Australian Health Service

Introduction

Australian have been doing well in providing health service by world standards (AIHW 2010), health equality has been the core principle of the Australian health system. We introduced Medicare, a universal health insurance system, in 1984 and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, PBS, provides a timely and affordable access to medicines. Both of the policies ensure the majority of Australia population have equality access to health care services. We have a strong and flexible public-private mixed funding and health serviced delivery system.

But there is growing disparities in health service access and health risk factors (including preventive care) related to income, location, culture background and education, which contribute to differences in health or “health inequality” across our population.

In our presentation today, we will discuss three significant differences of socioeconomic status which have resulted “health inequality” in our communities by utilizing sociological imagination template (Germov, J.2009).

* Income Inequality

* Rural and Remote Communities

* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Indigenous Australians)

Also we will assess the challenges and opportunities ahead where we could address these issues and improve our health service system for better equality.

Challenges and Opportunities

Income Inequalities ≠ Health Inequalities

It is clear that income inequality is the single most significant factor contributed to health inequality in our wider society. The Private Health Insurance (PHI) choice has caused the access to health service less equitable as socioeconomic disadvantage people unable to afford PHI. Although most of our population could get to see a doctor and to be admitted to a hospital, they are not equally likely to see the same doctor and to end up be in the same hospital bed (Van Doorslaer E. et al 2008). Also the statistics shows the behavioural risk factors for low-income social group are a...