PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 1989-06-14
JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER
AND THE WA ACTING PREMIER, MR PARKER
The Federal and Western Australian Governments have signed an
agreement guaranteeing Commonwealth funding for Western
Australia's public hospital system for the next five years.
For the first time, the Federal Government has agreed to
index the grant not only to take account of general cost
increases but also to reflect ageing and growth of the
State's population.
older people are major users of hospital services and the new
funding arrangements will ensure the grant keeps pace with
the general ageing of the population.
This new formula will give State public hospitals more than
$ 480 million in extra Federal funds over the next five years.
Under the new Medicare hospital agreements, Western Australia
will receive $ 268 million in 1988-89, including $ 775 000
towards the cost of treating AIDS patients and $ 2.1 million
to fund a range of incentives designed to improve further the
efficiency of the public hospital system.
The incentive money will enable the State to develop
innovative approaches to increase the efficiency of public
hospitals, including setting up of both hospital and
community-based services to facilitate early discharge of
post-acute patients and to provide palliative care to reduce
the need for hospitalisation of chronically and terminally
ill patients. Day surgery facilities at a number of public
hospitals will be established or improved.
The new agreement provides proof of Labor's continuing
commitment to the principles of Medicare and reinforces the
right of all patients to hospital treatment according to
medical need.
Both Governments are committed to ensuring that Medicare
patients continue to receive comprehensive, high quality
care. In addition to the already substantial funding
provided by Western Australia, the new Commonwealth grant
will assist the State to maintain the fine record of its
public hospitals.