No limits to ‘growth’, but...
Former Victorian opposition leader, Robert Doyle, senses a pachyderm in close proximity:
... But for some time now I have been thinking along a different line, a line that should be up for public discussion. What if it is now impossible for the health system to deliver all that the community expects of it?
If this is true, and I think it is, then we are led to a discussion about our health priorities as a community — or, more bluntly, how we ration a resource that cannot meet all the demands put on it. It would take a brave politician to enter this debate. But it is a debate we will need to have sooner rather than later.
Time will tell whether Mr Doyle’s concerns are merely a spurious manifestation of roomatoid elephantasia, or whether in fact there’s real cause for such a debate.
I think probably the latter, but what interests me equally is the elephant crammed in unseen behind Mr Doyle’s pachyderm, faintly trumpeting the question: How is it that a species with the ingenuity to put men on the moon — among a catalogue of other feats of breathtaking genius — cannot get the health system together?
The world, indeed, rests on the back of an elephant. But what is the elephant standing on?
Another elephant — in fact, it’s elephants all the way down...
alan moir at smh.com.au — click for source
posted by Jacob A. Stam at 10/21/2007 11:20:00 AM
4 Comments:
Of course, the third and fourth elephants (out of shot) are the ALP inflation and interest rate animals, given that they have mostly matched the Lib tax cuts, and throwing the rest away on novelty tricks.
In all, so far, Libs have committed about $33 B, while the ALP have committed about $37 B.
There are still FIVE weeks to go!!!
Both parties are going to bleed the country dry on nothing tangible by the end of around week three. (Ah, well, they won't be able to afford to hold the election. Never mind.)
Medical services have always been and will always be rationed.
Unlimited demand, for a limited resource.
Different countries have implemented different systems to ration the unlimited demand, with the US being the worst of all possible solutions.
Wonder where Doyle has been all his life, if he isn't aware that how and what to ration and for whom, is a continual political, economic and social debate, argument, and conversation.
His comments would only have some relevance if he's thinking of tackling the really hard matters.
Did you know that 70% of the health budget is spent in the LAST six MONTHS of peoples lives?
Yep, in order to save 70% of the budget, all we have to do is figure out how to stop people from dying.
Well, either that, or stop with the pointlessly heroic medicine.
In order to do that, the public would have to agree that "one more day" or "one more week" for their relative, at the cost of $$$$$$$$$$$$$, is not a fair and reasonable burden on society, when the money could be more fruitfully invested in the health and wealth being of the "not about to die yet".
Whoah, elephants galore in that lot!!
Mr Doyle was an interesting choice to head Melbourne Health. An arts graduate and career teacher before going into politics, he said of his impeccable appointment:
"Health has been an area that I've worked in for most of my political life and I love the area, and this was an opportunity to serve and bring my skills to an area where I want to help."
Seems as if his "skills" have led him to conclude that it's ALL TOO BLOODY HARD.
Meanwhile his political, er, mates have distinguished his appointment as being due to the Victorian govt running out of Labor 'mates' to promote.
Could be a glittering period for Melbourne Health.
Tee, hee.
You have to laugh, don't you?
Has "worked in health" for most of his political life.
He was careful to be accurate, non?
Has never worked in health, has no idea about the delivery of medicine and health, but heck, his political life has been full of it!
Yep, they definitely need some fresh "mates".
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