Review proposes major health system changes

A new federal government commissioned review has found that all of Australia’s health professions face barriers and restrictions that prevent them from working to their fullest.

Minister for Health Mark Butler said, “This is not a case of a single profession missing out. The review tells us that virtually all health professions are held back by restrictions and barriers that are unrelated to their skills, training and experience.

“Removing these barriers would make it easier for Australians to get high quality health care, when and where they need it, without waiting weeks or driving long distances,” Butler said.

Headed by Professor Mark Cormack, the ‘Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce’ review encompassed the health professions that work outside of hospital settings. This includes general practitioners, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, paramedics, allied health practitioners, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and workers.

The review found that inconsistencies across states and territories make it harder for patients to get the care they need, and for health practitioners to move to where they’re needed. Healthcare activity that one state enables and supports, another state may block or restrict. Removing these barriers would make it easier for Australians to get high quality care, when and where they need it, without waiting weeks for an appointment.

This is particularly the case in regional and remote areas, where a health professional may be available and yet the regulatory and legislative settings may not authorise or enable them to provide care that is within their skills, training and experience — or what’s known as their ‘scope of practice’.

The year-long review proposes 18 recommendations across a number of reform areas, including workforce design, development, education and planning; legislation and regulation; and funding and payment policy.

Source: Scope of Practice Review | Final Report

The government said in a statement that the findings and recommendations of the review will be considered alongside other primary health care and workforce review reports.

The Review was supported by the University of Queensland and an Expert Advisory Committee that included patients, health experts, and representatives from major peak professional bodies like the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Allied Health Professions Australia, among many others.

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