Page 4236 - Week 13 - Thursday, 25 November 1993
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THE COMMISSIONER WILL ASSIST IN THE RESOLUTION OF A BROAD RANGE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH SERVICES. THE ULTIMATE AIM WILL TO BE IMPROVE COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCESSES, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE STANDARD OF HEALTH SERVICES.
THE BILL IS INTEGRAL IN THE REFORM OF HEALTH SERVICES TAKEN BY THIS GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE MORE ACCOUNTABLE, EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIVE.
I AM SURE THE MAJORITY OF HEALTH CONSUMERS APPRECIATE THE HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY RECEIVE ONLY A SMALL NUMBER VOICE CONCERN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS MAY NOT ALWAYS PROVIDE HEALTH CARE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.
HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM SYSTEM, WHERE THE LEVEL OF TRAINING, SUPERVISION AND "GOLD STANDARDS" OF CARE ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE WILL ALSO COME WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH COMPLAINTS.
THE COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH COMPLAINTS WILL BE STATUTORILY OBLIGED TO ACT IMPARTIALLY, IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND TO OBSERVE THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL JUSTICE. THE COMMISSIONER WILL BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF A.C.T. HEALTH AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION ARE CLEARLY DELINEATED IN THE BILL.
THE DRAFT LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CODE OF HEALTH RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR USERS AND PROVIDERS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH SERVICES THIS GOES WELL BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1993 MEDICARE AGREEMENT AS THE CODE WILL COVER ALL USERS AND ALL PROVIDERS OF HEALTH SERVICES IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE STATUS.
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