Healthcare system in Australia - just how bad have things got?

[hamohawk1]

Seems to be absolutely at its knees at the moment across Australia with hospitals stretched to limits, GP shortages, struggle to get a mental health (or many types of allied health) appointments at the moment.

Is it as bad as its been painted by the media, medical bodies etc. Seems to be something that can't really be fixed by throwing money at it, rather, requiring structural support and a massive injection of resources by the feds and respective states

 

[nut]

private health is responsible

 

[campbell]

Gp shortage is due to Medicare cuts.Totally unacceptable.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Gp shortage is due to Medicare cuts.Totally unacceptable.

my closest GP clinic now has a $80 gap payment

I was cool with $30

Grumbled about $50

But $80 out of pocket to see a ******* GP because of the medicare payment still being at bloody sub $40????

 

[GreyWind]

Seems to be absolutely at its knees at the moment across Australia with hospitals stretched to limits, GP shortages, struggle to get a mental health (or many types of allied health) appointments at the moment.

Is it as bad as its been painted by the media, medical bodies etc. Seems to be something that can't really be fixed by throwing money at it, rather, requiring structural support and a massive injection of resources by the feds and respective states

It's worse than what the media is reporting. It's ******* cooked.

 

[hamohawk1]

my closest GP clinic now has a $80 gap payment

I was cool with $30

Grumbled about $50

But $80 out of pocket to see a ******* GP because of the medicare payment still being at bloody sub $40????

yep, experienced similar. Crazy when its normally a 15 minute checkup that doesn't really do too much unless you have an issue...which normally requires a trip to specialist/s and more $$$

 

[campbell]

my closest GP clinic now has a $80 gap payment

I was cool with $30

Grumbled about $50

But $80 out of pocket to see a ******* GP because of the medicare payment still being at bloody sub $40????

Disgusting.

We only have 2 Gps in our local practice.
3 have recently left.
No replacements.

 

[nut]

Per capita health care doesn’t work !!!!!

 

[Power Raid]

I would blame the AMA for limits on doctor and specialist numbers. It is time we open the industry up to competition and not just bring in labour from overseas as we already do but to open up to global doctor services using IT.

This will bring down crazy wages and perhaps force IR reforms.

We only have to see how the industry is dominated by males which suggest we have a lot of work to do to improve employment conditions. If industry fails to reform, it is time for competition.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Gp shortage is due to Medicare cuts.Totally unacceptable.

More complex than this

There are many gp who have moved to Telehealth only (no risk of catching disease and physical examination doesn’t often add much for many gp type patients). Couple with general shortage and that Telehealth appointments need a bit of set up time there is less patients seen per hour. So they charge a gap partly because they can and what’s the alternative? Go to an ED?

But when the wait time gets to 2-3 weeks that ED with the crowding and the waits and the chance you are seen by a supervised intern starts to look more attractive…

Add in those where it’s all too complex or too risky for the gp - they get sent to ED as well

Now in the ED we have 20% less nurses on a given day due to staff shortages (gone to better/ easier jobs still in health) or sick leave (covid, other illness, stress or mandated paid leave for working a double/ triple shift due to shortages) so there are a few cubicles shut, and the other cubicles are full of patients awaiting admission because the inpatient beds are occupied and woe betide the nurses on the ward go over numbers (see article by sue ierachi in the SMH - she is a very experienced ED physician)

 

[Crankyhawk]

I would blame the AMA for limits on doctor and specialist numbers. It is time we open the industry up to competition and not just bring in labour from overseas as we already do but to open up to global doctor services using IT.

This will bring down crazy wages and perhaps force IR reforms.

We only have to see how the industry is dominated by males which suggest we have a lot of work to do to improve employment conditions. If industry fails to reform, it is time for competition.

Need more nurses. Not so much doctors.

 

[campbell]

Need more nurses. Not so much doctors.

Need to treat nurses better.
Have real policies against bullying, and racism in the workplace.

 

[campbell]

More complex than this

There are many gp who have moved to Telehealth only (no risk of catching disease and physical examination doesn’t often add much for many gp type patients). Couple with general shortage and that Telehealth appointments need a bit of set up time there is less patients seen per hour. So they charge a gap partly because they can and what’s the alternative? Go to an ED?

But when the wait time gets to 2-3 weeks that ED with the crowding and the waits and the chance you are seen by a supervised intern starts to look more attractive…

Add in those where it’s all too complex or too risky for the gp - they get sent to ED as well

Now in the ED we have 20% less nurses on a given day due to staff shortages (gone to better/ easier jobs still in health) or sick leave (covid, other illness, stress or mandated paid leave for working a double/ triple shift due to shortages) so there are a few cubicles shut, and the other cubicles are full of patients awaiting admission because the inpatient beds are occupied and woe betide the nurses on the ward go over numbers (see article by sue ierachi in the SMH - she is a very experienced ED physician)

We see daily code yellows in our tertiary hospitals.

