Peter Spryszynski presented the Q-bital Healthcare Solutions (APAC) surgical backlog white paper in Federal Parliament, explaining how Q-bital's work echoes that done by the Australian Medical Association.
Having reviewed Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data, Q-bital presents five key recommendations:
1) Up to date and ongoing analysis of the backlog to identify log jams and priority areas
2) A uniform national framework for reporting the number of patients on the hidden waiting list
3) Long-term funding commitments from Governments for extra capacity
4) Advance payments from the Commonwealth to states to expand capacity
5) Funding to state/territory governments and direct to health services to expand outpatient specialist appointments
The foreword to the white paper was written by Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Medicine, Dr Mike Freelander MP FRACP. In it, the Australian Labour Party Member for Macarthur and Chair of the Standing Committee on Health states that the elective surgery backlog has been a long-standing issue for successive Australian, state and territory governments and was exacerbated by COVID-19 such that half a million Australians could be waiting for elective surgery by June 2023.
Dr Freelander, a physician with 40 years professional experience, writes that while the white paper presents in stark detail the scale of the elective surgery issue, it also highlights that there are potential solutions. The hope is that this document stimulates discussion and helps key decision makers build the case for measures that can get Australians access to the treatments they need.
Please complete this form to download the white paper.
Q-bital Healthcare Solutions
Unit 1144 Regent Court, The Square, Gloucester Business Park, Gloucester, GL3 4AD
