The Tasmanian Greens today said the Auditor General’s Hospital Bed Management and Primary Preventative Health report, confirms their calls for Tasmania to become a national pilot for a single funder model.
Greens Health spokesperson Paul O’Halloran MP said the report confirms the view of the Greens and health experts that health funding is on a reactive and unsustainable trajectory, and the need for a strategic focus on preventative health measures.
“The Auditor General’s latest report just strengthens the case, long advocated by the Greens and stakeholders such as the AMA, for a national single funder model to be trialled in Tasmania,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“The report’s findings are also in line with the Greens’ calls for an increased focus on prevention and correctly points out that one dollar spent on prevention results in $5.60 in savings to the community within five years.”
“The reports’ assessment on bed management and the use of prevention as a strategy highlights some alarming findings.”
“It is of concern that Tasmania’s relative stay index, measuring time spent in hospital, is higher than all other states, and increasing at a fast rate. Additional to that, our readmission rates are significantly worse than other states.”
“Hospital bed occupancy and utilisation rates vary significantly across the state, and yet there is no single bed management unit.”
“On the issue of prevention, Tasmania has very high levels of lifestyle related illness, including tobacco related, alcohol consumption and obesity. Only our national leading smoking rates are trending down, while obesity levels are increasing, with over 60% either overweight or obese.”
“These findings tell us that we must continue advocating for an increased focus on wellness, prevention and keeping people out of hospital in the first place.”
“The Auditor General found that many conceptual foundations and statements are made with regard to prevention, with use of words like ‘explore’, ‘advocate’ and ‘consult’, but not much when it comes to action.”
“This information just reinforces the Greens resolve to keep pursuing a Single Funder model to provide the necessary structural reform.”
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Health spokesperson Tuesday, 28 May 2013