Not enough places or assessments done re acat and ndis. They clog up the acute beds.

 

[Power Raid]

Need more nurses. Not so much doctors.

to think only 18 months ago, nurses were out of work in WA and grads couldn't get jobs

then suddenly panic sets in 6 to 12 months into covid and WA brought in 120 grads from memory.............all too late of course and the govt resorted to calling back experience from those retired or quit the profession.

yet we don't learn..............a full days work, 8 hours off and into another shift. What kind of moron thinks that's OK?


we need an overhaul in thinking and management.

 

[Power Raid]

Need to treat nurses better.
Have real policies against bullying, and racism in the workplace.

start by having the military treat those who come in on meth

nurses shouldn't have to put up with s**t

 

[Crankyhawk]

to think only 18 months ago, nurses were out of work in WA and grads couldn't get jobs

then suddenly panic sets in 6 to 12 months into covid and WA brought in 120 grads from memory.............all too late of course and the govt resorted to calling back experience from those retired or quit the profession.

yet we don't learn..............a full days work, 8 hours off and into another shift. What kind of moron thinks that's OK?


we need an overhaul in thinking and management.

ah yes the dreaded late-early. THeres a few who like it (it would suit some FIFO types where you get the 2 shifts done quickly then get out) but most (like myself) hate it (my roster doesn't have them anymore)

 

[Crankyhawk]

We see daily code yellows in our tertiary hospitals.

Not enough places or assessments done re acat and ndis. They clog up the acute beds.

We have a subacute hospital to move some of the ACAT/ NDIS placement issues to
And we are probably a bit more heartless particularly with NDIS as we don't have any influence on speeding it up "sorry but you are going to have to take them home while the NDIS support is being assessed/ set up" unless circumstances are extreme

 

[Power Raid]

ah yes the dreaded late-early. THeres a few who like it (it would suit some FIFO types where you get the 2 shifts done quickly then get out) but most (like myself) hate it (my roster doesn't have them anymore)

I look at the women in the dog park, roll up with their eyes falling out of their heads after the roster.

geez........it would be great being cared for by people on their last legs!

and they are quitting once covid is over. well done govt investing in education and training, only to burn them out.

 

[PT Bar None]

ah yes the dreaded late-early. THeres a few who like it (it would suit some FIFO types where you get the 2 shifts done quickly then get out) but most (like myself) hate it (my roster doesn't have them anymore)

I'm amazed that it is still allowed, legally.

I haven't turned a spanner on an aircraft for over 20 years, but we had a 12 hour limit between shifts on us. It was based upon the understanding that you can't just magically teleport into your bed at the conclusion of a shift and back again for the start of the next. It was applied even in a "war footing".

But medicos? Nah

 

[Gough]

I look at the women in the dog park, roll up with their eyes falling out of their heads after the roster.

geez........it would be great being cared for by people on their last legs!

and they are quitting once covid is over. well done govt investing in education and training, only to burn them out.

Do you still support a copay based on the idea that old people just go to the doctor for a chat?

 

[GreyWind]

I'm amazed that it is still allowed, legally.

I haven't turned a spanner on an aircraft for over 20 years, but we had a 12 hour limit between shifts on us. It was based upon the understanding that you can't just magically teleport into your bed at the conclusion of a shift and back again for the start of the next. It was applied even in a "war footing".

But medicos? Nah

We've got a 10 hour limit between shifts for us, no idea how you could even do 8 effectively when you include travel.

 

[Crankyhawk]

We've got a 10 hour limit between shifts for us, no idea how you could even do 8 effectively when you include travel.

they are "not so effective" is the answer. I know I am more cranky and short tempered from my usual irritable baseline when I do one

 

[Brad Goodman]

they are "not so effective" is the answer. I know I am more cranky and short tempered from my usual irritable baseline when I do one

Any truth to the rumour that you signed up for Bigfooty after the second shift of a late-early?

 

[Crankyhawk]

Any truth to the rumour that you signed up for Bigfooty after the second shift of a late-early?

no truth at all, in fact I think I signed up while doing a locum shift in a country hospital (single night time coverage but was tail end of the holiday season so actually had nothing to do) and then got sucked in by "Rebecca's Journey"...

 

[campbell]

We've got a 10 hour limit between shifts for us, no idea how you could even do 8 effectively when you include travel.

The norm in Qld, unless you sign a 10 hr shift break form.
Which.
Management rarely offer,and are pissed when staff sign.

Then, there is bullying by roster.

I have a friend, who just seems to have mostly ND......Strange that.

Rarely gets what she requests.
She has been told, she is a hastle, because she wont do late/early.

and dont get me started on the oncall/ recall bullying that happens.

Rostering a nurse to be on 3 ams, with oncall/ recall, then get called on, work 5 hours on an interhospital transfer, then abused, when you say you are not due back, for 10 hrs. That bullying is due to bad managers.