Page 3210 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 19 August 2008
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Woden and Tuggeranong. And we work very closely with the AMA and the ACT Division of General Practice. The key to delivering the change that we need in the workforce is to work with those key stakeholders.
I will ensure that the views of all GPs are heard in relation to our addressing workforce shortage, redevelopment options for community health and aged-care services. As we move forward on our complete reconfiguration of public health services in the ACT, we will need to work closely with GPs, general practice staff and ACT health professionals.
This is the approach that we have taken. It is a very difficult issue to solve, but I think the measures I have outlined today are sensible, realistic and achievable—all things that are in direct contrast to the opposition’s latest election stunt. They have released a policy that they cannot deliver; they cannot legally deliver it. They cannot keep the promise that they have made. It is a desperate policy. After four years of coming up with nothing, they have come up with something that rips in excess of $30 million out of public health services and puts it directly into the private health system. It is a policy that is flawed on a number of fronts. As people get an understanding of the policy and the fact that it can’t be delivered, the ACT community will vote with their feet, as they did in the last election, on health. It is a dangerous policy and it is one that will upset the balance of private and public health here in the ACT. (Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms MacDonald?
MS MacDONALD: Thank you, minister. Are there any other measures the ACT government has taken in this area?
MS GALLAGHER: As part of the billion-dollar overhaul of the ACT health system, the Labor government has announced the innovative development of walk-in clinics. These clinics are nurse-led outposts of the emergency department and will provide after-hours support. In the wake of the Wanniassa practice closure, I have already announced that we are fast tracking this work to establish a walk-in clinic in Tuggeranong.
These clinics are based on internationally tried and tested solutions, most notably in the UK. Officials from ACT Health recently visited the UK to see these clinics and were impressed by their operation. It is just another example of the government working with stakeholders to develop evidence-based and well thought out policy for the benefit of the community.
Look at the policy that the Liberals have announced today. They have promised to open three bulkbilling practices, government-run, in south Tuggeranong, Gungahlin and west Belconnen. Let us begin with the fact that the ACT government cannot provide bulkbilling clinics. We cannot employ GPs and draw down on the MBS. It is not legal—it is not allowed under the Health Insurance Act—without express permission and agreement of the commonwealth government. So, unless you have that, your policy, as it is announced, is something that you cannot deliver on, unless you are paying the full cost of every consultation.
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