Promoting access and quality in healthcare
From patient stories to system‑wide solutions, Avant’s second Parliamentary Roundtable brought together leaders to work on practical reforms that support members and strengthen patient care.
Patrick Leunig died just two days shy of his 26th birthday. His father, Andrew, is now bravely sharing his story in the hope of changing the increasingly complex health system in Australia.
Andrew’s heartbreaking recount of the struggle his family faced in trying to save Patrick’s life, despite having private health insurance and strong health literacy, highlighted the complexities of navigating a health system which, in Andrew’s words, continuously failed to meet Patrick where he needed it to.
It was this powerful story that opened Avant’s Parliamentary Roundtable at Parliament House late last month, setting the tone for a day focused on ‘Promoting Access and Quality in Healthcare’.
Affordability – just one piece of the puzzle
Accessibility is rightly a key policy priority for government, but the cost of healthcare is only one part of the equation. A patient's ability to navigate the health system, access the specialist care they need, and have confidence that essential health services will remain viable in their local community are equally important determinants of genuine access to care. This theme resonated throughout the day, with speakers repeatedly emphasising that affordability alone will not fix the system.
A positive signal from government
Pleasingly, Health Minister Mark Butler addressed the roundtable and committed to continue to work with Avant and the sector to ensure patients can access quality healthcare when and where they need it. It is a strong signal that government is listening and ready to make change.
Dr Alia Vemuri, a Specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, shared the reality of what women in the Northern Territory are now facing following the closure of private maternity services in Darwin. From women having to wait for urgent care to travelling long distance to access care. Her address was both passionate and frightening.
Similarly to Dr Vemuri, Christine Gee AM and Dr Pramudie Gunaratne’s insights also painted a worrying picture of the impacts when a service closes or isn’t available. But their address didn’t just focus on the current reality. Their ideas on how to fix the system, as well as those from the audience are exactly what Minister Butler and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing have indicated they will take notice of.
A better understanding of the health system
Avant Medical Adviser, Dr Sally Parsons, presented the findings of an Avant commissioned survey looking into GP referral drivers. The research highlighted the pressures on patients and their GPs due to long wait times in accessing specialist care and difficulties navigating referral pathways. We have shared this finding and others with the Federal Government and will work with them on driving solutions. You can explore the key insights from the survey here.
Another key highlight from the day was the release of a new discussion paper, called Measure to Improve, Not to Rank. It warns that publicly reporting individual specialist quality ratings without robust risk adjustment could mislead patients and create unintended consequences for patients, particularly those with complex health needs. The report, commissioned by Avant and authored by former senior Federal public servant Trevor Sutton PSM, examined proposals to add individual specialist quality measures to the Federal Government's Medical Costs Finder website. Read the full report here.
Regional health also featured heavily throughout the day, particularly in the Shadow Regional Health Minister’s address. Dr Anne Webster broke down as she recalled the experiences of those in her electorate in accessing care. Her emotional reflection highlighted the differences and urgency of reform when it comes to regional health.
Next steps
As a collective, we need to have a broader, more honest conversation about what it takes to sustain a healthcare system that works for patients and meets them where they need it to. Avant’s roundtable last month was just the beginning of that. Accessibility is a whole of system problem and it is up to the whole system to drive solutions.
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