A Healthier Future for all Australians - Final Report June 2009
Chapter 1 - A time for action
We will always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.1
The health of our people is critical to our national economy, our national security and, arguably, our national identity. Health is one of the most important issues for Australians, and it is an issue upon which people often turn to governments for leadership.
Australians have a good health system by most comparisons. Our health outcomes are among the best in the world, we have delivered more successes than most in public health and disease prevention, and we spend less than average on health as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product compared to other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. We have universal access to medical care, medications and hospitals and an envied mix of public and private financing and provision of care. In comparison with many other countries, we have among the best trained doctors, nurses and other health professionals and a strong international reputation in health and medical research.
While the Australian health system has served us well, it is a system under growing pressure, facing significant emerging challenges as the health needs of our population change. There are already warning signals around the safety of health care, difficulties with access, and frustration over long waiting times. We know that there are unacceptable inequities in health status, a growing awareness of systemic waste and inefficiency, and concern about the affordability of out-of-pocket health costs.
The structure and funding of our health system has become incredibly complex. With so many band aids and ‘work-arounds’, it is not clear who should fix which part, or how one ‘fix’ may affect other parts of the system. What is clear is that providers of health care services are under strain now and will not cope with the rising tide of chronic disease and frailty in the future. We have an overloaded sickness system and offer scant resources for illness prevention and early intervention. Looming shortages in many health professions present an additional threat, particularly when we don’t effectively harness the collective skills and expertise already inherent in our multidisciplinary workforce. Of even greater concern are the rising costs of health care and the growing demands placed upon the system driven by demographic factors and technology. Under these conditions, government’s ability to meet its share of that expenditure is unlikely to be sustainable without reform.
There is a growing disquiet in the Australian community about the viability of our health system, which is reflected in the many Inquiries, Royal Commissions, Taskforces and Reviews. Frequent media stories of personal tragedies and commentary on system failures add fuel to public concerns. People are looking for leadership and effective solutions, now.
This opportunity for major health reform is rare and highly anticipated. There is a unified call for action from the health industry and those it serves to get it right for future generations. These pressures have been recognised by all levels of government and they are listening. We have an extraordinary moment in time in which to redesign our health system for the future with the collaboration of governments, clinical leaders, and the collective goodwill of the people of our nation.
1B Gates (undated), at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/billgates404193.html
