A $2.2 billion healthcare package has been launched by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to help employees, increase the number of nurses, and enhance after-hours care.
When state and territory leaders met Mr. Albanese in Brisbane on Friday, the national cabinet approved the proposal.
Healthcare Package For Workers
The developing National Disability Insurance Scheme was also covered at the meeting.
It is anticipated to surpass Medicare as the expense that affects the federal budget the most.
He said that the federal and state governments have reached an agreement to reduce NDIS spending, which is expected to total $97 billion in the medium term.
The NDIS’s annual cost growth rate has been between 12 and 14 percent. It will now aim for an annual growth rate of 8% under the terms of Friday’s agreement.
More than $720 million has been allocated to enhancing the agency in charge of the program’s capacity to provide greater participant support.
The actions are part of a $2 billion federal budget package that also includes assistance for paramedics and pharmacists.
Health, according to Mr. Albanese, will be the national cabinet’s top priority for 2023, with change being discussed at a meeting in the last quarter of the year.
Read more: Government Caves To Insurance Industry Pressure On Medicare Advantage
Medical Community Calls for Action to Address Public Hospital Strain
Nicole Higgins, president of the Royal Australian College of GPs, said the new financing arrangement allowed practices to stay open later, which meant fewer people would visit crowded emergency rooms.
Dr. Higgins stated that more has to be done to speed up the visa application process for foreign medical graduates.
It occurs as public hospital performance is at an all-time low, struggling under the strain of soaring surgery waitlists and emergency department presentations, according to the most recent AMA annual report card.
If no action is taken, the statistics, according to Professor Robson, paint a grim picture for the future of our public hospitals and with them, our patients.
According to the report card, there are now just 14.7 public hospital beds accessible for patients over 65, down from 32.5 beds per 1000 persons in the previous three decades.
Only 58% of patients who were triaged as urgent were seen within the recommended 30 minutes in emergency departments last year because of the strain they were under.
Read more: Improving Patient Access And Affordability In Healthcare