Pages

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Hospitals and healthcare a priority to voters in Australia


Research released to day from Research Australia shows that health is a clear priority for Australian voters, ahead of the economy and others.

91% of those surveyed ranked ‘improving hospitals and the health care system’ as the number one priority for action from the Federal Government. The results are based on a national survey of 1000 people. Participants were asked to rank 26 Federal Government priority areas. Health care was placed clearly ahead of other key policy areas, including keeping the national economy strong, employment, and infrastructure.


Also ranked in the top 10 priorities for voters were more funding for health and medical research, and increasing funding for preventative health care. These were again, ranked more important than crime, immigration and the war on terror by voters. “The opinions revealed in our study clearly show the Australian Government where their voters’ focus is, and the imperative to foster health and medical research, as well as hospitals and healthcare,” says Elizabeth Foley, CEO, Research Australia. “By fostering research active health services, governments can help deliver on both. Participation in teaching and research by health care professionals in all settings, such as hospitals and medical centres, lifts the overall standard and quality of care and promotes the more effective and timely translation of research outcomes into practice.”

Research Australia concluded that Australians have an overall awareness of the role of the Federal Government and donations in funding health and medical research, but a gross underestimation of the role of state and territory governments and private investment. "These results demonstrate a need to further promote philanthropy in our community, but also the responsibility Australians expect the government to take on their behalf," said Foley.


Please share

No comments:

Post a Comment