The Australian Hospitals and Health Care Association (AHHC) has done an analysis of the healthcare policies of the major parties.

http://www.aushealthcare.com.au/documents/news/18360/AHHA%20Election%20Statement.PDF

The AHHC gives the ALP the most ‘ticks’ in relation to healthcare policies, in particular in relation to hospital funding and health care reform, improved access to elective surgery and emergency departments, and infrastructure funding/investment.

The coalition has promised more funding than the ALP for mental health, but the funding comes from cuts in other program areas, specifically eHealth and GP clinics. eHealth involves the development of electronic health records and health informatics allowing the exchange of data. The coalition will stop this investment, and in addition, will stop the current roll out of high speed broadband necessary to support eMedicine.

On the basis of this analysis, Labor has the better health policies of the two major parties.

We note that the Greens propose the provision of dental health services through Medicare, an area where the two major parties are silent, and supports additional funding for mental health.