FED: Health shake-up needed with super-sized Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2010
FED: Health shake-up needed with super-sized Australia

By Danny Rose, Medical Writer

SYDNEY, April 12 AAP - The health system that struggles to cope with current demand
would require a major overhaul before it could stomach a "super-sized Australia", a doctor
has warned.

Treasury forecasts of 35 million citizens by 2049 had been welcomed by the business
community and politicians for their positive indication of stable economic growth, said
Dr Deborah Pelser.

However, she warned Australia's health system would have to be overhauled with a new
focus on prevention measures in the community, if these projections were to become reality.

"It is clear that, even at today's current population of only about 20 million, the
public health system is struggling to cope," the Sydney-based Dr Pelser said in an article
published online by the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday.

"Changes will be required to deal with a vastly increased and yet still ageing population
and the attendant multiple comorbidities, many attributed to increased urbanisation."

Dr Pelser's suggested reforms include the politically sensitive issue of "deinvestment"

- cutting resources from under-performing practices, procedures, technologies and pharmaceuticals
known to deliver minimal health gains compared to their cost.

These and extra dollars should be redirected to fund new prevention initiatives in
the community, employ more doctors and nurses and also a possible expansion of the roles
of senior nurses and pharmacists.

Rising population would provide further impetus for a move to a "single level of funding,
with the federal government taking over responsibility for hospitals from the states",
she said.

Dr Pelser said a detailed population policy was needed, to foster a national debate
on the issue and also underpin other government policy in the areas of infrastructure
and urban development.

"Australia's capital cities will have to expand considerably to house the new migrants,"

she said.

"Increased urbanisation, when not accompanied by appropriate town planning, is associated
with higher rates of chronic disease".

Dr Pelser said poor urban planning, such as the expansion of low-density housing in
suburbs on the city outskirts and with limited public transport options, were a factor
in rising rates of obesity and diabetes.

She urged other health care professionals to engage with the federal government to
ensure its delivery of health care reform matched its "appetite for unfettered, economically
expedient migration to this country".

Dr Pelser is a member of the Ku-ring-gai Residents Alliance, a community group which
is opposed to further high-rise buildings on Sydney's upper north shore.

"In his 2004 documentary Super size me, Morgan Spurlock suffered severe adverse health
consequences after a 30-day period eating super-sized meals at Mcdonalds," she said.

"Prime Minister Rudd's vision of a super-sized Australia, while it might have some
short-term economic benefits, will put further strain on the health system."

AAP dr/maur

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS POPULATION

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