Budget 2008 fails to deliver on

holistic care, patient travel

The Territory’s peak Aboriginal health body says the NT Government’s Budget 2008 has failed by neglecting to target and fund Aboriginal primary health care or the patient assistance travel scheme (PATS) sufficiently.

AMSANT’s EO, John Paterson, says the increased spending on child protection services is well-placed but there was relatively little investment in primary health care, especially in community controlled health services where ‘prevention’ through comprehensive and holistic care was making an impact.

“The Commonwealth government’s contribution to increased primary health care is very significant but it is not sufficient to ensure that the agreed, core primary health care services can be delivered in all Aboriginal communities,” he says. “We need the NT Government to focus their effort much more on primary health care.”

Mr Paterson also says that a continuing crisis in the NT Aeronautical Services (Air Med) would not be greatly improved by the $2 million allocated to PATS: “It’s just a drop in the ocean when we’re in desperate need of new planes and more GPs and nurses. Air Med is in crisis and many seriously ill clients continue to suffer long delays in getting to and from hospitals. Air Med has the same limited capacity that it had 15 years ago while the demand for its services has spiked alarmingly. It’s still a very dangerous situation for many of our people in the bush.”

Mr Paterson says that the NT Government seems to be relying too heavily on Commonwealth funds coming in under the ‘intervention’ without giving due regard or funding for primary health care in remote, regional and urban areas.

“Once again hospitals have been given a significant boost in funding, as they perhaps should, but if more resources were directed to primary health care the demands on hospital services would certainly be reduced in time,” he says.

“Having said that, AMSANT and its members look forward to working with the new Department of Health and Families, and we applaud the establishment of the Children’s Commissioner position.”

6 May, 2008

Rudd’s new alliance

recognises the work of Aboriginal health services

The NT’s peak Aboriginal health group says the new alliance announced by the Prime Minister at yesterday’s Indigenous Health Equality Summit in Canberra was a long-overdue recognition of the clinical excellence and effectiveness of Aboriginal community controlled health services.

AMSANT EO, John Paterson, says Mr Rudd’s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health was well received at the summit and explicitely paid tribute to the work of the Aboriginal community controlled health sector in the last 30 years.

“Mr Rudd and his ministers recognise that the old way of doing things just isn’t working—they know they need to consult with Aboriginal-run health services and resource them sufficiently to ‘close the gap’ on inequality,” says Mr Paterson.

“Primary health care—and the prevention of chronic disease—is the only way forward for our people and we’re confident the Commonwealth will continue to consult with us and work in partnership in the years to come.”

Mr Paterson says the focus on reducing smoking rates was especially welcome and would be a key element to improving the life expectancy of Aboriginal people.

“The health targets are very ambitious, but so they should be after two centuries of neglect and avoidance,” he says.

“We believe the Commonwealth is fair dinkum in its approach, so the Aboriginal community controlled sector welcomes the chance to work productively with them to bring improved primary health care services to people in urban, regional, rural and remote regions.”

20th March, 2008

Beaumont out of touch as a schism grows at the AMA

“We are surprised and baffled by today’s comments from the AMA’s NT president which seem to totally contradict the views of his national AMA president regarding the ‘Close the Gap’ initiatives.

“Dr Beaumont states that in the NT: ‘Indigenous people have access to exactly the same level of services with exactly the same priorities based on their need’ as non-Indigenous people. This is pure fiction!

“Aboriginal disadvantage in terms of our ability to access health services is pronounced and widely recognised—that’s why the AMA national president, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, has just signed the statement of intent to close the life expectancy gap of Aboriginal and Islander peoples.

“Dr Beaumont is out of step with the national mood for change, with Aboriginal people generally and, most alarmingly, with the president of his own union.

“Given his entrenched attitudes and continual quest for making headlines—at any cost—we find it difficult to work with him productively.

“AMSANT hopes Dr Beaumont sees fit to clarify his comments and that his national president explains the growing schism between Dr Beaumont and the AMA.”

20th March, 2008