In the aftermath of Tuesday night’s Federal Budget unveiling, the health sector has been abuzz with responses, setting the stage for what promises to be a dynamic lead-up to next year’s Federal Election.
In this article, we navigate through the myriad of perspectives, from those celebrating victories to others voicing concerns, all eager to weigh in on the budget’s key focus areas.
Public Health Association of Australia
The Albanese Government’s third budget since its 2022 election promise of an “improved pandemic preparedness and response” by establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) has once again failed to fully fund this vital health institution.
“The absence of any budget line item for the ACDC suggests pandemic amnesia four years after the lives of everyone in Australia was upended,” Public Health Association of Australia CEO, Adj Prof Terry Slevin said.
“An ACDC must serve many functions, including leading the national effort to properly prepare for future pandemics, which infectious disease experts have repeatedly warned are likely to happen.
“We had hoped that this budget would contain clear resource allocation and timelines explaining how and when the Albanese Government would fulfil its election promise to establish and fund the ACDC. That hope has been dashed.”
Read the complete media release here.
Association of Australian Medical Research
“The Government has demonstrated continued support for medical research in what is a ‘business-as-usual’ budget. This propels us to further advocate for, and work towards, achieving key priorities for our sector, including positive reform of Australia’s medical research funding system and better setting up our early- and mid-career researchers for success,” said AAMRI CEO, Dr Saraid Billiards.
AAMRI is pleased to see an ongoing commitment by the Government for medical research funding. The budget papers outline a slightly increased investment in the NHMRC for 2024-25 and the ongoing $650 million in Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funding including two new missions: Reducing Health
Inequities and Low Survival Cancers.
AAMRI notes that the budget did not include the release of further funds from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), which AAMRI asked to be strategically allocated for a MRFF scheme to fund the full costs of research.
Read the complete media release here.
Suicide Prevention Australia
The Federal Budget has left the suicide prevention sector stunned and concerned with the revelation that the newly formed National Suicide Prevention Office (NSPO) is set to be absorbed into the machinery of government. This signals a step backward for suicide prevention efforts in Australia at a time when we know Australians are doing it tough amidst a cost-of-living crisis.
“A clear omission in the budget is direct investment into crisis support services to manage the distress already being felt in our local communities,” Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray said.
“We also cautiously welcome the establishment of a national low intensity digital mental health service that is free of charge and free of need for referral.
“The digital service will be designed so people can get support before their health needs escalate to requiring higher-intensity services such as a mental health treatment plan, acute in-patient service or a crisis line.
Suicide prevention and mental health highlights include:
$888.1 million over 8 years for mental health and suicide prevention, including responding to the Better Access evaluation, this includes:
Read the complete media release here.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia
For up to five years, the maximum amount patients pay toward the cost of PBS subsidised medicines will not incur the annual CPI indexation. This measure will save Australian patients $318 million over the forward estimates and an additional $166.4 million in 2028-29. Community pharmacies will receive an increase in funding for the provision of Dose Administration Aids, at a cost of $151.1 million over five years and an additional $45.6 million in 2028-29.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s National President Professor Trent Twomey said, “The freezing of maximum medicine co-payments via the staged application of the discretionary $1 discount will help Australians struggling with the cost of healthcare and will restore universality to the PBS.”
“On behalf of our members, the Guild has a strong track record of fighting to bring down the cost of medicines. I’m pleased the Guild secured anti-inflationary relief for patients by phasing in the universal application of the $1 discount as part of our 8CPA negotiations.”
After recent policy disagreements, the Guild welcomes the Labor Government’s additional $3 billion investment in community pharmacies, to ensure their viability and sustainability. The Guild also welcomed Budget confirmation of:
Read the complete media release here.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said the government has dropped the ball in its commitment to strengthen Medicare and reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients.
“This budget has dropped the ball for Australians struggling to afford essential healthcare, and it’s a huge disappointment for GPs, practice teams, and our patients. The government took the first step to repair decades of devastating underfunding of Medicare and general practice care last year – now this work will stall.
“Australians will be disappointed that Treasurer Jim Chalmers hasn’t seen the value in increasing Medicare rebates as a cost-of-living relief measure. The Medicare rebate belongs to patients – it’s the amount the government pays to subsidise their healthcare. This Budget says the government isn’t interested in ensuring the subsidies for healthcare for Australians are anywhere close to the real-life costs of providing that care.
