Better health and ageing for all Australians

Media Releases and Communiques

Joint Communique

Health Ministers agreed to take immediate action to progress reform of the Australian health care system in the areas of after hours GP services; aged care; chronic disease and cancer services; medical workforce planning and renal disease services.

In this section:

28 November 2003

Joint Communique

Health Ministers agreed today to take immediate action to progress reform of the Australian health care system in the areas of after hours GP services; aged care; chronic disease and cancer services; medical workforce planning and renal disease services.

They agreed to:

  • Adopt a set of principles under which jurisdictions should work together to deliver improved after hours GP services in particular regions and working collaboratively with emergency departments in public hospitals;

  • Improve the transition between acute and aged care services by endorsing a range of initiatives including improved transition care, rehabilitation and step-down care;

  • Finalise an integrated Chronic Disease Strategy and an Service Improvement Framework for Cancer services;

  • Accelerate consideration of medical workforce planning and provision and to seek an early meeting of health ministers with the Australian Minister for Education to discuss the provision of additional undergraduate medical places; and

  • Progress key strategies to address renal disease.
Ministers asked Health Officials to report on action under these areas by March next year.

Ministers also endorsed the continuing involvement of clinicians in the health system reform process.

They resolved to ask the Health Reform Alliance and other clinicians to meet with them at their next meeting in April to consider the action to date.

Media Contact: Kay McNiece, AHMC, 0412 132 585