Health policies in Australia 1970-1979: politics, rhetoric and substance.
Since the early 1970s there have been almost yearly reorganisations of the Australian health care system. These reorganisations provide an interesting case study for those who wish to distinguish the rhetoric and the reality of health planning in this country. This paper reviews the changes in the Australian health care system in the decade 1970-80. It examines the impact of these changes on the cost of health care, the use of medical services and the health of the population. Finally, the paper contrasts the available data with successive politically inspired attempts to mislead the community about the true basis and consequences of these changes.
D001315:Australia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000639:trends*; D006285:Health Planning; D006291:Health Policy; D011057:Politics