IPAC hopes primary care will get share of infrastructure pie -
Bev O'Keefe
Amanda Cameron
A big share of the health budget is going towards capital
infrastructure and IPAC for one will be disappointed if primary
care misses out.
The Government today announced it will spend an extra $245 million
on capital infrastructure in the health sector over the next four
years.
IPAC chair Bev O'Keefe says she will be "intrigued" to find how
that money will be spent and will be disappointed if all of it goes
towards building "bigger flasher hospitals".
The health minister has, after all, made it plain that one of his
key priorities is to reduce hospital waiting times and increase
access to elective surgery.
Extra capacity needed in primary care
"It would be good to see some of that money [for instrastructure]
go towards increasing capacity within primary care," Dr O'Keefe
says.
Primary care needs extra capacity to deliver the additional
services, such as minor surgery, that the Government wants it to as
part of its commitment to shift some hospital services closer to
the community, she says.
The sector also needs extra capacity to train GPs to tackle
workforce problems, she adds.
National is doing its best to keep its word
Dr O'Keefe believes the National Government is doing its best to
fulfil its election promises in a very difficult climate.
"It's great to see that health has been a winner, particularly in
these very tight times," she says.