A Healthier Future Without Co-operation?

Written by David Griffiths Tuesday, 28 July 2009 03:18

The Australian Government has just released A Healthier Future For All Australians - Final Report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. It is an important report that neglects an important area - the co-operative option.? The Commission argues "our reform agenda urges action to: tackle the major access and equity issues that affect people now; redesign our health system to meet emerging challenges; and create an agile, responsive and self-improving health system for future generations."
Chapter 5:?creating an agile and self-improving health system identifies its proposed reforms under five levers for action - including strengthened consumer engagement and voice. The Commission states:?"We believe that the health system of the future should be organised around the integral roles of consumer voice and choice, citizen engagement and community participation. This is about giving people real control and choice about whether, how, where and when they use health services, supported by access to evidence-based information that facilitates informed choices."?( Section 5.1)

The Commission proceeds to argue that:?"We ned to have robust processes that promote and value the participation of the community in a meaningful, non-tokenistic way. We have recommended that there needs to be systematic use of mechanisms that allows the identification of different views - consumers, clinicans, managers, funders and others with a stake in the health system." (Section 5.1.2) The Commission further argues:?"Empowering consumers to make fully informed decisions is an important element of this shifting power balance between consumers and clinicians. "?(Section 5.1.3)

What the Commission does not address is the co-operative model of health with consumers owning and controlling health services. The co-operative model is the ultimate logic of strengthened consumer engagement and voice, meaningful participation and the empowerment of consumers. But, it is an ultimate logic that the Commission does not extend to because it assumes that there is a desirable gap between "providers" and "consumers."

A Healthier Future For All Australians - Final Report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, June 2009, Commonwealth of Australia, ISBN: 1-74186-940-4