Crikey readers, the doctor is in.
Check in for our Health Debate Live blog at 12.30 today, hosted by The Stump, for running commentary from our Canberra Correspondent Bernard Keane, health writer and head of Croakey Melissa Sweet, political pundit and media owl Richard Farmer, plus all the Crikey team. And just to make things interesting, make sure you consult your patented First Dog on the Moon health debate drinking game: brought to you by Big Pharma.
The debate is set to be aired on the ABC, Channels Ten, Seven and Sky, and if you like your debate a little wormy, Nine. Yes people, it’s a blitz — there’s nowhere to hide.
In the meantime, Croakey’s contributors are conscious that the PM and Opposition Leader have much on their plates today, and hope that the following advice will help their preparations for the big debate.
Read on for some debating tips from Professor Pat McGorry, Professor Ian Olver, Professor Kerin O’Dea and plenty more…
Professor Pat McGorry, psychiatrist and Australian of the Year:
• What advice do you have for the PM?
WHO states there is no health without mental health. Mental health reform must be front and centre of any reform process. Health is much more than hospitals and we are already far too reliant on them because of the failure to invest upstream. All we have heard about so far is hospitals and waiting lists. In mental health, we don’t even have waiting lists as people are totally locked out of care. Nowhere is the lack of upstream investment more evident than in mental health where there is sparse investment and meagre coverage of those with mental health disorders. Much worse than in elective surgery where all the photo opportunities seem to lie. Acute beds in mental health are a disgrace in terms of therapeutics due to the over-reliance on acute services and the under-investment across the board including the lack of haven-style beds. The community are slowly becoming enraged and momentum building re the neglect of mental health. Politicians are behind on this one but it is a sleeper which will surface more this year.
• What advice would you give Mr Abbott?
Same advice. Plus, why have you not made an issue of mental health so far?
• How should we assess their performances?
Financial commitments and structural reform promises in support of the NHHRC recommendations
• What do you want to hear from them?
Need to raise taxes to pay for this!! Federal government to rescue and invest in community mental health system.
Strengthen existing headspaces and expand with an extra 60 sites.
Early psychosis roll out of 10 –20 comprehensive centres to back up the headspace model on the specialist end
• And what do you want them NOT to say?
No more comprehensive cancer centre, children’s hospitals and waiting list focus. This is ambulance at the bottom of the cliff thinking. This is same old, same old.
Professor Ian Olver, Chair, Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance:
Prevention must be part of the health reform debate.
Increasing levels of largely preventable chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease are set to place an unaffordable burden on future hospital services, making preventive health programs and strategies a critical part of the solution for a more effective health care system.
We challenge Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott to tell us what they will do to reduce smoking, alcohol abuse and the burgeoning rates of obesity and overweight that are driving our increasing rates of chronic disease.
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