10

Julie Coker-Godson,

If I was omnipotent, sadly I’m not. I’d make the health sytem a purely federal issue.

I’d increase training position and make them free.

Move large hospitals now mainly city centric around into regional centres.

Make it manditory for those with private cover to use the private facilities or remove the private health rebate.

For GP type functions charge the GP rates and let people claim it back of Medicare.

Open up hospices to free up hospital beds for those who can recover.

Increase aged care facilities.

Lastly increase the Medicare levey.
- E says:
  
  07:49am | 08/03/10
  
  I reckon this policy is designed to fail, its just spin. Always just a beureaucrat, this PM will provide the ‘appearance of action’ safe in the knowledge that most people wont know he is conning them.
  
  First, the election promise was to take over 100% of funding, so this isnt what he promised. Its not the full dollar, its 60 cents on the dollar.
  
  Second, wasn’t the PM saying it was ‘too hard’ a couple of weeks ago, and then BOOM! policy? How does that happen? Was he unaware that some people were designing the policy, was the policy rushed together in the days between the ‘mea culpa’ and announcment, or was he just lying?
  
  Third, he talks about ‘ending the blame game’ but how does having two separate competing bureaucracies do that? We will have 40% State bureaucrats and 60% Federal, and the real tragedy is that its bureaucratswho have caused the health system to collapse! So how does MORE bureaucrats help anyone (except bureaucrats)?
  
  Fourth, while the states are crying for more money, a quick analysis shows that they will be financially better off. Going from 65% of health funding to 40% is worth more than they lose from 30% of the GST. Back of the envelope calculations show that Victoria, for example, will be about 1.83bn dollars better off after the changes.
  
  Fifth, the taxes. The Federal government will need to pony up $15bn in year one to cover the difference between the 30% GST revenue they are keeping, and the new Federal share of funding. Where on Earth are they expecting to find $15bn? Given that this budget is likely to be ‘austere’, what is going to be cut to pay for these new federal beuracracts’ junkets?
  
  Sixth, where is the expertise? Do we have hundreds of people who are qualified to sit on these boards? Or will minister for Mates, Conjob just parachute a bunch of party faithful onto them? What quality assurance are we going to have?
  
  Seventh, there is not a single new bed or machine that goes ‘ping’ in this paper shuffling exercise. Where are the performance targets for waiting lists? Roxon says theyre comming, but that leaves us with the feeling that this policy was announced before it was written! What sort of ‘evidence based policy’ is that? Is this just another case of the government being to busy to do a cost benifit analysis, and failing to “dot the i’s and cross the t’s”?
  
  Eighth, and this is where the spin cycle gets really cynical, is that Rudd knows the states will demand extra cash at COAG. He will say ‘no’ and the policy will sink into the media cycle.
  
  This PM is willing to toy with the health system to try to distract people from the widespread policy failure of the insulation rebate, green loans, boat people, CPRS, Austudy and industrial relations!
  
  Reply
eye4aneye says:

06:20pm | 08/03/10

Love the monty python reference - oh and agreed with the rest as well.
- Mr Pastry says:
  
  08:03am | 08/03/10
  
  Be seen to be doing something has been the recent Ruddspin. What a fantastic idea, shuffle some public servants between Canberra and the states in 2012, my hips feeling better already.
  
  Reply
- martinX says:
  
  10:00am | 08/03/10
  
  And soon the ALP will say “we have to increase the GST to pay for this” so a vote against an increase to the GST is a vote against public health, thus they turn it into a moral challenge.
  
  Reply
John A Neve says:

12:57pm | 08/03/10

MartinX,

Money is not the only problem, we lack enough trained medical staff and that’s in all fields. I predict that it matters not who is in government or how much they spend. It will be five to ten years before there is any real improvement in our health system.

The AMA and previous governments have stuffed it well and truly.
- Jen from Nana Glen says:
  
  10:04am | 08/03/10
  
  Let’s just throw 10,000 public servants and $90 billion dollars at it as Rudd and co want to do and see what happens! Where are the details? Who pays for what? How many jobs will be centralized in Canberra to the detriment of people out of a city CBD? Will this scheme give us more administrators but no front line personnel?
  
  Any idiot who accepts what Rudd spruiks really needs to be psych assessed.
  
  Wake up Australia before more money is wasted on this and Rudd’s other quick fix schemes.
  
  Reply
- True Blue says:
  
  12:53pm | 08/03/10
  
  This man just plain scares me! Build some hospitals, dams and infrastructure! What is with the stupid games! Rudd has achieved NOTHING! You don’t get a second chance, oooh im sorry I didn’t do so well in my first term. You had the opportunity of a lifetime and you blew up your ego instead! Get rid of him now and get rid of that stupid workchoices ad on your home page if you want to be taken seriously as political commentators
  
  Reply
- Benny says:
  
  06:20pm | 08/03/10
  
  How can anyone even think about voting for krudd? I mean this man will cost you big time if you vote him in. Already private health insurance, water, electricity and gas have gone through the room due to lack of government investment and intervention. And with the ETS and health tax on the horizon, do we really need this man taking our hard earned money and wasting it? Vote krudd out.
  
  Reply
- john muller says:
  
  10:24pm | 08/03/10
  
  The health policy is very good. Tony abbott has no idea about health because he blew it by taking 1 billion dollars out of health plus the dental scheme he scrapped he said he would take over the hospital system but what did he do took a billion dollars out do not trust abbott .
  
  Reply
- Bluey says:
  
  01:35pm | 09/03/10
  
  Benny’s just another lib whou wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him on the bum. There’s plenty think the health deal is a good one. And the ETS isn’t a bloody tax, mate. Even a simple feller like me nos its a trade scheme that pasy us back.
  
  What does ya “Straight talk” Abbott wanna do? Giver our taxes straight to big business instead. Bewdy, I’d like to see that! Not!
  
  Reply