Australian public health on the brink of collapse and in need of urgent treatment

With nurses in far north Queensland walking off the job and now New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) also confessing to wanting to do the same, it is clear that all is not well with some public health systems in Australia.

A public inquiry into the NSW health system has revealed in a new report that many hospitals are on the brink of collapse.

From a report by the University of Sydney's Workplace Research Centre, it appears that large numbers of doctors and nurses in the state's public hospitals have seriously contemplated quitting in the past year because they are exhausted, disaffected and fed up with poor management and working conditions.

The director of the centre, John Buchanan, says that the survey of 2,860 doctors and nurses showed only 17 per cent of doctors trusted management which was "astounding".

The study also revealed that emergency departments were amongst the hardest hit, with medical staff working extremely long hours and "straining under serious inadequacies in resources".

Brett Holmes from the NSWNA says new Federal Government funding for public hospitals announced this week should go towards supporting staff in the public health system and ensuring they are properly recognised, rewarded and supported by clerical and administrative staff.

Emergency departments were found to be the worse off, with medical staff working extremely long hours and "straining under serious inadequacies in resources".

The study was submitted yesterday to the Special Commission of Inquiry by Peter Garling, SC, into acute care services at NSW public hospitals which Dr. Buchanan says is the last hope for those committed to public health.

Dr. Buchanan believes the system is on the brink of collapse and goodwill has been almost totally exhausted.

The study says NSW public hospital doctors and nurses are working in appalling conditions; they are understaffed - they are feeling undervalued, overworked and exhausted.

The survey was commissioned by the NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (NSW) and the NSW Nurses' Association.

New South Wales Health Minister Reba Meagher says the report presents an opportunity to work with the medical work force to overcome these issues.