November 2003

Securing the future of our health system

The Government has developed a comprehensive five-year plan for the development of Melbourne’s health services.

Launching the Metropolitan Health Strategy: Directions for your health system, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said it was a responsible and responsive approach to the complex issues impacting on the health system.

Ms Pike said the Strategy developed the framework for the next step in the health system.

‘This Strategy gives Victoria a cohesive plan for the future which takes into account the health needs of our ageing population and we have a framework to plan services to meet their needs.

‘Older people living longer create different demands on health systems and the Metropolitan Health Strategy has planned for them.’

Ms Pike said health systems throughout the Western world continued to face major challenges with:

• The increase in the percentage of older people;

• People living longer;

• Availability of more treatment options;

• Higher community expectations and interest in health services.

‘Many people in the community recognise that Victoria has one of the best health systems in the world. It is our job to maintain and build on the strengths,’ Ms Pike said.

Ms Pike said the Strategy built on the successes of the Government’s health policies, which have delivered a $1 billion investment in capital works, recruitment of more than 4,000 extra nurses, an extra $1 billion between 1999 and 2002 with an additional $900 million on top of that since.

At the same time, Victoria had been able to treat more than 35,000 extra patients each year while achieving reductions in hospital bypass and 12-hour bed waits.

Ms Pike said the Strategy focused on ensuring state-of-the-art hospital facilities were located where they are most needed, and where they are readily accessible to the community.

It proposes the relocation of specialist hospitals to sites closer to major general hospitals, to ensure quick access to general medical services when required.

Currently being considered is a proposal that the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre be relocated to a site closer to the Parkville health precinct.

Ms Pike said the Strategy also developed proposals for a wider range of alternative treatments and services for patients, including practical and beneficial alternatives to hospital admission and new community-based care and treatment options.

‘The Government has already made significant advances in the development of our health system for the future and the Strategy provides the blueprint for the next steps,’ Ms Pike said.

‘We have made a commitment to establish super clinics and health precincts that build on existing community-based health services with super clinics being built at Craigieburn, Lilydale and Melton over the next two years.

‘The Strategy confirms that while some same-day treatments are best provided in hospital, others can be delivered in more convenient, patient-friendly facilities.’

Ms Pike said that while many people in the community equated good health care with hospital beds this was simply not the case today—clinical advances meant that many treatments that previously required long hospital stays were much quicker.

‘The Strategy recognises the future of our health system lies in creating the right balance between services requiring hospital admission and those that don’t.

‘Ten years ago, only 34 per cent of patients were treated with same day services—now the figure is around 55 per cent,’ Ms Pike said.

Health precincts will bring together in one area a range of health and health-related services to create a community hub for service delivery.

Ms Pike said the next step was an important task for the 14 metropolitan health services to apply the broad directions in the Strategy and prepare a detailed plan for each local area.