Today I announced the biggest changes to our health and hospital system since the introduction of Medicare.
These reforms will deliver better hospitals and better health across the nation. They will create a single national hospital and health care system which is more responsive to local health care needs.
Funded nationally, and run locally, the National Health and Hospitals Network will:
* Create a single national network of hospitals, instead of eight separate systems
* Be nationally funded, with the Australian Government shouldering the majority of the funding burden, which means more money will be available to meet rising health costs
* Make sure local doctors and nurses with local expertise are making the important decisions for our local hospitals.
Visit my website at www.pm.gov.au and for more details on the National Health and Hospitals Network.
Yours sincerely
Kevin Rudd
Prime Minister