‘Big spend on health’

AMA(SA) President Dr John Williams has thanked the State Government ‘for listening when doctors, colleagues and patients have described the challenges we face in providing and accessing health care’.

‘I hope to discuss the Budget measures in more detail with Health Minister Chris Picton and senior SA Health staff,’ Dr Williams said.

‘However, an initial review suggests that funding to avoid hospital admissions, and reduce ramping and bed block, both within hospitals and for primary and virtual health services, will be critical to the care we provide in the months and years ahead,’ Dr Williams said.

‘We are pleased to see the additional funding that recognises that COVID continues and will continue to affect our health workers and system capacity, and the State Health Control Centre is a very welcome component in monitoring and measuring system capacity and patient outcomes.

‘Of course, we still need the workforce to deliver these services, and we will work with the Minister and others on measures to attract and retain the best staff –including through the single employer model for our GPs and our ongoing efforts to eliminate bullying and improve conditions for junior doctors in our hospitals across the state.

‘In terms of rural health, the expansion of the Electronic Medical Records program is very important in linking doctors so they can provide consistent, informed care and advice. It was also pleasing to see a commitment to additional funding for the Mount Barker Hospital and $1 million to study the health needs of the Naracoorte region. But I saw little to address the health needs of families in the more remote areas of the state.’

Before the Budget, AMA(SA) outlined to media its priorities for State Government spending on health in 2023-24.

• Work with the Australian Government to increase the investment in primary care where it is more effective – in general practice.

• Expand South Australia’s successful virtual health and telehealth services to care for people in their homes, reducing the burden on emergency departments.

• Introduce a central referral unit as the first step for patients, for more efficient triaging and transfers.

• Invest in development of the single employer model in the Riverland and rollout into other LHNs, which will support efforts to recruit and retain doctors in general practice.

• Work with universities to broaden exposure to general practice during medical school.

• Fund services to manage COVID testing and COVID and Long COVID patient care.

• Expand pregnancy advisory services, in line with the decriminalisation of abortion.

• Increase resources in public hospitals and Local Health Networks to cut essential surgery waiting lists.

• Expand palliative care services, including for clinical support in residential facilities.

• Improve EMR and transfer information and communication pathways

• Generate, measure and evaluate more data in public and private systems.

• Introduce a mental health strategy that covers acute and community access.

• Increase investment in the rural and remote mental health service and acute mental health teams.

• Support the Suicide Prevention Plan by funding the suicide prevention networks.

• Support new training positions in psychiatry, especially child and adolescent, to provide a pipeline for more psychiatrist in the state.

• Invest in measures to ensure the workplace safety and culture legislation introduced in 2021 – which places responsibility on LHNs and their Boards – is improving conditions for health practitioners, including junior doctors.

• Increase the number of clinical academic positions/appointments in public hospitals and invest in research activities to attract and retain worldclass talent.

• Review current and future effects of COVID illness and leave on staff numbers, working conditions and morale.

• Attract talent through making South Australia a leader in ‘sustainable health’.

• Resolve the contract for rural generalists to support the future of rural GPs.

• Provide equity of access to health care for rural residents, including hospital beds, telehealth and acute mental health support.

• Provide a rural and remote orthopaedic service to support local services, facilitate and speed up transfers and bed allocation.

• Provide ongoing support for rural GP obstetricians in the form of comprehensive, affordable indemnity insurance.

• Increase investment in Indigenous health, supporting the State Government’s commitment to a Voice for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders.

• Measure all health initiatives against Indigenous health outcomes.

• Require all LHNs to develop, maintain and report on indigenous health outcomes.