26 October 2022

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has welcomed key wellbeing measures and the delivery of health election commitments in the October Budget 2022, but says it falls short of what is required to protect public healthcare in the evolving crisis.

RACP President and paediatrician Dr Jacqueline Small said the RACP is pleased to see the delivery of priorities for early childhood including the increase to paid parental leave and a significant boost to early learning and childcare.

“Investing in our children is the best way to improve Australians’ lifelong health and reduce unnecessary burden on our public healthcare system,” Dr Small said.

“These nation-building investments will provide significant benefits to Australia’s wellbeing and the health system for decades to come.”

“We are pleased to see the inclusion of wellbeing measures – this is an important development of budget processes that provides a more holistic view of the impact of the budget on community wellbeing."

The RACP has also welcomed steps forward on several initiatives physicians have been calling for including:

• $314.8 million to help close the gap in First Nations health, including more money for infrastructure, workforce, training, and programs delivered through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
• $200 million for schools’ wellbeing programs and $270 million for updates to schools equipment and ventilation, both related to the RACP Kids Covid Catch Up plan.
• $3.4 million for establishing a National Health Sustainability Unit to drive the development of the Government’s National Strategy on Climate Health and Wellbeing.
• $3.2 million to undertake initial design for establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control to improve pandemic preparedness and prevent chronic disease.
• Continuation of necessary Covid-19 measures including providing RATs to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, NDIS participants, aged care facilities and supported disability accommodation.
• $2.5 billion for the election commitment to increase residential care staffing minutes and require 24/7 nurse coverage.
• $10.5 million to establish the Office for Youth
• $23.9 million for the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability

Dr Small said: “While the Budget is a welcome start for many important initiatives, it falls well short of the investment required to halt the crisis we face in public health.

“The Government must take further steps to address workforce challenges because our hospitals are on their knees. This includes training more specialists, especially in rural and regional areas.

“Chronic residual burnout of healthcare workers affects all patients, families, and the wider community. The passionate work of hospital and other health workers is masking a deeper and worsening crisis,” Dr Small said.

Dr Small said prevention measures were another key area where the Budget falls short.

“Until we see our healthcare system as something that prevents illness and invest accordingly to reduce future burden, the situation will continue to worsen. The Government must take a longer view and plan for the system we need in the decades to come,” Dr Small said.

Other areas requiring action to halt the healthcare crisis include:

• Expansion of telehealth and other digital health services so that all Australians can access quality care wherever they live.
• Investment in innovative models of care, including developing care pathways for specialist medicine referrals for chronic and complex diseases.
• Key measures for children’s health that are left unaddressed from the Covid-19 review.
• Action to address the inequitable impacts of the pandemic on children highlighted by the Shergold report.
• More funding will be needed to address the impacts of climate change on health to deliver a climate-ready and climate-friendly health system as per the RACP’s Healthy Climate Future campaign.

We are pleased to see this positive start by the new Government, and we look forward to working closely with them to deliver the health system that Australians need and deserve.

Some of the key RACP pre-budget asks included:

• Ensure Medicare supports equity of access to care for low income and underserviced patients, particularly in rural and regional areas
• Fund the reinstatement of all telephone-based specialist consultations, including those for complex consultations
• Reduce the negative impacts of the digital divide by funding videoconferencing technology packages to support capacity building for patients, especially those in priority and underserviced groups.
• Increase the number of Specialist Training Program (STP) places to grow access to specialist medicine in rural and regional communities and build a pipeline of specialists
• Invest in bolstering the healthcare workforce through national strategies for flexible training and work hours, parental leave and other support mechanisms.
• Fully fund a Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, including consultation with the RACP in its design
• Fully fund the effective implementation of the National Preventive Health Strategy which commits 5% of health expenditure to prevention over 10 years to 2030.

The RACP’s full Pre-Budget Submission can be read here.