PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 4661
Fax: (02) 6277 8548
27 April 2011
Dear Mr Stephen Jones MP,
Medicare Local Submissions - April 5, 2011
I am aware that there were two applications by organisations bidding for the funding allocated for the SWS Medicare Local which was to include the Southern Highlands of NSW. It is my understanding that the Bankstown GP Division (SWS Health Coalition) has done so, and the Macarthur-Southern Highlands Divisions of General Practice have also submitted their application.
I am also aware that the intent of DoHA was that there should be extensive consultation with the local communities, local health practitioners in both the public and private health services, and the non-government organisations who provide health and welfare services to the residents of the Southern Highlands.
It is my understanding that the Macarthur-Southern Highlands Division’s application proposed that the current Southern Highlands Division would be a discrete part of the enhanced Macarthur Division of General Practice, who would have responsibility for the area between Fairfield- Bankstown and Bowral. I say it is my understanding simply because there has been no public discussion with the local Southern Highlands- Wollondilly communities, with the private health practitioners or with the NGOs by the Southern Highland Divisions of General Practice or, apparently, by the Macarthur Division of General Practice.
There have been no public meetings, nothing in the local press about the transition to Medicare Locals, and the only discussion by the CEO of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice with a few members of the local private psychologist practitioners was to talk to them about introducing the ARGUS electronic communication system to their practices. The only discussion the CEO of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice has been to inform some of the heads of Departments of the Bowral Hospital and Community Health Services that the funding of the current Division will end in July 2012 and that the liaison with the Macarthur Division was their Board’s proposed option. This does not amount to any form of robust discussion and involvement by the local community in how the Medicare Local would help the people of the Southern Highlands.
The contrast between the Macarthur-Southern Highlands Division’s lack of involvement with the local community and its health care providers, and the community-involvement actions seen in the Bankstown GP Division’s-SWS Health Coalition’s process for developing its application is extreme.
Yet when confronted with that significant difference the CEO of the Southern Highlands Division states that the assertion is “wrong” and “offensive” to say that there has been no community consultation. However, even a cursory examination of the Southern Highlands Division’s Newsletter (The Highlands Doctor) to its members shows that it has not been updated since July 2010. It would, therefore, seem that even its member GPs have not been kept informed as to what their Board has been negotiating with the Macarthur Division of General Practice.
The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to let you, and DoHA, know that the application by the Macarthur-Southern Highlands Divisions of General Practice is questionable in that:
1. There does not appear to have been any significant community consultations with the people and health care providers in the Southern Highlands.
2. There has been a veil of secrecy from the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice and the Macarthur Division in regard to what their planned intentions are in respect of how they would operate as a Federally-funded Medicare Local.
3. There have been no public presentations to the community in the Southern Highlands and, possibly, in the Macarthur – Wollondilly jurisdictions to encourage community involvement and collaboration in the development of the Medicare Local proposed for the South West Sydney area.
4. There has been no explanation to the local community as to how the Medicare Local would purchase the health services that would improve their health needs, in contrast to the existing available Medicare-funded health services in both the public and private sectors.
5. There has been no indication that the general practitioners are aware of what their relevant Boards have proposed for the changed delivery of health services and how those changes will affect the viability of the whole health practitioner’s network.
6. The AMA organisations in states and nationally appear to be gaining feedback from their members that the majority of GPs are unable to describe what the proposed Medicare Locals will do for their community members, or are opposed to the concept altogether. Since the outcome for Medicare Locals is dependent upon the GPs as well as other health professionals in the private sector one has to wonder if funded Medicare Locals will in fact obtain local support.
7. It is questionable that, if the current Divisions of General Practice have difficulty in establishing transparent governance of their actions, how those same Boards will manage to introduce the transparent governance to the new Medicare Locals.
Yours sincerely,
A local resident.
A local resident.
