The Greens’ Amanda Bresnan has unveiled her policy for a mobile primary health clinic:
“The Greens want to ease the demands on the hospital system by providing health care to people before they become acutely unwell. We can do this by investing in primary health services,” Ms Bresnan said today.
In 2009-10, 20.7% of ACT’s hospital admissions were preventable. 7.1% of ACT residents reported that they were unable to get transport to a health service (2009-10 ACT General Health Survey).“Many vulnerable people do not get help when an illness first presents because of difficulties with transport, access to information and payments for health services.
“Quite often, despite pain or discomfort, people don’t engage in the health system until their illness reaches a level where they require hospital treatment.
The Greens are committing up to:
— $600,000 in capital funds to establish a fully equipped Mobile Health Clinic van.
— $750,000 per annum in recurrent funding for staffing, administration and promotion of the service.It is proposed that the clinic operate from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 5pm on Sundays. It will employ a full-time general practitioner and full time-nurse practitioner, as well as two support nurses. The general practitioner and nurse practitioner would lead alternative shifts. Further administrative support would be provided by an ASO 4.