Progressive Labour Party - Draft Policy

Health Policy

INTRODUCTION

Australia is very quickly becoming a nation with vast inequalities in health care, and this is, or should be, a concern for all Australians.

This system of inequality is a direct consequence of years of Economic Rationalism, from both the ALP and the coalition governments, and the initial movement towards equality in health care is the demise of Economic rationalism, which will be the priority of the Progressive Labour Party when it becomes government.

Both the ALP and the Coalition governments believe that the way to good health care is the opening up to the private sector of all our health needs - when in effect the functionalist way is only helping the elite few to quality care when the disadvantaged, who are unable to meet the costs involved remain ill, or die.

The World Health Organisation states "To reach a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being an individual must be able to identify and to realise aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment." Health concerns the whole social and economic environment.

The Progressive Labour Party believes that it is better to promote and enhance health and prevent ill health, rather than to attempt to treat illness later, and that is why we believe that we need to take the holistic view of health as a state of spiritual, mental, social and physical unity, harmony and well-being as appropriate to the principal philosophy and goal of Australia's approach to health.

By far the most significant determinants of health status are environmental, social and economic factors. Health is severely affected by poverty and unemployment. The most extreme threats to our health lie in the degradation of our social and physical environment, including: deteriorating housing, declining incomes, social and family, violence, loss of social services, the depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and climate change, and national and international disintegration and war. The Progressive Labour Party believes that to be effective, health policy must be integrated with education, housing, employment, social, economic, and environmental policies.

The Progressive Labour Party is committed, through all of its policies, to maximising the psychological, physical, and social well-being of every Australian. We will strive to ensure that all Australians have a healthy environment, a supportive co-operative community, an education which builds self-esteem and counteracts consumerism, satisfying employment opportunities, adequate incomes, safe workplaces, and decent housing with secure tenure.

Australia's current economic regime is subjecting most people to unhealthy levels of stress at the very time that financial barriers to health care are growing, leading to harmful and even tragic delays in seeking needed care, and an inefficient use of health care resources. Health services are becoming more fragmented and less accessible, and their future availability is in grave doubt as the Coalition continues to contract out essential services and attempts to distance itself from the responsibility for the health of Australians.

PRINCIPLE: Every Australian has the right to free, high quality health care.

The Progressive Labour Party is committed to providing every Australian with a readily accessible, comprehensive, fully tax-funded health service. The basis for PLP health policy is a strong emphasis on promoting health, access to effective primary and community health and disability services, backed up by effective hospital services when needed.

People will not be healthy if there is poor housing, widespread unemployment, poverty, crime, or environmental pollution. The Progressive Labour Party's Employment, Welfare, and Environmental policies deal with these major issues. Healthy communities aim to prevent illness as well as providing good primary health care and hospital services.

The Progressive Labour Party will remove the financial barriers and waiting lists which now delay early treatment of health problems.

We will:

The Progressive Labour Party is against free market changes to the health system.

We will establish democratically elected Area Health Boards which will be directly funded and which will be responsible for the funding of hospitals, GPs, and other health services. Community Health Committees will act as local health issue watchdogs, and will consult and liaise locally over specific health needs and health-related issues, including water quality, transport and sewerage systems, air and noise pollution, food production, processing and preparation.

THE SITUATION NOW:

The Coalition government is in the process of privatising all health care facilities and distancing itself from the health needs of Australians. It is focusing on the need for private medical insurance, which is putting untold pressure on individuals and families who are incapable of paying for private health care. The Health Funds are increasing fees at an alarming rate, and are reducing the amount of benefits payable to members for health care. We also have a system of victimisation looming, whereby people, especially the aged, who have pre-existing illnesses or conditions, are being excluded from private health funds, and who are unable to afford the exorbitant fees charged for a hospital bed or treatment.

Overseas companies are also being invited to tender for the running of our public hospitals, which will not result in better care - they will be run for profit, and only those who are able to pay for their treatment will be admitted.

We have already seen the demise of the dental programme for the disadvantaged - this will be reinstated under a Progressive Labour Party government but with added benefits.

The contracting-out of essential services is causing undue hardship, and the reduction of public hospitals in favour of combined public/private health campus's is severely stretching the resources available to the disadvantaged.

