Reform Critical - A Fragmented Health System at Breaking Point

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Our report into the state of the NSW Health system found that it was breaking under the pressure of a post pandemic increase in demand for services, but many of the problems had be building for years. Completed with support of the HSU NSW we document the current crisis, likely future pressures and its structural drivers including:

• Workforce shortages caused by poor planning and limits on scope of practice

• Underinvestment in community health care, and lack of incentives for coordination of care across disciplines

• Blame and cost shifting between levels of government, and fragmented governance

• Poor incentives driven by fragmented funding arrangements between public and private health care

We make a number of recommendations, including the need for a Royal Commission similar to the Aged Care and Disability Royal Commissions, to facilitate an examination of all the drivers and structural issues that are undermining the performance of the health system .

The report was covered by television and print media, including this article on ABC Online News.