Healthcare On Top Of National Cabinet's Agenda Today

National Cabinet will meet today for the first time this year – with healthcare on top of the agenda.

Findings from a review by the Medicare taskforce will be shared to implement measures improving healthcare affordability and accessibility and take pressure of hospitals.

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It’s expected NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will discuss the need for nation-wide reforms which will allow pharmacists to distribute some medications without the need of visiting a GP.

Mr Perrottet along with others have been calling for a blended model care. 

“The first thing is we need to better integrate the primary care, GP network with the public health system … right across the country,” Mr Perrottet said to media yesterday.

“Whether it’s pharmacy reform, telehealth, extra bulk-billing rates and GPs, these are the types of measures that will make a real difference and that’s what I’ll be discussing with the premiers, chief ministers and the prime minister.”

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners also called on leaders to put patients first in Medicare reforms.

College president Nicole Higgins said improving costs and access to medicines must be considered as well as reforming anti-competitive pharmacy laws.

“The Medicare task force review is about improving access to care for patients, and we need to consider everything as part of this,” Ms Higgins said. 

“Australia’s pharmacy ownership laws are anti-competitive, and this inflates the cost to consumers, makes it harder for people to access medicines and reduces choice.”

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