The Wire

A new report from the Grattan Institute has found that the public hospital system wastes approximately $1.2 billion a year on avoidable spending.

The report follows strong backlash from state and territory governments to a letter from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging them to rein in spending which they argued was “beyond belief” considering the immense pressure the public system is under.

Despite funding increasing by over $3 million every year for the past decade, the system remains strained with higher demand for ambulance services, longer wait times for surgeries and burnt-out staff.

The report insists that with funding reforms and system improvements, hospitals can improve the standard of patient care and promote smarter spending.