Amber-Jade Sanderson: Doctors lay down priorities for new Health Minister

Doctors have released their top priorities for new Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, with better Budget planning a must. AMA WA boss Dr Mark Duncan-Smith said there were five areas that Ms Sanderson should pay particular attention to. They are: Dr Duncan-Smith said WA health budgets should move away from “bust and boom cycles”. “The method of health budget needs to shift to a predictable model based on current and future demand, moving away from the current bust and boom cycles,” Dr Duncan-Smith said. “This allows better planning and service delivery. “The last five years have seen a flat operational budget by the McGowan Government in the face of 3 to 4 per cent compounding growth in demand over the same period. “The difference between the flat line of the operational budget, and the increasing more divergent line of demand, represents ramping, cancelled elective surgery, growing waiting lists and unsafe environments at times such as emergency department. “In the 2021 budget released in September 2021, the McGowan Government was planning to cut the operational budget of health by $140 million, whereas now in December are throwing $ 1 billion at the system — which we welcome.”