AMA survey reveals ailing health system

June 30, 2006

An AMA (WA) survey of senior specialists working in WA's major public hospitals has revealed serious concerns over the performance of the State's ailing health system.

In particular, the majority of the 120 doctors surveyed said that medical and nursing staff levels were inadequate or unsafe and that hospital patients were waiting longer for treatment than was clinically appropriate.

Almost a quarter of respondents said that hospital equipment was inadequate or unsafe and more than 90 per cent claimed that hospital budgets impacted on their ability to provide best practice.

The survey, which was conducted before the recent State Budget and controversy over issues involving the health bureaucracy, also found:

• Widespread dissatisfaction over management of the Reid Review reforms;
• Only seven per cent of doctors thought the State Government was doing a good job in health; 60 per cent said its performance was below average or poor.
• Eighteen per cent said Health Minister Jim McGinty was doing an above average job, while 41 per cent rated his performance below average of poor.
• The Director General of Health Neale Fong's performance was rated as average by 33 per cent and below average or poor by 41 per cent. Fifteen per cent said his performance was above average.
• Seventy five percent of doctors said the State Opposition was performing below average or poor in the health portfolio. "

The survey confirms what the AMA (WA) and other stakeholders have been saying for some time - our health system is seriously ill," said association President Dr Paul Skerritt.

"While we acknowledge the long-term plans being put in place to fix the problems, the Government cannot ignore the crisis which is continuing unabated and is no doubt costing lives every day in our over crowded emergency departments.

"The senior doctors who are trying to hold the system together are obviously angry and disillusioned and have reflected that concern in answering our survey.

"Unless the Government takes steps to address these issues, it will be difficult to prevent many of these senior doctors leaving the public health system."

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