The Coalition government has put the emphasis on private profits, rather than health care for the population. The Progressive Labour Party will reverse these trends and ensure that the health needs of the Australian people will not be compromised in any way.

We will restore the public health system to one .that is there to meet the health needs of all Australian people. At present, the barriers which are preventing people from obtaining the health care that is their right is causing much more severe medical problems, which apart from the possibility of people developing more serious complications which may cause death, are actually going to be more difficult and more expensive to treat in the long term.

THE MEDICARE LEVY

At present, according to the Coalition, the Medicare levy is not used for health purposes. Under a PLP Government all Medicare funds will be injected into the health system.

There is a lot of emphasis on reducing the number of Medicare outlets in all areas and allowing the Pharmacies to take on a Medicare role - the Progressive Labour Party will maintain adequate levels of Medicare outlets, and increase them, where necessary, and in rural areas which have been neglected. Bulk-billing services will be subject to over-servicing and fraud checks. Area Health Boards will be responsible for the Prosecutions of medical providers who wilfully abuse the system. Pharmacists will not be considered suitable options as Medicare agents as it would not be in the best interests of the patients - health information is a matter for the individual, and privacy cannot be assured if other independent agencies are allowed access to such personal and confidential information.

The entire Medicare system will need to be overhauled completely.

Medical Practitioners will be salaried as are teachers with attractive financial incentives given to GPs willing to work in rural or isolated areas.

FUNDING OF PUBLIC & PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Private hospitals will no longer be eligible for handouts or government subsidies - all such previous funding arrangements will be transferred to the public hospital system.

The Coalition government believes that the privatising out of the public health system equates to more quality and affordable health care. The reality is that the contracting-out of essential public services actually disadvantages the user because it is designed to create profits for the supplier. Services are of such an inferior quality that health is put at serious risk. Some examples of contracting-out that have proved detrimental to the health of the patient are hospital cleaning services; hospital catering services - not only the amount of food given to the patients, but the fact that food actually prepared outside the hospital system leaves room for serious health problems to develop; hospital laundry services; hospital maintenance; and the list goes on.

The Progressive Labour Party is committed to the reinstatement of a fully tax-payer funded public hospital system, with all services being returned to the control of fully accountable Area Health Boards.

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Will no longer be eligible for government funding - the private hospitals will need to develop strategies that will see a user pays system. It is not a Progressive Labour Party policy to fund the private sector.

HEALTH FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS

An equitable, accessible, integrated, comprehensive, effective and accountable publicly funded health service.

The Progressive Labour Party will return control of health services to democratically elected boards.

We will integrate primary, secondary, and public health service provisions.

We are opposed to the separation of health funder and providers, and the fragmentation of services which arises from it. The PLP will replace the commercial concept of health provision with the following structures:

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Department of Health will directly fund democratically elected and accountable Area Health Boards to provide primary, secondary, and public health services to the populations which they serve.

The Department of Health will set National health goals and targets, and will contract to have these met by the Area Health Boards. The Department of Health will monitor the performance of the Area Health Boards in achieving these goals.

AREA HEALTH BOARDS

Area Health Boards will fund and direct all publicly provided health services.

he boundaries of Area Health Boards will, in many cases, conform with Regional Electoral or Council Boundaries(to be ratified).However, consequent upon community consultation there will be instances where more than one Area Health Board exists within a Regional Council's boundary, and possibly instances where a Health Board encompasses two or more councils.

COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEES

The Area Health Boards will establish and consult with Community Health Committees. These committees will most commonly be composed of elected representatives of geographic communities of interest but may also represent common interest groups, such as women, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, Ethnic Communities, children and young people, unions, the elderly, people with disabilities, and so on.

The tasks of the Community Health Committees are to identify, lobby for and monitor the health needs of their communities and to oversee the delivery of health services from a consumer perspective.

Further responsibilities will be progressively devolved to these committees which will have funds to spend on the provision of Community Health Centres and other services.

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES

Community Health Committees may establish Community Health Centres to provide integrated primary health services.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Qualified nursing practitioners to be given wages, conditions and premises similar to doctors.

To be effective, health protection measures must be co-ordinated with the regional Councils which share responsibility with local government for the water, sewerage, public transport, air and noise pollution, and planning for the physical and social environment.

The Department of Health will determine national goals in public health, and be responsible for the conduct of national public health boards.

