Canberra’s broken health system is a result of years of ACT Labor-Greens Government funding cuts with real spending on health per person reducing by 3.6 per cent between 2015-16 and 2018-19.

Shadow Minister for Health Leanne Castley moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly today condemning the government for running down Canberra’s health system with years of underfunding.

“It is no surprise Canberra has the nation’s worst health system when you see how this government has neglected health and barely paid the bills,” Ms Castley said.

“No wonder our nurses and doctors are burnt out and leaving in droves when this government is starving our health system of the resources and investment it needs for staff to deliver the best care.

“Health is not a priority for this government and Canberrans are suffering because of it with the worst emergency wait times in the country and blown out elective surgery waiting lists.”

ACT Budget figures from 2012-13 and 2018-19 reveal ACT government spending on health grew by 3.3% per year during that period which is significantly less than rising health costs and wages.

In contrast, Commonwealth health spending for the ACT grew by 9.2% per year over the same time.

Ms Castley also revealed the Labor/Greens government:

• Has cut available beds against the 2011 Capital Asset Plan by 150 beds between 2015-16 and 2020-21;
• Will decrease staff across CHS and ACT Health next year by 124 FTE as reveal in this year’s ACT Budget.

The ACT government’s real spending cuts in health comes as the Federal Government plans to slash $2.4 billion from public hospitals over the next four years.

Ms Castley called on the ACT government to report to the Legislative Assembly about why it cut health funding since 2015-16, reverse their real cuts to health and write to the Federal Health Minister to overturn the Commonwealth’s proposed cuts.