The next Australian Health Care Agreements: what clinicians want

For the first time experienced clinicians are to be involved in the development of the Australian Health Care Agreements (AHCAs) (2003-2008). As a result doctors, nurses and allied health professionals are hoping that current impediments to necessary change will be removed. Numerous suggestions to improve the Agreement will come forward from the "front line". All clinicians will argue that the next Agreement must result in a marked increase in the funding available to public hospitals. The new Agreement must remove barriers hindering our capacity to integrate all of our healthcare services. Safe, appropriate and cost effective healthcare delivery must embrace a continuum of care involving patients and their primary care physician, community health services and hospitals. The Agreement must embody arrangements for markedly enhancing our public health efforts in the area of prevention of disease. Australia's clinicians are worried about inequity in terms of access and outcome for their patients and are willing to be partners in health care governance to improve the situation.