Deans welcome federal hospital plan

Release date: 5 March 2010

Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand has welcomed the plan released on Wednesday by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, saying it offers the opportunity to improve training for doctors, from junior level to consultants.

‘This provides an opportunity to bring all students in intern places under the one umbrella and have improved planning and funding for proper training, and potentially better coordination of training across the continuum,’ said Medical Deans President Professor Jim Angus.

‘At the other end it offers the opportunity to build academic clinical centres in major hospitals, which is a significant benefit.

‘We welcome the fact that teaching and research is explicitly mentioned in regards to hospital funding.

‘The Medical Deans are also excited about the opportunity to work with the proposed Health and Hospital Network to create fully integrated teaching infrastructure at a local level from Day One.

‘The plan also empowers clinical decision-making, which we applaud,’ Professor Angus said.

More information: Jim Angus (03) 8344 5894