Labellied of Allied Health as "Medicrats"

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New low by the Herald Sun: http://m.news.com.au/VIC/pg/0/fi1625683.htm

I for one am writing a letter of response to the HS: Herald Sun and putting in a complaint about this to the Australian Press Council

It is derogatory and demeaning to portray the work that is done by the Social workers, Occupational Therapist, Podiatrists and Physiotherapists and Speech Pathologists as less than that of the value of a nurse or Dr.

I would urge any of you that are probably far better at these sort of letters than I am, to do also.

 

When I read it, I didn't get the impression the term "medi-crat" was being aimed at health care workers, but at health care administrators - but perhaps I am mistaken. Rob

 

I totally agree Rob and fully believe that the health care administrators as a whole should be reprimanded.

But the insinuation that Allied health along with clerical staff etc are seen as the burden on the health dollar, taking away from the valued medical and nursing budget is the undertone that I think the general public will take away in the way that it is written. It's placing emphasis on the medical and nursing profession as the only "front line" staff and relegating all those who aren't as the lackies. Labeling allied health as a whole either directly or indirectly in this way is inappropriate and devalues the work that we do.

 

Dont fret... havent heard any word around town about "too many Podiatrists"...

The article clearly reads more doctors required... not "too many health care practitioners"... Dont read into the article that other "front line" health care services are not valued. :morning:

 

I think they included Allied Health services to bump up the statistics to strengthen their case. If you just compare admin vs doctors it wouldn't look scary enough to justify a story. I think this is a case of poor reporting by massaging statistics to get what suited the reporter.

 

In your opionion do you think podiatrists are part of allied health? Or are we similiar to dentistry and are a standalone profession requiring a more prominant position in areas such as cluster funding?

 

Regardless of where we think that Podiatry should be under a funding structure, in this current era Podiatry within the public health system within the hospitals are paid under an allied health award. In some health services, have admission rights, separate outpatient clincis etc. This journalist appears to be the health correspondent yet doesn't seem to understand who or what allied health staff do. It would take far greater numbers of podiatrists and far more proof that what we do impacts the patient more than the others "allied health staff" to prove we deserve to be stand alone within the sector.

A nursing friend chatted about this and commented on how we just can't go back to the old ways of "doing" health within the hospital system any more. People's health conditions are too complex and the mix of health service providers are essential to that mix if it is to be managed well. Try being on a ward and hearing that the patient thinks they are seeing you because there aren't enough doctors. This is the flow on from this sort of reporting.

 

We should be working hard to maintain our status as an 'allied health profession' not 'big-heading' our way to .....
If I've read this wrong then i apologise, Mark