FED:Gillard says hospital targets hard to meet

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2011
FED:Gillard says hospital targets hard to meet

Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD has admitted that some of the targets set out under a
new national hospitals funding agreement will be hard to meet.

Under the 20 billion dollar deal .. funding from a new national pool of commonwealth
and state money will be tied to elective surgery outcomes and reduced emergency waiting
times.

Ms GILLARD says it's a tough ask .. but the new agreement will sweep away the layers
of bureaucracy in her predecessor KEVIN RUDD's original plan which envisaged the commonwealth
becoming the main funder of hospitals in exchange for a third of the states' GST revenue.

Opposition health spokesman PETER DUTTON agrees that's a good thing .. but he says
that while the PM's got the political win she desperately needed .. it's not real health
reform.

West Australian Premier COLIN BARNETT says the devil of the new deal is in the details
.. which are still to be worked out.

AAP RTV sld/rl/jmt

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS (CANBERRA)

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