Federal Election 2010 updates:

Click here for the latest on the Federal Election and the health sector.

Top stories, news bites and messages from the AMA President.

Key Health Issues: AMA's Election Platform.      

Release of Election Platform.

---

Current News!

 BOOST FOR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

26th July 2010: AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that Labor's emergency department package is a welcome boost to the pressured and overworked emergency departments in our public hospitals. Dr Pesce said the new investment will increase the medical and nursing resources in emergency departments and provide a modest number of additional training opportunities in this area of medical workforce shortage for the additional cohort of medical students who are graduating from medical schools over the next few years.

"Emergency departments are at the frontline of public hospital services," Dr Pesce said. "Providing more medical professionals who are trained specifically in emergency medicine will help improve access to public hospital emergency care. "The AMA also welcomes the additional funding to train more nurses in emergency departments. "It will be important to ensure that these nurses and nurse practitioners work collaboratively with doctors in the emergency department to ensure high standards of care are maintained for patients. "For this investment to be truly effective, more resources - including additional beds - will be needed in other parts of our public hospitals. "These additional resources would ensure that patients who need to be admitted to hospital from the emergency department are able to do so in a timely fashion. "It is important to move patients on from the emergency department when safe and appropriate in order to improve access for other patients into the emergency department," Dr Pesce said.

Comments from the Tasmanian AMA President Dr Michael Aizen. Click here.

---

 

Junior Doctors without a Job!

22nd July 2010: Up to 20 Tasmanian final year medical students may miss out on first year training positions, next year. This would mean they will be unable to complete that year in order to become a fully accredited doctor. This flies in the face of the Tasmanian Premier's recent promise to provide training places for all Tasmanian domestic medical students.

After five to six years of training at a considerable cost to the community, some students will be either forced to leave Tasmania to pursue their careers or find work unrelated to their medical degree. Either way, Tasmanians will lose out. 

Despite an ongoing request to the State Government, by both the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA), to increase funding to cover the increased demand for intern places, no acceptable outcome has been reached. Not only will these students be unable to practise as doctors, but Tasmania as a whole will suffer because of the reduced number of doctors likely to work here.

Click here for the AMA media release. 

Click here for the ASMA media release. 

---

19th July 2010: AMA Family Doctor Week, an important part of the AMA's Support Family Doctors campaign, which was launched in April this year. Each year, the AMA uses Family Doctor Week to remind the community of the vital role played by local family doctors in keeping Australians healthy. Recent AMA research found that 88 per cent of people have a usual family doctor and that 83 per cent of people are very satisfied or satisfied with the medical care they receive from their family doctor.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that it is clear that Australians rate their family doctor as the most important part of the health system. "The family doctor is the first point of contact in the health system for most Australian families," Dr Pesce said. "When people get sick or injured or want advice about their health, they want to see a doctor.  

"The family doctor must remain the foundation of the health system," Dr Pesce said.

---

 

Election 2010 is underway

17th July 2010: Health is a major issue in this election, called for the 21st August, health reform hangs in the balance. How will Labor and how will the Liberals advance health in this country. Keep an eye on this website and the AMA generally for up to date announcments over the next 5 weeks.

---

 

AMA Tasmania Peer Support Service re launched in Tasmania

13th July 2010: The Peer Support Service has been re launched here in Tasmania. Doctors, members and non members alike are invited to call the Peer Support line on 1300 853 338.

The AMA Peer Support Service is provided by AMA Victoria on behalf of AMA Tasmania. The service provides peer support for doctors by doctors. All volunteer telephone counsellors are experienced doctors trained in the skills of peer support telephone counselling. All counsellors are Lifeline accredited. The volunteers are based in Victoria.

The volunteer telephone counsellors have broad experience in medical practice and represent a wide range of specialties. The AMA Tasmania Peer Support Service offers a point of first contact and a listening ear. If you require ongoing assistance we will refer you to appropriate expert services in Tasmania.

Just call 1300 853 338 (for the cost of a local call) We are available 365 days of the year from 8.00 am to 11.00 pm.

