The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM; the College) said that the additional funding would help to reduce access block, which is the biggest contributor to lengthening wait times in emergency departments (EDs) across the country.
ACEM President-Elect Dr Peter Allely said that the additional funding was an acknowledgement that the Federal Government had a role to play in reducing access block and ensuring that all people can receive timely emergency health care, when and where they need it.
However, Dr Allely encouraged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Federal Health Minister Mark Butler to give public hospitals better funding certainty, through committing to a five-year National Health Reform Agreement and working towards matching state and territory hospital funding through a 50:50 cost-sharing agreement.
“ACEM welcomes the Federal Government’s $1.7 billion in additional hospital funding as a step towards addressing access block and reducing emergency department wait times,” Dr Allely said.
“Access block is caused by hospital overcapacity, when patients needing to be admitted to hospital are left waiting in the ED for more than eight hours because there are no beds available in a ward.
“Access block is a symptom of a health system in crisis, and needs federal, state, and territory governments to work together on whole-of-health system measures to improve patient flow,” he said.
“ACEM looks forward to working with all levels of government to help relieve pressures on ED staff and patients to build a more sustainable health system that continues to provide high-quality emergency care.”
Background:
ACEM is the peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and New Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and advancement of professional standards. www.acem.org.au
Media Contact:
Nick Buchan, Media Advisor, [email protected] +61 481 918 488