News Release
AGPN acknowledges the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
26 July 2009
Major redesign needed now for Australia’s creaking health system
Australians will continue to be hospitalised unnecessarily and die prematurely unless the Rudd
Government acts quickly on health system reform focused on patient and community best
interests, says Australian General Practice Network Chair Dr Emil Djakic.
Dr Djakic, a General Practitioner said the current system takes the ‘ambulance at the bottom of
the cliff’ approach to health care.
“This country is fixated with hospitals, so we keep pouring more money into fixing people after
they get sick, instead of caring for people so they don’t get sick. The Prime Minister identified
prevention as a key element of addressing excess spending in his Sydney Morning Herald essay
yesterday – prevention happens in general practice, not in hospitals,” Dr Djakic said.
International evidence shows organised, patient centred integrated primary health care provides
the best health outcomes and best value for money. That should be the first plank, the foundation
for redesigning our ailing health system, he said.
Dr Djakic said the release of the suite of inquiries into Australia’s health system – the National
Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, National Primary Health Care Strategy and National
Preventative Health Taskforce Report – provides a rare and unique opportunity for major redesign
of the Australian health system.
“And major redesign – not simply another patchwork job on hospitals – is what we desperately
need,” Dr Djakic said.
He said to tackle the increasing burden of chronic disease Australia must follow other developed
nations which have invested in primary health care, built on general practice.
“The benefits and value of general practice, and the work done by the general practice network,
are well recognised: government reforms need to support and strengthen the primary health care
sector to enhance teamwork and the provision of accessible, responsive and integrated services.”
Dr Djakic said Australians have suffered years of baby steps in health reform, in which time
chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease have taken hold, the health of the Indigenous
population remained a national shame and health spending had gone through the roof. Australia
needs real changes in health, now.
“The simplest action Government can take to improve health outcomes in Australia is to empower
primary health care and fund it appropriately to get on and do the job – to build on the quality
care patients receive in general practice,” Dr Djakic said.
For more media interviews please phone AGPN Communications Manager Frith Rayner
on 0402 267 190
NEWS 