The Area Health Boards will be responsible for the development and provision of public health programmes and services in conjunction with the Regional Councils/Electorates.

HEALTH INSURANCE COMMISSION

The Health Insurance Commission will be removed.

AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

The AMA will be removed as a governing body for the medical profession - controls will be the responsibility of the Department of Health.

ACCESSIBILITY/EQUITY

TO ENSURE THAT EVERY AUSTRALIAN HAS READY ACCESS TO A COMPREHENSIVE, FULLY TAX-FUNDED HEALTH SERVICE; TO REDUCE THE DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH STATUS BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS OF AUSTRALIANS

The financial barriers to health services will be dismantled. Beginning by:

COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVES

Community based health services will be improved and increased, with people and communities empowered to care for their own health.

It has been of interest to contemporary researchers that "there is a relationship between medicine and capitalism and medicine as a means of social control, and there are patterns of helping and compliance among patients."

Therefore it is seen as another step in the" health renewal process. to empower people to take on a more responsible role in their attitude to their own health. It is also an issue that the industrialised world is now prone to an increase in the "lifestyle" diseases, such as stroke, cancer, and heart disease.

For this reason a change of lifestyle is necessary if we are to begin to become a "well" nation once more. Health issues, while needing infrastructure in place at national level, also needs community involvement to distribute information and services, and thus promote wellness within the community.

Area Health Boards and Community Health Committees will co-ordinate the provision of resources, information and services to self-help groups of people with similar health problems.

The Area Health Boards will be fully funded to provide the services required to meet the health needs of their own geographic and cultural communities.

Retain and where necessary improve smaller rural hospitals, and to develop Community Health Centres which may include communities of interest such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Ethnic, Youth, etc. The purpose of these Health Centres is to ensure that communities have easy access to a comprehensive health service. These may include primary health care services, health education, and community support services, as well as day surgery, child health clinics, midwifery, podiatry, sight and hearing services, counselling, health education and screening, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, Public Health and District Nursing services, social work, community support agencies and groups, and community development workers. These Community Health Centres will be the responsibility of Community Health Committees.

VACCINATIONS

A public awareness campaign needs to be implemented with full details regarding the safety or otherwise of drugs used for vaccinations. A public campaign to be aimed at encouraging vaccination; however, the full facts need to be given if parents are to make appropriate choices based on the information available.

MENTAL HEALTH

People who suffer mental health problems are the most discriminated against, stigmatised, and disadvantaged groups in our society, and are victims of a society who places little regard on them as is evidenced by the continual attacks on the services and support available.

The Progressive Labour Party believes that it is important to recognise and respond to the early signs of stress, and to have in place early intervention and comprehensive illness prevention strategies. To be effective, the total life picture needs to be looked at and we need to ensure that good quality housing is available, as is emotional and social support, and meaningful activity. In many instances severe stress related problems are a result of many or a single issue, but are compounded by a patient's inability to participate on a social level.

Australia has an unacceptably high level of suicides, and in particular youth suicides, and this area of mental health needs urgent attention. The PLP recognises that suicides result from a person's inability to function in a society that has no place for them; people who have little or no self-esteem, and feel that they have no self-worth because they are unable to participate in or belong to a community. The monetarist policies we have in place do nothing to address the problems; which are not only psychological, but are related to a person's physical well-being and their place in society. The Progressive Labour Party recognises the need to incorporate many other policies, such as Environment, Youth, the Aged, Social Welfare, Education, and Employment if we are to get at the underlying causes of suicides. Because unless we address all the issues we are only scratching the surface and will not make any inroads into this most tragic of mental illnesses. (The Ainslee Village in Canberra to be looked into and expanded)

DRUGS POLICY

The situation at present with the inconsistency of drugs legislation means we are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of drug related deaths. The tobacco and alcohol laws are ludicrous, as they do not do anything to reduce the amount of these drugs being used. We have a situation at present where enormous amounts of time and resources are used in the search for marijuana, thus leaving our populations without police protection, and we have enormous amounts of time and resources being wasted on random breath-testing - which is proving to be a futile exercise, which is also taking the police resources away from the areas where they are needed, e.g. policing our roads with a 12 monthly review to research appropriateness.

