THAT'S BUREAUCRATIC MEDICINE FOR YOU

Australian hospitals are "underprepared" for an infectious disease outbreak, compromised by limited resources, inadequate training and a lack of co-operation between the states and the commonwealth. According to a highly critical report prepared by the federal Parliamentary Library, there are "major deficiencies" in the emergency health response to the outbreak of infectious disease in the Australia.

While health authorities appear prepared for a single infectious disease outbreak, there are serious questions about how well the "messy" system would work when it came under pressure, particularly against several disease fronts. Experts said that hospitals were not able to deal with a sudden influx of multiple casualties, because of insufficient intensive care facilities. Based on interviews with experts in public health policy and practice between March and May this year, the paper says there is a potentially damaging "tug-of-war" between the commonwealth and states over disease management.....

The respondents also argued that policy-makers with limited public health knowledge were making decisions on critical public health matters with little or no consultation with experts or practitioners in the field.

More here

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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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