Regarding ‘National Health and Hospital Reform Commission final report and patient-centred suggestions for reform’ by T. Jowsey, L. Yen, R. Wells and S. Leeder

Abstract

The recently published article by Jowsey et al. (2011, Australian Journal of Primary Health 17, 162–168) highlighted key inclusions and omissions from the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission final report with respect to patient-centred care for people with chronic illness. However, the author proposes that this study could have further addressed dimensions of equity and patient-centred practice by including participants with chronic mental illness. The author suggests that interventions to improve chronic illness care typically remain disease specific, which fails to address the realities that face consumers or service providers. References to the literature and professional experience are provided to support the inclusion of mental illness within discussion, services and policy concerning chronic illness.