Services Delivered by Medicare Locals to be Cut by Tony Abbott
The Federal Coalition has confirmed its policy to scrap Medicare Locals.
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19 March 2013
The Federal Coalition has confirmed its policy to scrap Medicare Locals and rip $1.2 billion out of health services across Australia.
In the House of Representatives today, Shadow Health Minister Peter Dutton said he’d sack 3,000 “bureaucrats” who worked at Medicare Locals.
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said the truth is the vast majority of staff employed by Medicare Locals are frontline health workers including doctors, nurses, psychologists, podiatrists, pharmacists and speech pathologists.
“Cutting $1.2 billion out of primary care means fewer services for local communities as thousands of health workers lose their jobs,” said Ms Plibersek.
“As the party that shut down Medibank continues its war on Australia’s universal health system, vital services delivered by Medicare Locals would be axed.”
Examples of the services that would be cut if Tony Abbott ever wins government include:
- In Western Sydney, an improved after-hours service run by the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local.
- In country Victoria, a service to transport people with chronic conditions run by the Lower Murray Medicare Local and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
- In South Australia, Southern Adelaide-Fleurieu-Kangaroo Island Medicare Local's childhood immunisation program boosting rates from 88% to above 91%.
- In Brisbane, the Metro North Brisbane Medicare Local outreach service for homeless people.
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