The industrial and professional organisation for nurses and midwives in Australia
Canberra Office
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
(T) + 61 2 6232 6533 (F) + 61 2 6232 6610
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
(T ) + 61 3 9602 8500 (F) + 61 3 9602 8567
anfmelbourne@anf.org.au
ANF Journals
Australian Nursing Journal
Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing
anj@anf.org.au ajan@anf.org.au
ABN 41 816 898 298
Media Release
Attention: news, health, industrial relations, politics
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
More community health care now, that’s the remedy for our
ailing hospitals - ANF
In response to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report on
hospitals, Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said the best remedy for
Australia’s hospitals is to keep people out of them.
“Hospital waiting lists will continue to blow out unless governments act now to give
Australians access to quick and effective health care in their communities,” ANF
federal secretary Ged Kearney said.
The ANF want community health centers expanded to all areas of Australia.
“Let’s get working on building community health centres where people can get
quick and effective health care from a range of health professionals, appropriate to
the needs of each community,” Ms Kearney said. “If there is a young community
with lots of new families emphasise maternity services and maternal and child
health care, if it is older have more aged care services.”
We need community health care centres that will not only treat illnesses but can
also keep people healthy through:
Community health and lifestyle programs;
Managing chronic disease; and
Targeted health services.
The report shows that 9% of hospital admissions are preventable, keeping people
out of hospital is the thing that will reduce the pressure.
Media inquiries
Ged Kearney, ANF federal secretary
0417 053 322
Lee Thomas, ANF assistant federal secretary
0419 576 590
Libby Muir, ANF communications officer
0413 834 979
NEWS 
