John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

and the member for Braddon understands that clearly. The National Health and Hospitals Network Agreement between the Commonwealth and the states—except Western Australia—and territories provides that the National Health and Hospitals Network will have a new performance and accountability framework. The standards developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care will form part of this new framework.

Contained in this bill is the framework to establish the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care as an independent statutory authority under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. The commission has been operating within the Department of Health and Ageing, but the bill will ensure that the commission will be established as a permanent and independent agency and expand its role. It is expected that the continuation of the commission and the expansion in its role as an independent national safety and quality body will help identify and reduce preventable errors and unnecessary and ineffective treatments and improve the quality and safety in our health system.

Through consultation with clinicians and relevant parties, including the consumers, the commission will formulate and monitor quality and safety standards. The commission will also provide advice to the Commonwealth, state and territory health ministers concerning national clinical standards. However, it will be the local hospital networks that will implement relevant national clinical standards once the standards are agreed to. Through its work, the commission will help improve community trust in the quality and safety of our health system.

The bill also outlines the establishment and role of the board of the commission. The commission will consist of a board of directors, a chief executive officer, expert committees and consultants and the commission staff. The functions of the commission as prescribed in the bill include the promotion, support and encouragement of the arrangements, programs and initiatives relating to healthcare safety and quality matters; collecting, analysing, interpreting and disseminating information relating to healthcare safety and quality matters; formulating standards, guidelines and indicators; advising and reporting on safety and quality across health settings; monitoring the implementation and impact of standards and guidelines for healthcare safety and quality; formulating model national accreditation schemes that provide for accreditation of organisations that provide healthcare services; and promoting, supporting, encouraging, conducting and evaluating training and research for purposes in connection with the commission’s other functions.

I have been listening to the debate this evening, and I note that some of the members of the opposition have raised concerns that compliance with the national standards and guidelines formulated by the commission is voluntary. However, it is also important to record that the guidelines or standards may be made a term or condition of a grant or under a contract, and it may also be the case that the standards may be applied or adopted by a state or territory law or even a Commonwealth law.

20:59:32

The establishment of the Australian Safety and Quality Commission in Health Care is a major component of the Gillard government’s health reform agenda which will ensure we provide the Australian public with safe, high-quality health care irrespective of where they live. The commission will set safety and quality standards, guidelines and indicators, consulting with medical professionals and consumers to deliver improvements in health care.

The federal government is already making significant improvements to our health system, particularly in my electorate of Reid. I am very pleased to note that the electorate of Reid has many wonderful health facilities, not least of all two of the busiest hospitals in Sydney—Concord Repatriation General Hospital and Auburn Hospital. I know that these hospitals have already received federal funding of more than $8 million this year. Only last Friday $2 million in funding was announced for health services in Auburn. Both Auburn Hospital and St Joseph’s Hospital in my electorate received funding under the historic Commonwealth-state health reforms, delivering better resources for doctors and patients in my community.

Auburn Hospital has received $330,000 for new medical equipment including a defibrillator, a slit machine to help diagnose eye problems, and an ECG machine for recording patients’ heart activity. The hospital will also purchase bariatric lifting equipment as well as anaesthetic monitors and equipment, specialised ear, nose and throat equipment, an ultrasound machine and a Neuro monitoring system.

The New South Wales Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt, stated last Friday that Auburn Hospital carries out 5,000 surgical procedures a year and is known for providing emergency, maternity, paediatric, radiology and outpatient services. The ultrasound and ECG equipment has already been put to good use. I have no doubt that the other medical and surgical equipment will serve the hospital well and is welcomed by my electorate. On top of that, the Deputy Premier also announced on Friday that federal funding under the health agreement would provide $1.8 million for six subacute neuropsychiatric beds at St Joseph’s Hospital, also located in Auburn.

St Joseph’s Hospital is known for its care of around 950 patients a year, serving the public with medical rehabilitation, aged care rehabilitation, palliative care and aged care psychiatry. The funding will provide specialist care for patients with functional, cognitive, behavioural or physical conditions, and facilities are expected to be operational by mid next year. I welcome this funding especially in light of calls from my constituents to boost funding for mental health services. I know that this announcement is also warmly welcomed by those constituents.

The funding announcement last Friday for health services in Auburn builds on the improvements to my local hospitals already announced in July this year at Concord Repatriation General Hospital. Concord hospital received $6.3 million for 16 new beds and medical equipment under the historic COAG health agreement. Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, I know you are familiar with Concord Repatriation General Hospital, being a former Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. Concord is one of the busiest hospitals in the Sydney region with over 30,000 people treated in its emergency department every year. It conducts more than 11,900 surgical procedures and also provides more than 290,000 outpatient services. What a record!

I have a long history of supporting the services and research centres at Concord hospital. I know how important the work done at that hospital is for my community and it is appreciated. Of the $6.3 million, $5.9 million will provide nine subacute beds for the rehabilitation ward, six subacute beds for palliative care and one intensive care bed. Almost $500,000 was provided to the hospital for new medical equipment including an electrocardiogram machine, cardiac monitoring equipment, ventilators, burns surgery equipment, sterilising equipment and a duress alarm system for the emergency department. The funding means many local families can receive these important health services close to home. It is important funding that provides real and lasting benefits for the people in my electorate of Reid.

This is yet another example of how the Gillard government is working with the states and territories to end the blame game and make a real difference. The new beds and equipment make a positive difference to the delivery of health services provided to my local community and the working environment of our health care professionals. The work of our doctors and nurses is so important and the new equipment and extra beds provided by the federal funding will aid them in their very important roles, and help the delivery of health services in my area.

There is no doubt that the federal government recognises the call from Australians to improve the capacity and quality of our health system. I feel it is extremely important to note that the health reforms that the Labor government is working hard to implement are long-term reforms. We are not trying to introduce Band-Aid solutions to a vital public need. We on this side of the House are trying to provide a nationally unified and locally controlled health system that is accessible, sustainable and of the highest quality. Australians deserve nothing less.

The Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon. Nicola Roxon, has had the very big task of implementing these reforms and she has repeatedly reminded the opposition that we are planning and preparing for the future. These reforms are a long-term investment in better care and better access for Australians now and in the future. This bill is one of the key components of the National Health and Hospitals Network reform, establishing the permanent and expanded role of the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care. The introduction of new national standards for our public hospital services will ensure patients receive timely and high-quality services.

This is an opportunity for the opposition to support historic health reform for the benefit of all Australians. It is an opportunity for the opposition members to show that they too are supportive of more efficient, sustainable, high-quality health care and hospital system. They, like we, are interested in reducing waiting times in emergency department and elective surgery lists. I hope that the opposition will not agitate to block or delay these reforms for the sake of political mileage. I know in my electorate of Reid we have welcomed recent funding announcements about our public hospitals and, indeed, previous federal funding for research facilities too. However, my constituents have also continued to call for further improvements and investments in our health and hospital system in light of the inadequate funding arrangements that they have suffered in the past. The Gillard government is working in the honest pursuit of better health and hospital care and I commend the Minister for Health and Ageing for her efforts. (Time expired)

See this speech in context