The Progressive Labour Party believes that drug abuse should be treated as a health problem as with tobacco and alcohol use now. It supports the decriminalisation of marijuana and heroin where they can then be controlled, and the issues arising from It is not a viable system to outlaw these drugs, because their manufacture is then questionable and is causing numerous unnecessary deaths. If we can control the supply and distribution of drugs, as with tobacco and alcohol, we can focus on the issues that are causing drug abuse and suicides in our young people, and then we will be on the way to stamping out the widespread social costs relative to illegal drugs.

Alcohol and tobacco are drugs, and dangerous drugs. And it is inconceivable that we can say that smoking and drinking is acceptable, but marijuana (which does not have the horrendous track record that alcohol does) is illegal. And heroin is being freely given to addicts, when they should be being helped to get off the drug. There is also the matter of prescription drugs which need to be looked at. A very large proportion of these drugs are highly addictive, and dangerous, yet one can easily obtain them by prescription.

Research indicates that marijuana has widespread medicinal properties, that should be harnessed. There is also a widespread concerned push from the medical profession for the legalisation of heroin. We recognise that smoking in any form is injurious to health and long term smoking of marijuana may have major adverse health effects.

AS A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL PARTY CONCERNED WITH ALL THE ISSUES FACING US TODAY, WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF DRUGS AND THEIR USAGE, AND WHETHER WE ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO SOCIETY BY MAINTAINING A BAN ON THEIR USE.

SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE ABOLITION OF SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE VIABILITY OF MAINTAINING A BUSINESS, e.g., RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, THERE IS ALSO ALOT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM RESEARCH THAT LINKS PASSIVE SMOKING TO LUNG AND OTHER FORMS OF CANCER, AND A MULTITUDE OF HEALTH ISSUES IN CHILDREN. RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES THAT PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS WILL, IF EXPOSED TO PASSIVE SMOKING, SUFFER MORE COMPLICATIONS OF THEIR EXISTING CONDITIONS.

EUTHANASIA

THE ISSUE OF EUTHANASIA - WITH STRICT ENFORCEABLE CONTROLS AND GUIDELINES NEEDS TO BE THE SUBJECT OF A REFERENDA.

PRESCRIBING

The Progressive Labour Party's Health policies will indirectly reduce dependence on prescription medicines. Increased public health awareness campaigns will reduce the incidence of many illnesses (such as hypertension and stress related illnesses) for which long term treatment with expensive medications are now extensively used. Government funding for general practice will improve access, coverage, and quality of service, and in particular will remove the incentive to high throughput and short consultations and high prescriptions use.

The Progressive Labour Party will remove prescription charges, and will act to contain the cost of medicine use by:

  1. Significantly strengthening the Department of Health negotiating unit.
  2. Investigate the importation of drugs from other countries where pharmaceutical companies are using transfer pricing strategies to inflate prices in Australia.
  3. Encourage the use of high standard generic drugs.
  4. Investigate the production of high standard generic drugs within Australia.

Discourage unnecessary or inappropriate prescribing by:

  1. Ensuring that an effective system of peer review of prescribing is established.
  2. Support a Preferred Medicines Centre.
  3. Establish a National Formulary which will give doctors current information on availability and prices of drugs in Australia.
  4. Use the resources of the Preferred Medicines Centre and the National Formulary to encourage GPs to establish their own preferred medicines list.
  5. restrict approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities in the UK and USA.
  6. Clinical trials of unapproved drugs must proceed through a National Research Ethics Committee. (If we don't already have such an organisation we'll establish one)
  7. The PLP will create industry to promote health and a national health industry.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

There are many challenges facing the delivery of health services to the children and youth of our nation. Some of these are geographical, cultural, social, and educational.

All of these issues are relevant across Australia and need to be initially addressed at community level. However, to address the health problems of children and youth we need to look at issues affecting health, such as environmental, poverty, abuse, and homelessness.

All children and youth have a right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to whatever facilities are required for the establishment and maintenance of their physical and mental well-being; for the treatment of illness, the rehabilitation of their health, and to the facilities and resources necessary to ensure the maintenance and, where necessary the re-establishment of their normal growth and development.

Under a Progressive Labour Party government funding and support will be provided to meet the needs for the provision of wide ranging quality health care and health promotion for children and young people.

nfant mortality (alongside SIDS) is still a major concern in Australia, especially among the Aboriginal communities. The PLP will give urgency to efforts to reduce the numbers of babies, children, and young people dying and to improve their health status and well-being.

