Unintended consequences !

There is concern that the imposition of a $7 co-payment on all bulk billed medical consultations will result in a further drop in the number of children missing out on vital vaccinations.  It is proposed that this policy will be implemented with " No Exceptions " - and that each person will only escape the fee when they exceed ten doctor visits in any one calendar year.

The co-payment is a budget initiative designed to reign in the fast expanding health budget, but it fails to examine cost savings by way of a re-examination of the entire doctor/patient relationship.   Is it really necessary for a patient to have a consultation with a qualified medical practitioner when all that is needed is a child's vaccination - or the patient needs his or her annual flu shot ?

The medical profession jealously guards the notion that all forms of medication must be under the direct control of a doctor, but in fact the application of medical routines in hospitals is almost entirely carried out by the nursing staff - with the remote supervision of a doctor who simply signs off on the procedures.

Today's modern medical practices usually have at least one trained nurse whose main job is changing dressings, carrying out minor medical procedures - and giving whatever injections are ordered by the doctor.  There seems no reason why such standard measures as vaccinations and flu shots should not be directly managed by a fully trained and registered nursing sister - without the intermediary need to actually see the doctor.   Not only would the patient flow at suburban surgeries be speeded up: the $7 co-payment would be avoided for those on base welfare benefits - such as the $ 38 a day "Newstart"  allowance.  This same procedure could apply when a patient only seeks prescription renewals.

The medical profession will oppose this on the grounds that only a doctor is medically trained to recognise the symptoms that pre-empt the onset of many diseases, but in reality this is simply guarding the economics that apply to their profession.   A well trained nurse will spot anomalies and quickly refer the patient for appraisal by the doctors within his or her practice.   It is time the medical profession began to work as cohesive teams - rather than stick with aged protocols that really belonged in a long past century.

We accept that savings are necessary to contain expanding health costs.   Paying more for each doctors visit is acceptable - provided the framework for services does not contain unnecessary restrictions that do nothing but add to the costs.

Using the " Health Dollar " to best advantage will deliver a " Twenty-first century "  service that this country can afford !