Very interesting point regarding the budget was raised on   "The drum" last night.

Health makes up a massive proportion of the government budget, so any talk of budget cuts MUST include health, yet no politician talks about health budget cuts, and Abbott actually talks about increasing health expenditure in the same breath as budget cuts which is physically impossible.

The girl on the show said the biggest hurdle to heath is the lack of doctors in Australia.  Absolutely spot on the money if you ask me. Doctors hold the country to ransom, I doubt there is a more protected workforce in Australia. 
Immediately double the number of university places for doctors, and lower the entry marks required.   Fast track foreign doctors into the GP ranks with conversion courses.

Why isnt this being done?!

Its time to stop talking about money like we have an endless suply.

Doctor Jolly wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 10:38am:

Very interesting point regarding the budget was raised on   "The drum" last night. Health makes up a massive proportion of the government budget, so any talk of budget cuts MUST include health, yet no politician talks about health budget cuts, and Abbott actually talks about increasing health expenditure in the same breath as budget cuts which is physically impossible. The girl on the show said the biggest hurdle to heath is the lack of doctors in Australia.  Absolutely spot on the money if you ask me. Doctors hold the country to ransom, I doubt there is a more protected workforce in Australia.  Immediately double the number of university places for doctors, and lower the entry marks required.   Fast track foreign doctors into the GP ranks with conversion courses. Why isnt this being done?!

(1) $2.7B Pink Batts was not part of the health budget

(2) $16B BER was not part of the health budget

(3) The $42B stimulus that did little to nothing to stem the GFC was not part of the health budget

(4) $30B cost blow out of NBN was not part of the health budget

(5) Billions in interest rates for the current Labor debt close to $250B was not part of the health budget


If we are going to criticise the Coalition's plans - then it least start with a common base.

This common base is about fixing the Labor stuff ups - PERIOD!!

Here's the federal budget breakdown (PER YEAR):
Public service: $20b
Defense:  $20b
Safety (police):  $3b
Education: $32b
Health:  $57b
Welfare: $111b
Plus a few more minor things combines to $336b


What exactly do we get for the $57b we spend on health?   Doctors who can charge $300/hr ?

bobbythefap1 wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 10:46am:

Its time to stop talking about money like we have an endless suply.

Money comes from resources!!

:o :o :o :o :o

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 6:33pm:

bobbythefap1 wrote on Feb 1st, 2012 at 10:46am: Its time to stop talking about money like we have an endless suply. Money comes from resources!! :o :o :o :o :o

Yeah but that depends on other nations buying them and if they go bankrupt they cant

Doctor Jolly wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 10:38am:

Very interesting point regarding the budget was raised on   "The drum" last night. Health makes up a massive proportion of the government budget, so any talk of budget cuts MUST include health, yet no politician talks about health budget cuts, and Abbott actually talks about increasing health expenditure in the same breath as budget cuts which is physically impossible. The girl on the show said the biggest hurdle to heath is the lack of doctors in Australia.  Absolutely spot on the money if you ask me. Doctors hold the country to ransom, I doubt there is a more protected workforce in Australia.  Immediately double the number of university places for doctors, and lower the entry marks required.   Fast track foreign doctors into the GP ranks with conversion courses. Why isnt this being done?!

AAAR? something to do with professional standards and quality of service. There are doctors and doctors. So i take it you want an american system where if you can afford it you can have good health care. If you are poor you can have backyard abortions and dodgy import doctors. Yep one of those brain explosions, sure you not a mate of Abbotts.

Doctor Jolly wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 10:38am:

Very interesting point regarding the budget was raised on   "The drum" last night. Health makes up a massive proportion of the government budget, so any talk of budget cuts MUST include health, yet no politician talks about health budget cuts, and Abbott actually talks about increasing health expenditure in the same breath as budget cuts which is physically impossible. The girl on the show said the biggest hurdle to heath is the lack of doctors in Australia.  Absolutely spot on the money if you ask me. Doctors hold the country to ransom, I doubt there is a more protected workforce in Australia.  Immediately double the number of university places for doctors, and lower the entry marks required.   Fast track foreign doctors into the GP ranks with conversion courses. Why isnt this being done?!

You're not a very committed altruist are you?