Steps will be taken to reduce the decline in the dental health of our children, particularly through the promotion of good diet and hygiene, the implementation of PLP policies in reducing child poverty, and the reinstatement of school dental services including services for pre-schoolers.

To reinstate school health clinics in both primary and secondary schools, which will provide a range of free health education, preventative care, and medical services.

There are far too many teenage pregnancies, which is not only a drain on our financial resources, it is detrimental to the physical and psychological health of the young mothers. There are also serious risks to the unborn child, and it need to be an urgent priority of the PLP to improve the access of young people to

information enhancing reproductive choice. PLP policy recognises that education which enhances self-esteem and encourages equalitarian relationships provides the necessary context in which to empower young people to apply information about contraception.

Violent and abusive domestic relationships are a serious threat to the health of children and young people.

Violence and Abuse against children and young people is far too prevalent in Australian society. The PLP will ensure, as a matter of urgency, that all health services specific to the needs of child victims are available on demand. An education campaign aimed at the perpetrators of child abuse and violence will be put in motion, as will a public awareness campaign be run aimed at recognising the early signs of child abuse, so that children can be helped at a much earlier stage of their abuse.

Suicides amongst our young people is climbing at an alarming rate, and the trend has to be reversed as a matter of urgency. The PLP recognises the many issues involved in young people taking their own lives, and our policies on employment and training will give young people realistic hope for the future. Young people have the right to immediate quality medical assistance and ongoing support from community based psychological health services.

WOMEN'S HEALTH

The majority of workers and users of the health care system are women. A negative stereotype of women sometimes suggests that women are the majority of users of health services because they are weaker or more complaining than men. The reality is somewhat different. It is partly that women's lives have been medicalised, partly that they live longer and consequently have more illnesses, but mostly it is women who typically care for others in the home and community in both paid and unpaid roles.

When someone in the family does not feel well they typically tell the 'mother' who then had to decide upon appropriate action, interface with the medical system where necessary, and carry out medical instructions and see that any treatment is completed, while maintaining a reassuring and stable emotional climate.

Women have increasingly been treated not only when they are sick but when they are well; for example - during normal childbirth, or normal ageing, or to inhibit normal fertility. This medicalisation of the everyday life of women, combined with a pejorative stereotype has sometimes led to inappropriate treatment. For example, women's symptoms may be treated exclusively with psychoactive medications (some of which are highly addictive) without adequate diagnosis, when the multiple therapeutic options made possible by integrated comprehensive primary health care, delivered at the community health centre, combined with policies which expand real social options, might be more effective.

In order to make sure that women have access to affordable, barrier-free, gender-specific, and culturally appropriate health care, and the right to control their fertility, a PLP government will ensure that all aspects of women's health is catered for and the following issues will be addressed:

Contraceptive options; choice of appropriate medical practitioners; birthing centres for low-risk deliveries; sex education at an appropriate age; access to information regarding contraception; Family Planning clinics to be re-established; genetic counselling; cervical screening programme, and breast x-rays; abortion as a women's right to choose; self-help groups, free counselling and recovery programmes for the victims of sexual, physical, mental, and emotional abuse; treatment of eating disorders - to be funded by a tax on advertising by the commercial diet and fashion industries; Respite Care for the sick, disabled, and elderly; Palliative Care to receive appropriate funding; disabilities in women to be addressed - also areas of research which warrant funding priority e.g.. osteoporosis, arthritis; use and development of natural and environmentally safe sanitary wear and breast cancer.

The above, and many other issues will be detailed in later.

MENS HEALTH

Men also have specific health issues. Macho cultural attitudes encourage many men not to seek medical help and to privately tolerate pain and ill health. There is also a need to fund research, treatment and health promotion and education campaigns for specific men's health problems such as prostrate and testicular cancer.

Other issues that need to be addresses are, 'husband bashing'; psychological problems associated with men being deserted by their wives or partners; men who are separated from their children; high incidences of suicide in younger populations; drug abuse and eating disorders in young men; high incidences of traffic mortality; issues relevant to war veterans and the physically and psychologically disabled. The PLP will promote public awareness campaigns aimed specifically towards men.

ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS

A Coalition government has done absolutely nothing to improve the health of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island people (Autochthones), which is worse now than ever before in the history of these people. And by their own admission the state of health of Autochthones is a national and international disgrace.

A PLP government recognises the need for programmes to be implemented as a matter of urgency if we are to begin on a campaign to improve the health of Autochthones, and to strive for an initial level of health considered acceptable by the majority of Australians.

The Department of Health will work closely with ATSIC who will begin a programme of consultation with the various tribal communities, so issues specific to a particular community can be dealt with at community level.

An education campaign will be implemented at community level, and healthy lifestyles and personal hygiene will be part of this focus. However, this campaign needs to be associated with the promotion of self-esteem and worth, which will need to be part of ongoing employment and training schemes.

The PLP Housing policy will address the needs relevant to different communities, and will ensure that the essential services we all take for granted are put in place and maintained, e.g.. clean water, appropriate sewerage & drainage systems, and a clean and healthy environment.

The delivery of health and medical services will be provided by Autochthones or people who are culturally sensitive to the needs of the various tribes. Community Health Centres will be established in all areas, and funding will be provided so these services are able to be accessed at need.

It is necessary to fund the establishment of an AMS in regional cities to cater for the people in outlying or rural areas, who will feel more comfortable attending a medical centre specific to their needs.

It is impossible for Australia to criticise other countries for their human rights records, when their own human rights record is absolutely abysmal.

The PLP acknowledges the responsibility of government to guarantee equal access for Autochtones to all health services and equity of outcome in the enjoyment of good health, and the right of Autochtones to develop Autochton controlled health services.

It is the responsibility of government to ensure that all health services are able to work effectively with their Autochton clients, and that culturally appropriate health services are available. This includes recognition of Autochton concepts of health and traditional methods of healing, the involvement of Autochtones in all aspects of health policy and planning, the employment of appropriated Autochton staff at all levels of the health services. We therefore make the following commitments:

  1. Fully fund Autochton authorities to meet health needs as defined by Autochtones.
  2. Area Health Boards shall allocate funds to address Autochton health needs with due seriousness. This includes active support for Autochton health initiatives, including resources for training and development.
  3. The Area Health Boards will develop Equal Employment Opportunity policies and affirmative action programmes for all levels within their control.

LESBIAN AND GAY HEALTH

The PLP supports:

The PLP supports:

ILLNESS PREVENTION/WELLNESS PROMOTION

TO MAXIMISE THE MENTAL, SOCIAL, AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF EVERY AUSTRALIAN BY REDUCING THE ONSET OF ILL-HEALTH.

  1. Shift resources away from high-cost procedures which result in relatively limited or short-term patient benefit, and progressively increase the resources devoted to effective health protection programmes (e.g. job creation) and to health screening programmes and health promotion (to reduce drug dependency, spouse abuse etc.).
  2. The Department of Health will include a major public and preventative health division.

    The Public and Preventative Health Division will have a comprehensive health system of the effect of diet, exercise, hygiene, and drugs, and where to get help when it is first needed; and of accident prevention to enhance the safety of the home, roads, workplace, and community at large.

  3. Much disability is preventable. The Public and Preventative Health Division will make research into the prevention of disability a priority.
  4. Place levies and taxes on products and taxable activities harmful to health. Permit alcohol and tobacco advertising only at point of sale, and direct a significant portion of tax from liquor and tobacco sales to the provision of addiction treatment services.
  5. Legislate to remove harmful, damaging contaminants from the air, water, and food supplies. This includes controlling the construction of communications towers that emit harmful radiation.
  6. Require labelling of processed food products to show contents, with standardised codes of approved additives compatible with European Community regulations.
  7. Redirect and increase health research funding to include work on the personal and environmental effects of a wide range of potential hazards, such as; pesticides, electro- pollution, and multiple doses of pollutants and toxins ingested together, and to assess the effectiveness of natural medicines, alternative treatments, and holistic approaches to health.

EFFECTIVENESS

TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF HEALTH SERVICES.

Policy to be determined.

ACCOUNTABILITY

TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAX PAYER AND DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL PATIENT AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

Policy to be determined.

NB: There are still many issues of health policy which I have not touched upon, so if you have any ideas, especially for Disabled Policy, HIV/AIDS, and any others especially relevant that can't be included in general policy, then please, write it in and I will redo the relevant sections.