New South Wales, Australia:

Our health system basically ‘broke’
Experts have told The Sunday Telegraph the health crisis has for the first time permeated the entire state, extending from major Sydney hospitals to rural and regional centres in Moree, Broken Hill and Albury.

…

“(The system) is basically broke and all the health services are in trouble,” he said.
Among major problems blighting the system are:

All of the eight area health services are facing major funding, staffing and supply shortages.

New fears of deadly superbug outbreaks, as cleaning budgets are slashed across NSW, which already has Australia’s highest rate of hospital-acquired infections.

NSW Health’s finances are a “significant problem”, according to the Auditor-General’s Office, with a “large number of errors detected during the audit process” as well as missed deadlines.

Patients being denied basic drugs, medical supplies and quality food because of cost-cutting.

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But… but…

The Australian Health System is widely regarded as being world-class, in terms of both its effectiveness and efficiency. The system is a mixture of public and private sector health service providers and a range of funding and regulatory mechanisms:

-The Australian government with the primary role of developing broad national policies, regulation and funding.

-State and Territory and Local governments who are primarily responsible for the delivery and management of public health services and for maintaining direct relationships with most health care providers, including regulation of health professionals and private hospitals.

-Private practitioners including general practitioners, specialists and consultant physicians.

-Profit and non-profit organisations and voluntary agencies.

I will never understand how people can think socialized medicine is a good idea.