Friday 3 July 2009
DELLA BOSCA JOINS IN SUPPORTING SENSIBLE LIBERAL/NATIONALS HEALTH POLICY
“The reality is it’s important hospitals make more decisions and doctors and nurses make more decisions in their own local arenas.”
Health Minister John Della Bosca AAP 29-6-09
Health Minister John Della Bosca has joined the chorus of clinicians and medical experts who endorse the NSW Liberal/Nationals ‘Making it Work’ health policy, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
A NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will remove Labor’s failed Area Health Services, and their associated clusters or networks, and create smaller Health Districts with Boards representing local clinicians and community members..
“Removing Labor’s failed Area Health Services and replacing them with these smaller, community focused Health District Boards will re-empower medical professionals and their local region,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Under Labor, health management and hospital decisions are made by remote Area Health Service bureaucrats in far off ivory towers, local doctors and nurses don’t have a say,” she said.
“Our policy will get those bureaucrats out of their ivory towers and into the frontline to support our health workforce. NSW has the most skilled medical workforce in Australia. They want to be involved in the management of our health system, and under our policy they will be.
“Only the NSW Liberal/Nationals will restore the decision-making power of Hospital General Managers and give authority and decision making back to expert clinicians.
“I’m glad Health Minister John Della Bosca has recognised that doctors, nurses and allied health professionals need to be more involved in local decision making, which is exactly what will happen under a NSW Liberal/Nationals Government.
“The NSW Liberal/Nationals ‘Making it Work’ health policy has already attracted positive feedback from some of the most pre-eminent medical experts in NSW including Professor Stephen Hunyor (Professor of Medicine, University of Sydney), Professor Brad Frankum (Professor of Clinical Education, University of Western Sydney), Professor John Dwyer (Founding President of the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance), Dr David Adler (Director, Prime Health Management) and Dr Andrew Keegan (Former NSW AMA President, Adjunct Associate Professor Nepean Clinical School University of Sydney).
“I’m pleased John Della Bosca has seen the error of Labor’s ways,” Mrs Skinner said.