Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has described Sydney's northern area hospital system as "wretched", saying it is so highly bureaucratised that no one can make a decision.

Mr Abbott's comment comes three days after a Sydney woman miscarried in a toilet after waiting two hours to be seen at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney's north.

The NSW government is under increasing pressure to expand the terms of reference of an inquiry into the incident, after staff and experts yesterday came forward with their concerns about the hospital in the wake of Jana Horska's ordeal.

Mr Abbott said the federal government had increased health spending from 15 per cent to 22 per cent of the federal budget since 1996.

"The problem is that in the (Sydney Northern Area Health) hospital system, no one is in charge," Mr Abbott told the Nine Network this morning.

"I know Royal North Shore Hospital, I know Sydney Northern Area Health system.

"The problem is, no one in that wretched system can make a decision.

"That is a problem of a highly bureaucratised, highly politicised hospital management structure that's been put in place, I have to say, by the state Labor government.

He said he accepted the opposition would say the federal government was blaming the state of NSW.

"My oath I'm blaming the state Labor government," he said.

"They have let people down, comprehensively

Thankyou.

My eldest son was born in that hospital over 21 years ago...from a fine teaching hospital with brilliant services...to now...in a country brimming with vast amounts of disposable income, and a federal budget running in the black.. in one of the highest priced real estate regions of Sydney...

The whole public health system is in tatters...you want to read some real doozies, in the failings of public health in Australia, read about Dr Patel, and his gross malpractise dilemmas at Bundaberg Base Hospital, here in Queensland.

Dr Jayant Patel...dubbed Dr Death...and what he did...whilst employed by Queensland Health..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4080164.stm

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Queenslands-Dr-Death-
linked-to-80-deaths/2005/05/24/1116700709781.html