MELBOURNE PORTS HEALTH CARE FORUM A MAJOR SUCCESSSenator Judith Troeth and Melbourne Ports Liberal Party chair Kevin Ekendahl said last night’s health care forum was a major success and delivered some very clear messages about what the local community expects from the health system.
“Last night’s forum was called the ‘We are sick of it’ forum because quite frankly, people are sick of having a health care system that seems to be failing them,” said Senator Troeth.
“They are sick of dodgy health figures, they are sick of hospital waiting lists, and they are sick of their doctors being denied resources they need to do their job properly because of government penny pinching and wasteful spending.
Over forty people local residents attended last night’s forum, and represented a real cross section of the community, both male and female, young and elderly.
Mr Ekendahl said, “The four very clear messages we got from last night were:
1. Keeping local health care local – with community input into the running of local hospitals and ensuring that when people go to see a local GP they actually are able to see a doctor.
2. Ensuring patients have real choice – by keeping the private health insurance rebate.
3. Investing in preventative health – spending money now to reduce costs in the future and to ensure we have a healthy community.
4. Innovation - increasing the ability of doctors to access technology such as computers and internet access for greater efficiency, rather than having to queue up and book times to access antiquated computers and investing in medical research.
“People are sick of the state and federal Governments buck passing on health issues. Mr Rudd said that buck stopped with him, but all we have had since he was elected almost two years ago are reviews and talk,” said Mr Ekendahl.
“It’s time to stop talking and start fixing our health system. Local residents have said what they expect to see from him and now they want to see action.”
