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FRE
October 29, 2014
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Issue 94
Medicare Local closure slammed and defended rina’s Medicare Local is one of 61 across the country set to close.
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Senator for NSW Deborah O’Neill said The Abbott Government’s decision was yet another blow to the people of the Central Coast. “Tony Abbott’s decision to close all 61 Medicare Locals around the country – despite promising before the election ‘We are not shutting any Medicare Locals’ – and replace them with 30 new health bureaucracies leaves the future of healthcare in the region under a cloud,” said Senator O’Neill. “The specific health requirements of people on the Coast will be lumped in with those in a new megaregion that will stretch from Gosford to the Queensland border and absorb three Medicare Locals: Central Coast; Hunter; and New England. “Our Medicare Local was just what the name suggested, a local, grassroots organisation geared to the specific healthcare needs of families here. “The impacts of these cuts and mergers will be felt at the community level, particularly by the most vulnerable, and will likely have longer term adverse population health outcomes. “Under this new megaregion, which is about the size of England, it will be one size fits all from Terrigal to the Tweed, and everyone will get a number and stand
in the queue,” Senator O’Neill said. Senator O’Neill said the boundaries for the new Primary Healthcare Networks were released by side-door, with no announcement by the Government and no explanation of the immediate future for local health services, as Medicare Locals are dismantled. “The Blue Mountains, smaller than the Coast, got its own Primary Health Network. “Where were the local Liberals when this carve up happened? “They just aren’t fighting for the Coast. “The uncertainty that comes with this sleight-ofhand approach to public health not only affects
patients who relied on Medicare Locals to direct them to the appropriate treatment in their area but also leaves the 75 Medicare Local staff employed at Erina fearing for their jobs. “It has been estimated that the cost to close Medicare Locals will be more than $200 million. “Thursday’s revelation will create chaos, delays and more costs,” Senator O’Neill said. The discovery of the Primary Health Network boundary plan comes after revelations that the Central Coast would be at the epicentre of a hospital emergency department crisis under the $7 GP Tax. A NSW Bureau of Health Information report revealed the emergency departments
(EDs) at Gosford and Wyong hospitals were stretched – with Gosford recording the worst emergency patient turnaround rate in the state – while a Senate Inquiry has been told hospitals could expect a further surge as patients avoid, or can’t pay, Tony Abbott’s $7 tax to see a GP. With the NSW Government’s own briefing paper, prepared in May, revealing the co-payment had the capacity to flood hospitals with an extra 500,000 ED attendances a year, blow-out ED waiting times and cost an extra $80 million annually, hospitals could be stretched to breaking point. “This is a public health disaster waiting to happen on the Central Coast and
it will be all Tony Abbott’s doing,” Senator O’Neill said. Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks said she was disappointed with a recent statement made by a Senator for NSW regarding Primary Health Networks. “As the local Federal MP for Robertson, I’ve been meeting regularly with doctors, health professionals and patients across the Central Coast,” said Ms Wicks. “So it was disappointing to read remarks from a Senator for New South Wales who made a statement, in a media release containing typos and inaccuracies that ignored the views of health experts themselves. “The facts are that Primary Health Networks, including on the Central Coast, will work with local health providers and stakeholders to ensure local services meet the needs of local people, including supporting individual general practices to encourage high quality services. “It’s about ensuring local communities have better access to improved frontline health services, which doctors across the Coast tell me is an important issue. “The Australian Government wants to make sure money is spent on improving these frontline services – not wasted on administration. “The Networks are expected to align with existing Local Hospital Network boundaries to
ensure effective working relationships, increase care for the communities they serve, and make the most of greater local GP involvement to ensure optimal patient care. “Clinical Councils and Community Advisory Committees will also ensure the needs of patients here on the Coast are put first. “Richard Nankervis, Central Coast NSW Medicare Local CEO, has already said that he is optimistic that there will be strong, collaborative partnerships that benefit the region as a whole because of this change,” said Ms Wicks. Mr Nankervis said in his response to the announcement that “responding to local health needs here on the Coast remains a top priority”. “We are also committed to working toward continuing the services we’ve worked so hard to develop for the Central Coast community,” he said. “We look forward to continuing the delivery of these services to the local population, and to developing new innovative programs as a partner in the new Primary Health Network.” Media release, 24 Oct 2014 Richard Mehrtens, office of Deborah O’Neill Media release, 27 Oct 2014 Tim Sowden, office of Lucy Wicks MP