---

 

People with diabetes not planning on using new Federal Government health scheme according to new survey

12th July 2010: A survey of people with diabetes by Australian Diabetes Council, found that most do not plan to utilise the Federal Governments new scheme for managing diabetes. The survey of over 500 people with diabetes by Australian Diabetes Council found that less than one in four people with diabetes had heard of the Federal Government's new scheme for managing and funding diabetes health care, and of those that had heard, the majority rated their understanding of the new scheme as poor. 

When key points of the new scheme relating to diabetes management were presented and compared to the existing Medicare scheme, the majority of people with diabetes stated that the current Medicare scheme meets their diabetes management requirements, and the majority said that they would prefer to continue with their current arrangements with their GP, medical specialists and allied health service providers. Click here for the full media release.

---

 

New Work Certificates a Burden to GP's

1st July 2010: The Australian Medical Association welcome the changes to the Workers Compensation Act as the reforms swing the pendulum back to providing more support for injured workers. It cautions the changes have been introduced with minimal consultation with the medical profession and the additional work expected of doctors will be challenging for some areas in the State where doctor shortages are critical.

The AMA would have preferred some consultation especially on the development of a new work certificate as this is a critical part of a doctor's role. The additional time required to complete these certificates will necessitate a change in the way workers are currently reviewed and some Practices will struggle to find the extra time needed to comply with the new arrangements.

Comments critical of GPs reported in the media today and attributed to Mr Simon Cocker from WorkCover Tasmania are very unfortunate given the pivotal role of GPs in the system and will hopefully not sour the essential good working relationship required between GPs and WorkCover Tasmania.

---

 

The Australian Health Practitioners Registraltion Agency

1st July 2010: From today AHPRA is the national agency responsible for the registration and accreditation of ten health professions in Australia. The National Law has been enacted by all States and Territories except Western Australia. All Tasmanian Medical Practitioners are now registered nationally. Click here for their website. Phone: 1300 419 495.

---

 

 Hobart becomes the centre for global health as medical students learn how to make a difference

30th June 2010: Over 430 medical students from around Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific region will converge on Hobart for the Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA) sixth annual Global Health Conference from 1 July to 4 July 2010. Eminent figures in global health such as The Reverend Tim Costello, one of Australia's most well-known advocates on global social justice, health and development issues, will join other speakers in discussing the pertinent issues in contemporary global health. 

The AMSA Global Health Conference Co-Convenor, Alexandra Frain, said today that the conference would ensure that the attending future doctors come away armed with the skills, knowledge and motivation to implement change for the better in the global community. "One of the focus areas of the AMSA Global Health Conference is child and maternal health," Alexandra said. "Child health and maternal health are high profile issues within the Millennium Development Goals and, while recent statistics show moves in a very positive direction, we must maintain our momentum in getting proven and cost-effective solutions to those most in need.

"The World Health Organisation estimates that, every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. The vast majority of these deaths occur in the developing world and are easily preventable.  So, delegates at the AMSA Global Health Conference will be assembling birthing kits with items such as gloves, gauze and sterile scalpel blades, to be sent to women giving birth in these developing countries.

"We will also be discussing climate change, Indigenous health, the Millennium Development Goals, human rights and many more topics," she said.

Other notable speakers include Senator Bob Brown, Parliamentary Leader of the Greens; Dr Helen Caldicott, passionate anti-nuclear campaigner; Associate Professor Ngiare Brown, Aboriginal child health and international Indigenous Affairs expert and many more.

---

Extra Intern Places needed for 2011

June 2010: Tasmanian medical graduates and the AMA approached the Health Minister this week in an 11^th hour bid to find extra intern placements, despite submitting a pre-Budget bid to the Government. Asked in Parliament, the Minister was not able to confirm the extra places, telling Parliament only that the Government would "anticipate" more funded intern placements. All States agreed at a 2006 COAG meeting to meet the intern placements needed for its own home-trained medical graduates. Tasmania is the only State that has not guaranteed intern jobs to all students graduating from medicine.

For the Shadow Health Spokeman's full media release click here.

---

 

 State Budget 2010

17th June 2010: The State Treasurer Michael Aird predicted a much brighter future in this year's budget speech than he did last year where he stuck steadfastly to a draconian wages policy ahead of wage negotiations with doctors and other health professionals.

