On 1 March this year, then shadow health minister Mark Butler delivered a keynote address to the annual conference of the Centre for Community-Driven Research (CCDR).
In his address, Mr Butler lauded the organisation's 'Patient Pathways' program that positions telehealth nurses in patient organisations. The nurses provide direct support to families with members diagnosed with rare genetic disorders.
The program has supported over 2,700 Australian families in the past three years but has faced a highly uncertain future because of the former government's failure to properly extend its funding.
The 2022-23 Budget delivered by the former government included around $200,000 for the program over an additional six months but only a portion of that was earmarked for its actual operation. An amount was set aside for an external evaluation. CCDR had already submitted evaluations of the program.
Mr Butler used his address at CCDR's conference to end this uncertainty with $2.47 million to extend and expand the program over three years.
"Labor has decided, I'm pleased to announce, that if we are elected at the election that takes place probably in May this year, then we will adopt the case that's argued in the pre-budget submission and ensure that Patient Pathways is funded for another three years in the manner and to the amount that is set out in the pre-budget submission, which is, I understand, it is a little less than $2.5 million,” he said.
Mr Butler even challenged the former government's decision to spend program funding on an evaluation.
In a subsequent media release, Mr Butler added, "In addition to the 10 organisations who participated in the initial pilot program this funding will be extended to additional organisations who are in need of a telehealth nurse."
The intent of the commitment could not have been clearer.
Mr Butler won significant praise for his commitment, including from the several hundred people who attended the conference.
The commitment was reflected in Labor's official pre-election policy costings document with the $2.47 million split evenly over three years. The first $800,000 was costed to be invested in 2022-23.
Yet it now appears the government is at risk of reneging on what was one of Labor's clearest commitments in the health portfolio.
The minister's personal staff and Department of Health officials have informed CCDR that Mr Butler plans to maintain the former government's 2022-23 Budget decision - around $150,000 to extend Patient Pathways until the end of 2022 with the remaining amount presumably set aside for the evaluation that Mr Butler publicly argued was effectively unnecessary.
The official three-year expansion of the program will now be considered as part of the October Budget process. Even if the Budget confirms the election commitment, the actual funding will not immediately flow, with obvious risks to the viability of the program.
The decision was communicated to CCDR despite the organisation informing the minister, his staff and departmental officials that the program cannot operate for six months with the specified budget. It is now facing the prospect of curtailing the program or even ceasing its operation.
A spokesperson for Mr Butler said, "The Government is currently considering arrangements for implementing all of its election commitments, including funding processes for election commitments with a financial impact."
