New National Reform Agenda
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) met yesterday and agreed to a National Reform Agenda encompassing "human capital, competition and regulatory reform streams".
The Communique issued at the end of this meeting documents a wide range of initiatives, some of which may have impact on dental service delivery.
On the positive side, reduction of the regulatory burden on business is promised, along with greater efforts on health promotion.
The decision to increase the number of full fee places for medical training might be reflected in a similar move for dental places, although this is not certain. If this were to happen, then the ADA would express similar concerns to those articulated by the AMA, that the huge debts borne by these graduates will not be conducive to them seeking to work in either the public sector or in rural and remote communities, where the most urgent needs exist.
Within the Action Plan called 'Better Health for All Australians' the agreement to progress certain recommendations in the recent Productivity Commission Report on the Health Workforce will need to be monitored. The following extract gives only a hint as to the actual measures that might be adopted, and the full implications of this agreement remain to be seen.
"1 . Governments acknowledge the crucial role that health professionals play in ensuring that Australians receive high-quality health care and the need to effectively use our skilled health workforce. In response to the Productivity Commission Report on Health Workforce, governments have agreed:
• to increase governments’ collaborative effort regarding retention of health staff;
• to endorse the National Health Workforce Strategic Framework with a biennial review and report to COAG on progress with implementation of the Framework;
• that all broad institutional Health Workforce Frameworks should make explicit provision to consider the particular workforce requirements of rural and remote areas, and the particular workforce requirements of groups with special needs including indigenous Australians, people with mental illness, people with disabilities and those requiring aged care; and
• that Senior Officials will undertake further work in relation to the remaining key recommendations of the Productivity Commission and report to COAG in mid-2006 on further action that governments could take in regard to health workforce, having consulted with key stakeholders."
The Communique issued at the end of this meeting documents a wide range of initiatives, some of which may have impact on dental service delivery.
On the positive side, reduction of the regulatory burden on business is promised, along with greater efforts on health promotion.
The decision to increase the number of full fee places for medical training might be reflected in a similar move for dental places, although this is not certain. If this were to happen, then the ADA would express similar concerns to those articulated by the AMA, that the huge debts borne by these graduates will not be conducive to them seeking to work in either the public sector or in rural and remote communities, where the most urgent needs exist.
Within the Action Plan called 'Better Health for All Australians' the agreement to progress certain recommendations in the recent Productivity Commission Report on the Health Workforce will need to be monitored. The following extract gives only a hint as to the actual measures that might be adopted, and the full implications of this agreement remain to be seen.
"1 . Governments acknowledge the crucial role that health professionals play in ensuring that Australians receive high-quality health care and the need to effectively use our skilled health workforce. In response to the Productivity Commission Report on Health Workforce, governments have agreed:
• to increase governments’ collaborative effort regarding retention of health staff;
• to endorse the National Health Workforce Strategic Framework with a biennial review and report to COAG on progress with implementation of the Framework;
• that all broad institutional Health Workforce Frameworks should make explicit provision to consider the particular workforce requirements of rural and remote areas, and the particular workforce requirements of groups with special needs including indigenous Australians, people with mental illness, people with disabilities and those requiring aged care; and
• that Senior Officials will undertake further work in relation to the remaining key recommendations of the Productivity Commission and report to COAG in mid-2006 on further action that governments could take in regard to health workforce, having consulted with key stakeholders."
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