The Budget and health implications

Last week the Australian Government handed down the Budget for 2010-11, which included the package: "A National Health and Hospital's Network for Australia's Future". Read all about the breakdown of the additional $2.2 million which has been set aside for health in the budget and divided into:

• $772 million to improve access to General Practitioners (GPs) and primary health care


• $523 million in training and supporting Australia's nurses


• $467 million to modernise our health and hospital system


• $400 million to drive efficiency and high performance

In the interest of balance, you can read Tony Abbott's response to the budget here, one of the comments he makes being: "The Coalition will spend more on health but only where we’re certain that extra spending will produce extra services. Improved Medicare rebates, for instance, would be a better way than phantom clinics to deliver improved primary care."