Quote:

Health Care For Refugees And Asylum Seekers Over 50 000 refugees or asylum seekers have entered the Australian community over the past five years. This immigration flow is beginning to bring regular challenges to Australian medical practitioners in terms of health service provision for asylum seekers and refugees in detention and in the Australian community. A review and development of health care policies and standards of health care delivery for all refugees and asylum seekers is necessary. [...] The evidence base on health problems of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia is thin, due to the lack of research being funded in this area of population health. Many refugees are in good health and are seeking to positively engage with the new society in which they find themselves. Other refugees arrive with, or develop, a range of health care needs. In addition to the range of complaints similar to those of the rest of the Australian population, the following health problems are likely to be common amongst refugees: * psychological disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and psychosomatic disorders   * direct physical consequences of torture such as musculoskeletal pain or deafness   * under recognised and under managed hypertension, diabetes and chronic pain   *  poor oral health, a result of poor nutrition and diet, lack of fluoridated water, poor dental hygiene practices and limited dental care in the past   * infectious diseases including TB and intestinal parasites   * delayed growth or development in children. [...] http://www.racgp.org.au/refugeehealth

How deep are your pockets?

If you happen to fall victim to TB (introduced by your friendly government after it was almost eradicated) you might have a daily dose of:

2 x 15mg caps of Rifabutin taken in the morning
1 x 400mg tab of Ethambutol taken in the morning
3 x 100mg tab of Ethambutol taken in the morning
1 x 500mg tab of Clarithromycin taken in the morning
1 x 500mg tab of Clarithromycin taken in the arvo.

My relative has completed an 8 month course of the above and never had to pay a cent for it. Who pays? It's the good old taxpayer of course.

Toss in all the brochures printed in 16 or so languages that deal with STD's, Hep B, Heb C and a host of other medical issues and it all adds up.

True story: a friend went to Westmead Dental Hospital to receive treatment. Appointment was for 8am. Sitting in the waiting room was a small elderly Asian woman. At about 8 o'clock 5 women came up the the reception desk and the lady on duty said: "Thank heavens you're here. Cound you ask that lady over there (Asian woman) what she wants." One of the ladies who was an interpreter went over and spoke with the Asian woman in mandarin (?). Who pays for the interpreter? It's the good old taxpayer of course.

Reign in the health budget. IMPOSSIBLE!

Australia....you're standing in it.

It is never ending:


Quote:

Health Care Interpreter Services Services: Professional health care interpreters are available for health care providers and patients in public hospitals and community health services. Most community languages are catered for. The service is free of charge and operates on an appointment basis. For further information, contact your nearest Area Health Care Interpreter Service. Central & South Eastern Sydney Areas' Health Care Interpreter Service (24 hour, 7 days service) King GeorgeV Hospital Missenden Rd Camperdown NSW 2050 http://directory.damec.org.au/index.php/Interpreter/Translation-Services/

Your money at work.

This is what you pay tax for:


Quote:

Fact Sheet 91 – Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) National Overview The Department of Immigration and Citizenship operates an interpreting service called the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) National. [...] TIS National provides a 24 hour, seven days a week telephone interpreting service to all states and territories in Australia and has access to interpreters speaking more than 170 languages and dialects. [...] TIS National has established priority telephone lines for emergency service organisations, some parts of the department, and medical practitioners in private practice. TIS National contact centre routinely handles 3500–4500 calls per business day. During 2009–10, the highest demand languages were Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Korean, Persian, Turkish, Spanish, Greek and Dari. http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/91tis.htm

It's only money.

there was something on the local news here tonight in CANBERRA I sort of missed half of it but it was something to do with cutting public service jobs... something like 14000....I am sure that was the number..shock horror... this from a labor govt..

btw all the depts have had their budgets cut...I can tell you it is causing a lot of friction..

but have you noticed its never the top jockeys that go.they just invent new dept for them

salad in wrote on Feb 1^st, 2012 at 8:24pm:

It is never ending: Quote: Health Care Interpreter Services Services: Professional health care interpreters are available for health care providers and patients in public hospitals and community health services. Most community languages are catered for. The service is free of charge and operates on an appointment basis. For further information, contact your nearest Area Health Care Interpreter Service. Central & South Eastern Sydney Areas' Health Care Interpreter Service (24 hour, 7 days service) King GeorgeV Hospital Missenden Rd Camperdown NSW 2050 http://directory.damec.org.au/index.php/Interpreter/Translation-Services/ Your money at work.

dont forget all those interpreters at the detention centres they were going to close.