“The lack of support to get more GPs in training is also disappointing and short-sighted. Australia has an ageing population and epidemic of chronic disease and mental illness, which means increasing demand for GP care. But only 10.5% of medical students are choosing to specialise as GPs. This Budget does nothing to reverse this trend, exacerbating a critical workforce shortage.
“Urgent care clinics are not value for money. They are an inefficient use of limited health resources that will take years to roll out.”
Dr Higgins acknowledged the $90 million funding to implement the recommendations in the independent Kruk review of Australia’s regulatory settings relating to overseas health practitioners but admitted to more funding needed to train GPs.
Read the complete media release here.
Australian Medical Association
Australian Medical Association President Professor Steve Robson said there was little that was new in this year’s budget, and this represented a real loss of momentum towards a more efficient and sustainable health system.
“MyMedicare provides the government with a real platform to reform general practice and improve access and affordability for patients, but the extra funding needed to build on this initiative was missing in tonight’s budget,” Professor Robson said.
“More urgent care clinics is not a long-term strategic solution, and the government keeps looking to fund more of them without proper evaluation of their impact. What we need is reform that enables general practice to deliver the primary care that our patients need, not piecemeal announcements and changes that further fragment the system.”
Read the complete media release here.
Medical Technology Association of Australia
The 2024-25 Federal Budget handed down includes measures that support the Medical Science Co-Investment Plan, including through $18.8 million to support the National One Stop Shop for clinical trials and $1.4 billion for the Medical Research Future Fund.
In support of the budget initiatives and Co-investment Plan, Medical Technology Association of Australia’s Ian Burgess said “The release of the 2024-24 Budget and Co-Investment Plan are important steps in growing Australia’s medical device manufacturing capability.”
“The 2024-25 Budget clinical trial and medical research initiatives funding are important investments that will make it easier for industry, sponsors and researchers to find, invest and conduct research in Australia.”
“These Budget initiatives provide necessary support to the success of the Co-Investment Plan and other industry development initiatives, including the Industry Growth Program and National Reconstruction Fund.”
Read the complete media release here.
Medicines Australia
“The investment committed in the 2024-25 Budget to Medicare, screening programs, research, mental health, clinical trials, new PBS listings and programs to keep ageing Australians out of hospital will greatly benefit many people,” Medicines Australia CEO Liz de Somer said.
“As Australia faces the pressure of an ageing population, reduced productivity and growing Medicare costs, we must change our thinking about medicines and view the PBS as an investment in wellbeing, rather than a cost.”
The absence of any announcements about the Health Technology Assessment review is not cause for concern, given the report only went to the Minister last week.
“Funding should not prevent or delay stakeholders coming together to commence codesigning reforms, and Medicines Australia calls on the Minister to release the HTA report and commit to the next steps towards reform implementation.”
“Patients had to wait more than two years from the House of Representatives inquiry for the New Frontiers report to be released. The HTA review has now taken over a year. Patients cannot keep waiting. We need to get on with reforming the system to accelerate access.”
Read the complete media release here.
Mental Health Australia
“Australia needs urgent mental health reform to address the crisis we’re facing. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently stated, ‘We can always do better when it comes to mental health.’ Why haven’t we seen investment that matches the level of need in the 2024- 2025 Federal Budget?” Mental Health Australia CEO Carolyn Nikoloski said.
“We are nonetheless pleased to see the Australian Government announcement of a $361 million package for mental health. It shows they’re listening to the sector and we’re heading in the right direction.”
Mental Health Australia strongly advocated for funding a national low-intensity digital mental health service, and this has been delivered. This is an important investment that will enable more people to get support for their mental health early and free of charge – before their problems snowball.
Mental Health Australia is also pleased to see the government announce funding to increase the clinical capacity of Medicare Mental Health Centres, building on the established Head to Health network, and funding to Primary Health Networks to deliver increased wrap-around care for people whose support needs are complex.
Read the complete media release here.
Painaustralia
We are very grateful to the Federal Government which will provide assistance for Painaustralia to continue to undertake communication and awareness work for improvements to the treatment and lives of the 3.4 million Australians living with chronic pain as part of the early detection, prevention and management of chronic conditions.
We also acknowledge the following items to be funded in the Budget which will assist the one in five people over 25 living with chronic pain:
Read the complete media release here.
