The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the release of a report on the economic efficiency of the state’s public hospitals by health analyst Martyn Goddard, saying it strengthens their case for a single funder health model to be piloted by the state.
Greens Health spokesperson Paul O’Halloran MP said that other Greens’ proposals such as the introduction of Physician Assistants would also help address other identified issues such as work-force diversification and economies of scale in health service delivery.
Mr O’Halloran also said that he’d be requesting that the Joint House Select Committee on Preventative Health, which he drove in getting established and of which he is Deputy-Chair, examines Mr Goddard’s report as part of its deliberations.
“Martyn Goddard’s report is extremely timely. The Greens will be urging both the Health Minister and the Preventative Health Select Committee to seriously consider his findings, and develop constructive action plans,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“A clear way forward to improve economic efficiencies within our hospital system is to move towards a Single Funder model, as the Greens have been advocating for some time.”
“In fact, we worked closely with Mr Goddard in the development of our position on the need for a Single Funder model to be adopted, and he also participated in our 2011 Health Stakeholder’s Forum which also unanimously supported the move to such a model.”
“A Single Funder Model could provide the efficiencies similar to the identified proposed consortium with Victoria. But rather than just stopping at a two state purchasing consortium it may be feasible to have a national mechanism as part of a Single Funder Model.”
“Mr Goddard’s report also focuses on the high cost of reliance upon GP locums and staff overtime. This is exactly the issue that the Greens’ proposal to introduce Physician Assistants intends to address in a way that lowers those costs but increases health services to the community.”
“For example $11 million was spent in the last financial year on providing locums in the north-west alone. If the tier of Physician Assistants were available locums would not be required as much, and continuity of local medical services for Tasmanians would have been increased.”
“It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Reports such as Mr Goddard’s help shine the light on where we need to be prioritising constructive solutions. Unlike the Liberals who appear to only want to snipe from the sidelines, the Greens already have two positive solutions on the table ready to go,” Mr O’Halloran said.
The Joint House Select Committee on Preventative Health was successfully established after Mr O’Halloran’s successful motion was passed in the Lower House with tripartite support, and it was then taken through the Legislative Council by Ruth Forrest MLC. Ms Forest is Chair of the Committee and Mr O’Halloran is Deputy Chair.
Download Fact Sheet: Physician Assistants-Greens’ Proposal to Boost Tasmanian Health Workforce, August 2012 (2pages):
Jan29_Tas_Greens_Physician_Assistants_Fact_Sheet_2012_P_OHalloran_ATTACH.pdf
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Health spokesperson Tuesday, 29 January 2013