This year the state sees economic growth lagging behind other states in terms of emerging from the Global Financial Crisis and continuing discipline on spending.

It is federal funding that will provide the bulk of initiatives in health around the state including $6.8 million in 2010-11, to improve access to elective surgery in public hospitals. Also $11.1 million to help achieve a new four-hour national target for access to care in emergency departments and $37.3 million over four years for new sub-acute beds.

The Health Minister also re-announced in her section on the website $61 million towards staffing at the Launceston General Hospital to enable the recruitment of nurses, medical specialists and allied health professionals.

Click here for the Government Budget Website.

---

 

Super Clinics a waste of Money

The Australian Medical Association Tasmania (AMA) welcomes the recognition of the importance of the role of the General Practitioner by the Rudd Government in the recent Budget. Eighty five per cent of Australians see their GP at least once a year and GPs treat 90% of the conditions presented to them. However, the same Government has allocated $233m for the construction of an additional 23 Super Clinics, most of which will be built in areas well serviced by GPs. Dr. Michael Aizen, President of AMA Tasmania, said that they should complement existing GP services, not compete with them. AMA Tasmania calls for the reallocation of this money to add to the $117m already announced for infrastructure improvement of existing General Practices to allow for education of medical students, prevocational trainees, GP Registrars, practice nurses and allied health professionals. Dr. Aizen said that the Government could better support local communities by funding General Practices with the means to broaden the range of services and improve linkages within the primary health care network.

See the full media release by clicking "media Release" in the left hand menu.

---

 

---

 

World "No Tobacco Day"

The Commonwealth Government has been ranked first among Australian governments for making the most progress on combating smoking during 2009/10. With of World No Tobacco Day on 31 May, AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, announced results of the AMA/Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) National Tobacco Scoreboard. The scoreboard allocates points to each State and Territory in various categories, including legislation, to track how effective governments have been at combating smoking in the previous 12 months. For the first time, this year the Commonwealth Government was considered as part of the same ranking process as State and Territory governments.

Presenting the award to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at the AMA's annual conference in Sydney, Dr Pesce said: "The Australian Government is to be congratulated on its comprehensive and determined approach, which will make Australia the world leader in tobacco control. The South Australian State Government was awarded the Dirty Ashtray Award for the second year in a row.

---

 

 General Practice Nurse jobs at Risk in Tasmania

20th May 2010: The decision by the Rudd Government to alter the format of funding of nurses currently employed in General Practices will have the perverse effect of increasing the strain on Tasmanian General Practitioners. The Rudd Government intends to withdraw all the Medicare items for services provided by a practice nurse in December 2011 and for Tasmanian General Practices replace the items with block grants of $30,000 for a fully registered nurse or $15,000 for an enrolled nurse for each full time General Practitioner. Practices with more than 5 doctors will be capped at $150,000. This will make the employment of Practice Nurses not financially viable. It will significantly increase the workload of our already hard pressed Tasmanian General Practitioners. Click here for full media release.

 

---

 

GP's will be able to deliver from Federal Government Budget.

The 2010/11 Federal Government Budget confirms the promised funding for the COAG health agreement and spells out new spending in key areas of the Government's health reform agenda, including primary care and e-Health. New primary health care organisations, or Medicare Locals, need to complement and support the work of GPs; the Government has promised that GPs will remain responsible for the overall management of a patient's care. AMA Federal President Dr Andrew Pesce said the AMA supports the extra funding that will allow more general practices to employ a practice nurse and the removal of geographic boundaries on practice nurse subsidy arrangements. Practice nurses working as part of a general practice team have been a success story with more than 8,500 practice nurses working across the country.

The AMA advises close consultation with the medical profession on the role out of the GP Super Clinics program especially on the location of these clinics. The AMA also supports the Government's investment in e-Health.  Dr Pesce said it is important that the introduction of e-Health programs be accelerated. As part of enrolling people in the e-Health system, the Government will need to support medical practices with their information technology capability so that they can participate fully in the new e-Health environment.

Dr Pesce said a glaring and disappointing omission from the Health budget is any substantial measure to address the plight of people with mental illness. Click here for the complete Media Release.

