In recent years we’ve seen some of the biggest injections of funding ever made in Australia’s healthcare system, a system consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. At the same time, we are faced with daily headlines about a system in crisis.

Rates of chronic disease continue to increase; access to healthcare remains difficult for many if not impossible; the private healthcare system is heading towards an existential crisis and ambulance ramping and long waits for surgeries are highlighted almost daily in media headlines.

Two seemingly opposing things can be true — we have one of the best health systems in the world, and that system is in crisis and in dire need of serious reform.

While some of the investment we’ve seen is helpful, we continue to see politically expedient patchwork solutions that are ineffective, and in some cases dangerous. Many of these fixes are like papering over the cracks in a house that’s in desperate need of a real renovation. Or in medical terms like plonking a band aid on a gangrenous wound and seeing the patient off to face the consequences. It’s time for a serious rethink on how to reform our healthcare system and prevent it falling further into crisis.

BIO

Dr Danielle McMullen is the President of AMA and a GP in Brisbane. She has been involved with AMA at state and federal levels since 2011, including as President of AMA(NSW). She is recognised leader in health systems and reform, is a board member of the Australian Digital Health Agency and was previously a member of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce. Danielle has a strong interest in good governance processes and building member engagement with the AMA. She is determined to see a sustainable future for Australia’s healthcare system – both public and private, rewarding careers for doctors, and quality care for patients.