Healthcare capacity concerns
Senator Mullen questions healthcare reform without reliable costings, citing shortages of junior doctors, nursing beds, and hospital capacity.
I would like to know whether the Minister thinks that there is any point in consultation in the absence of the facts and figures. People are asking how much will all of this cost and will it make them poorer rather than look out for their health needs. We all want to see a system where everybody can access medical treatment equally, but we are not reassured because the real problem is the shortage of junior doctors, the lack of nursing beds, the closure of wards and so on and it has not been addressed.