---

 

Letter to Doctors from the Australian Medical Board (Pesce)

All Members:    Checking the details of your registration with the Medical Board of Australia

On 1 April 2010 I wrote you about what you needed to do to get ready for registration with the Medical Board of Australia by 1 July 2010. By now you will have received, or will shortly receive, your letter from the Medical Board of Australia with a form that should contain information about the details of your proposed registration status with the Board. The AMA noted from a sample of letters provided by AMA Federal Councillors that it was unclear how doctors would know whether the information set out in the form by the Board was correct or not.  

At the AMA's request, the Board has now prepared an explanatory note to assist doctors to check Part 2 of the letter.  I urge you to visit the Board's website to access the explanatory note at the Medical Board website Click here. This note will help you to understand what your registration details should look like and therefore what amendments may need to be sent to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. You may also phone the AHPRA Registration Helpline on 1300 088 590 for further assistance in completing the form.

Yours sincerely
Dr Andrew Pesce
President

---

 

Dr Michael Aizen Elected President of the AMA in Tasmania.

 24th April 2010: On Saturday the AMA Annual General Meeting was held at the Launceston Country Club, Prospect. A good attendance saw robust debate during the two forums, the first on the new National Accreditation and Registration Scheme and the second on future challenges in Aged Care. The AGM which followed saw the election Dr Aizen to the Presidency a position he held once before between 2004 and 2007. Honourary Medical Secretary Dr. Don Rose and Honourary Treasurer is Dr Andrew Jackson.

Dr Andrew Pesce Federal President, also pictured, attended from his city of Sydney. Issues he covered were the, Hospital and Health reform, the NRAS and GP numbers in Tasmania.

In the final address of the afternoon Dr Aizen sincerely thanked and congratulated Dr Chris Middleton for his tireless work and unwavering focus during a difficult time for the AMA.

---

 

Seasonal flu vaccine and young children Stopped

23rd April 2010: Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Dr Jim Bishop confirmed advice received a short while ago from officials that doctors are advised to stop giving the seasonal flu vaccine to children 5 years and under until a cause is established. The CMO will be writing to all immunisation providers with this advice. The AMA will also post this information on the Federal website www.ama.com.au and send a message out to all members with this information. For thefull media release from Dr Bishop click here.

---

 

Michelle O'Byrne new Minister for Health

21st April 2010: Member for Bass Michelle O'Byrne has been appointed as the new Minsiter for Health in Tasmania. First elected to the Tasmanian Parliament on the 18th March 2006, she became Minister for Community Development in October that year, she was also Minister assisting the Premier on Local Government. Born in Tasmania in 1968 she is married to Priam with two children, Eleanor and Sophia. Ms O'Byrne was educated at East Launceston Primary School, Queechy High School, Alanvale College and the University of Tasmania - Launceston Campus.

 

---

 

Monday 26th April is not a holiday for Anzac Day

20th April 2010: AMA members with employees are reminded that Monday next week is not the ANZAC day holiday, unlike the rest of Australia ANZAC day holiday remain on the Sunday and only staff who regulary work on that day are awarded a public holiday. The TCCI has urged employers to ensure they have understood their Public Holiday obligations on ANZAC day, which this year falls on Sunday 25 April 2010. In a recent statement the TCCI has said that only an employee in Tasmania who ordinarily works on Sunday 25 April 2010 is entitled to a public holiday on ANZAC Day 2010. Government webite.

---

 

Federal President to visit AMA Tasmania this weekend.

19th April 2010: The AMA Federal President Dr. Andrew Pesce of Sydney, NSW will be attending the AMA Tasmania Annual General Meeting in Launceston this Saturday at 11.30am. Dr Pesce will address the meeting during the forum on the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme and its introduction here in Tasmania. Lunch will be available for members and guests. Please register by e-mail to the CEO.

---

 

AMA Annual General Meeting and Forums

19th April 2010: Saturday 11.30am to 4pm: Two forums will be held in conjunction with the AMA Tasmania Annual General Meeting this Saturday 24th April at the Launceston Country Club. The first will address the changes regarding the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme with speakers from the current Medical Board and the new National Board, plus the new Australian Health Practioners Regulation Authority.