But wait...there's more:


Quote:

New South Wales Consolidated Acts WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT 1987 - SECT 24 Illegal employment 24 Illegal employment (cf former s 53I) If, in any proceedings for the recovery of compensation under this Act, it appears that the contract of service or training contract under which the injured person was engaged at the time when the injury happened was illegal, the matter may be dealt with as if the injured person had at that time been a worker under a valid contract of service or training contract. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/wca1987255/s24.html

Getting injured at work might mean a trip to the hospital which means soaking up more health care dollars.

What makes it hard to phuking understand is that a person may enter Australia illegally, get a job on a building site, suffer an injury, maybe get hospital treatment, may get a lump sum payout but be a phuking illegal worker.

Australia, you've gone phuking nuts.

Salad In tells the truth if you can handle the truth.


Quote:

Asylum seekers made almost 60,000 doctor visits last year IMMIGRATION detainees made almost 60,000 doctor visits last year, pushing the cost of providing health care for asylum seekers to almost $120 million a year. The level of treatment was almost double the average number of visits by Australians to the doctor and ranged from minor ailments to trauma and torture counselling. While 14,976 visits were for mental health issues, the majority were for minor GP consultations, which totalled 21,854, while a further 12,508 were for psychological and psychiatric treatments. About 2500 visits were for dental and optical services. The high rate of medical care prompted the opposition to accuse the government of providing a "private Medicare service" for asylum seekers. Documents revealed that, at Christmas Island alone, GPs delivered 18,040 consultations between July 2010 and June 2011. The total figure for all centres across the country was 58,266, putting the average number of visits by detainees at 10 a year or once every five weeks. The apparent high rate of medical care required was almost double the average 6.3 visits made every year by Australians to their doctors. The Department of Immigration confirmed the new contract for the International Health and Medical Service - responsible for the health needs of detainees - was $91.82 million for 2010-2011. [...] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/asylum-seekers-made-almost-60000-doctor-visits-last-year/story-e6freuzr-1226261309123

Time stamp: 12:15pm, 5th February, 2012. I was at the Bunnings store at Seven Hills when I noticed a sausage sizzle being held in the carpark. The event was being staged by volunteers who were raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Imagine Doctor Jolly what the health budget would be like if the RFDS was properly funded instead of forcing it to hold sausage sizzles and other fundraising activities.


Quote:

Fundraising for the RFDS Organising your own fundraising activity is a great way to get active and social while raising valuable awareness and funds for the RFDS. You could choose to join a local or national event, or even create your own. Or you could arrange for guests to your birthday party, wedding or anniversary celebration to give a donation to the RFDS in lieu of gifts. http://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/How-You-Can-Help/Fun/

A few observations -
1) Cutting the Health Budget will be very, very difficult.
2) In fact, I would suggest impossible!
3) A large chunk of the Health Costs, go on the elderly and with the largest generation in history, the Baby Boomers, currently starting their "official retirement years", the Health costs can be expected to soar, over the next 20 years or so, as that generation age, then leave us forever!
4) A huge number of Health Professionals, are actually Baby Boomers themselves and something like 40% of Health Professionals are due to retire, in the next 10-15 years or so.
5) Anyone who has been into a large hospital recently will realise that a large number of staff are not Australian, they have been "imported" from other countries, such as Asia, Africa, Europe & elsewhere.
6) As the current Baby Boomer Health Professionals retire over the next 10-20 years, I would suggest that both the & Liberal party's plan is for the majority of replacements to come from overseas, not from Australia.
7) That plan will fail, as many of countries will be bidding for that relatively small number of Global Health Care Professionals and the countries we will be trying to take them from will be in much greater need than us.

In short, a few things are likely to happen -
1) Health Costs, as a % of the total Budget, is likely to go up, not down!
2) Health Care, in general, is likely to get worse, not better, as the number of Health Care Professionals, as a % of the total population decreases, not increases.

Oh and off topic, which is what she often does, unless Maqqa can be relevant to the topic, instead of just going over the same, boring Political spin, she may as well not bother!