Catholic Health Australia chief executive Jason Kara has welcomed the Albanese Government’s $1.7 billion funding of public hospitals, aimed at cutting down wait times and ease pressure on emergency departments.
The single-year funding deal will create the space for the federal Government to properly negotiate the next five-year national health reform agreement.
In announcing the funding on Wednesday, ABC News reported Mr Albanese said it would “help save lives and lead to better outcomes for our nation’s hospitals”.
Mr Kara said the funding was a “new investment in our national health system and the funding will directly support people in need across the entire health system”.
He said it was important for the Commonwealth, states and territories, and other key health stakeholders to get that national agreement right in years to come.
“As a first principle, we must be cognisant of shifting clinical practices and consumer behaviour,” Mr Kara said.
“This includes the shift to more care being delivered outside of hospitals. Government must also recognise the critical role of the not-for-profit sector in taking pressure off the public hospital system.”
Mr Kara said CHA “recognises the bipartisan support for this critical additional funding”. He said CHA will make further comments about its “funding and policy priorities” leading into the federal election campaign.
FULL STORY
Catholic Health Australia welcomes the federal government’s $1.7bn funding of public hospitals (CHA)
Labor commits additional $1.7b to ‘fully fund’ hospitals and cut wait times (By Jake Evans, ABC News)
