We developed a strategy and launched a campaign in June this year to establish partnerships and promote patient pathway reform as detailed in our framework for action, Physiotherapy: A Path to Better Care.

Part of this strategy will be to present the new Minister for Health and Aged Care with a positive policy impact white paper, The Future of Physiotherapy in Australia.

This is a detailed, solutions-based document that will highlight the opportunities for physiotherapy to support total healthcare system reform.

The APA has been actively involved in the 10-year Primary Health Care Plan and the National Preventive Health Strategy, Senate hearings on disability, mental health and veteran suicide and the Primary Health Care Leaders Summit.

We have held extensive meetings with stakeholders such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Medical Association, all 31 Primary Health Networks, Allied Health Professions Australia and departmental executives.

It is time to push, pull and influence wherever possible to ensure that we have a sustainable health system now and in the future.

We need every part of the health system—including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, private health insurance, Medicare, the primary health networks and all levels of government—to join forces to ensure that healthcare funding is efficient, consistent and sustainable.

Health insurance and healthcare group Bupa announced recently that it believes the reform process should include the ability for members to claim wellness products on their private health insurance.

It also wants to offer discounts to members who make healthy life choices.

This is in response to younger members not seeing the true benefits of private health insurance. Bupa told the Productivity Commission that Australia’s health system is built on rules that encourage hospitalisation, discourage community-based care and active self-management, fail to incentivise prevention, discourage collaboration and stifle innovation.

It also commented on how siloed, fragmented and passive the current private health insurance system is, rather than proactively anticipating and preventing medical conditions and meeting consumer needs.

It is pleasing that a leading private health insurer is acknowledging this and looking at ways to promote prevention and consumer-driven care.

The APA’s pre-Budget submission and election statement called on the government to make the changes that matter most to Australians—that is, connecting patients to the most clinically appropriate and cost-effective healthcare.

Our vision continues to be for all Australians to have access to quality physiotherapy, when and where required.

Reforming primary care by encompassing integrated, team-based collaborative care, including high-value physiotherapy, makes healthcare more accessible and affordable.

We know that physiotherapy is a critical and essential service and that investment in publicly funded physiotherapy will reduce costs while improving patient experiences.

This is an exciting time for the profession and the healthcare system in Australia.

We are seeing opportunities and appetite for genuine reform in all parts of the sector.

Australia deserves the best health system in the world and the APA, its policy team, engaged members and I are ready to see that it gets it.

Take care, stay safe.

Scott Willis APAM

APA National President