Victorians pay more than other Australians for healthcare
When it comes to routine healthcare, Victorians are paying more than residents of any other state or territory, according to the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
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Victorians are being charged more than other Australians for routine healthcare, causing many to turn to already overworked hospital emergency departments for affordable treatment.
A report by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia reveals Victorians pay more a person in out-of-pocket healthcare costs than residents of any other state or territory.
On average they pay $400 more than South Australians and $225 more than those in New South Wales.
They are also spending more to see a GP than people in either New South Wales or South Australia, the guild’s Comparison of Australia’s Healthcare Systems report shows.
“Our analysis shows the strains a growing and ageing population are putting on healthcare systems around the country,” guild national president and Melbourne pharmacist George Tambassis said.
“In almost every state and territory, families are being hit with higher out-of-pocket costs, longer waiting times, GP shortages – particularly in regional areas – and hospitals under strain.”
The analysis was the first of its kind and compared rural GP shortages, patient out-of-pocket healthcare costs, per capita government healthcare expenditure, average out-of-pocket costs to visit a GP, avoidable emergency department (ED) presentations and the portion of ED presentations seen within the medically recommended time frame, he said.
“Across the country, patients are being forced out of primary healthcare and into our hospital
systems by their inability to either get an appointment or to pay for one. This leads to poorer
outcomes for patients and for our health system,” Mr Tambassis said.
The guild wants pharmacists to be allowed to treat common ailments, give more vaccinations and issue repeats of common medications “to ease the pressure on Australia’s healthcare system and reduce costs for patients”.
However, its campaign has previously come under fire from the Australian Medical Association, with president Tony Bartone warning any move in that direction would be dangerous and if pharmacists wanted to do the work of doctors they should get medical degrees.
The guild report shows 36 per cent of Victorians presenting at hospital emergency departments are not admitted, “representing the highest proportion of avoidable hospital visits”.
This compared to 33 per cent in South Australia, 31 per cent in Queensland, 27 per cent in New South Wales and 24 per cent in Western Australia.
Unnecessary hospital presentations mean people who need urgent care might have to wait longer because of the backlog and 28 per cent of Victorians are not seen on time in hospital emergency departments, the report says.
President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Harry Nespolon said the rising cost of healthcare was a big problem and Victorian patients had “every right to be angry”.
“At least a billion dollars has been drained from the frontline of healthcare,” he said.
“If government funding doesn’t keep pace with the costs of providing high-quality general practice care it will continue to hit the hip pocket of Victorians and patients across Australia.”