ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SPENDING MORE MONEY TO GET WORSE RESULTS

When will people realize that governments shouldn't be running hospitals? This story is about the public hospital system in my home State of Queensland in Australia. Fortunately we also have an excellent private hospital system with minimal waiting times -- and affordable health insurance

Queenslanders are continuing to languish on hospital waiting lists with official figures showing more people are waiting longer for urgent operations despite State Government claims it is beating the problem. The increase in numbers waiting for urgent and semi-urgent operations is contained in the latest Elective Surgery Waiting List Report. A spokesman for Health Minister Gordon Nuttall said $110 million had been allocated over three and a half years to cut elective surgery waiting times, as well as a further $20 million last month. This is included as part of Queensland Health's annual budget, which over the past four years has increased from $4 billion in 2001-02 to $5.1 billion in 2004-05.

During this period, an analysis of elective surgery waiting list reports shows the extra money bought Queensland only 231 extra admissions to hospitals during the December quarter 2004 compared with December 2001. Brisbane hospitals admitted 101 fewer patients when statistics were compared between the December quarter 2001-02 (13,221 admissions) and the December quarter 2004-05 (13,120). The waiting list data also shows more people are waiting for urgent and semi-urgent operations over the four years, while the non-urgent has dropped considerably.

In the most urgent Category 1 for operations, as at January 1 this year, 77 people had waited more than 30 days for urgent operations, which was up from April 1, 2002, when 72 had waited more than 30 days. An independent audit of Queensland hospital waiting lists was promised by the current government during last year's state election, but this is yet to happen.

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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