The second forum after a light lunch will discuss the issue of the Aged Care industry in Tasmania and nursing practitioners.

The AGM will follow shortly afterwards with the tabling of the annual report showing a significant turnaround in the fortunes of the AMA in Tasmania. Advise the AMA office today by e-mail ceo@amatas.com.au if you are attending for catering purposes or call us on 03 6223 2047.

---

 

The message goes direct to the top.

14th April 2010: Dr Chris Middleton AMA Tasmania President speaks to Kevin Rudd the Prime Minister on issues affecting us at the recent National AMA Parliamentary Dinner where the AMA hosted both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Oppoistion Tony Abbott.

 

---

Debate fails to address fundamental medical education issues.

23rd March 2010: The health debate today at the National Press Club between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition failed to shed any light on how either leader would remodel health care education, training and workforce planning to ensure the health care workers of tomorrow will be appropriately trained to Australia's high standards, according to the Australian Medical Students' Association (AMSA). Click here for the full media release. 

President of AMSA Mr Ross Roberts-Thomson welcomed the debate and increased public dialogue on health care reform and said there is an urgent need for concrete solutions to the problems facing health education, training and workforce.

 

---

 

healthdirect Australia is a FREE* 24-hour telephone health advice line staffed by Registered Nurses to provide expert health advice. It is currently available to residents of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. healthdirect is scheduled to be a fully national service by 2011. Phone 1800 022 222 or Click here.

---

 

Funding of New Hospital Beds should be Guaranteed.

In our reponse to the ALP health policy announced on Monday at their Campaign Launch AMA Tasmania stated 150 extra beds were required to bring hospital occupancy rates down to a more efficent 85%. The ALP have assured the AMA that there is capacity for 54 new beds at the LGH in the current redevelopments and the new redevelopment plans at the RHH will include more than 300 new beds.

The AMA position is that the minimum 150 beds called for should be guaranteed with existing funds from Tasmania rather than being dependant upon the Prime Minister's health funding plan which in turn is reliant upon all other State Premiers agreeing to the new system.

---

 

State Government Releases Health Policy at Campaign Launch.

 9th March 2010: The ALP released a major part of its health initiatives on Monday 8th March. The AMA will be responding today Tuesday the 9th. Watch this space.

---

The Lounge is now available for AMA Members at special rates.

The Lounge allows you to mix business and leisure. There are a great variety of work zones, from private meeting rooms to work stations and open-planned meeting areas; all supported with free access to wireless broadband. With The Lounge's free-flowing hospitality and a relaxed ambience, you'll also find plenty of room to catch up and be entertained.

The AMA is proud to offer its members significantly reduced rates to Virgin Blues The Lounge.

Joining Fee: $0.00 (Save $199)

Annual Fee: $269 (Save $100 per year)

To take advantage of this great AMA rate please email memberservices@ama.com.au or call 1300 133 655 with your full name details and Velocity membership number handy. If you do not have a Velocity membership number please join (free membership) first by clicking here.

For more information on Virgin Blues The Lounge please see their website

---

AMA National Conference in Sydney 28th and 29th May.

The AMA National Conference will be held in Sydney from Friday 28 to Saturday 29 May 2010.

All medically-minded eyes and ears will be on the AMA National Conference as committee reports and suggestions are converted into policy in the Rudd Government's health reform agenda.

The AMA is the only independent, professional body representing the interests of all doctors and patients nationally. The AMA's 27,000 members represent all sections of the medical profession - GPs, specialists, doctors in training, medical students, researchers and academics - from all States and Territories.  More than 200 of the AMA's most respected member delegates will gather at the National Conference.

The Conference, with the theme, 'Doctors - no substitute!', will focus on some of the most important changes to health policy in a generation as the Government's various committees, commissions and inquiries convert to policy. In this time of change, the AMA National Conference is a great opportunity for members to have a say in setting the Association's policy agenda  at a critical time in the health debate.

All AMA members are invited to take part in this premier event on the AMA calendar.

Further Information: National Conference Co-ordinator, Tania Goodacre, 02 6270 5481 or tgoodacre@ama.com.au

---

AMA Tas Website hits 40,000 unique visitors in 09

6th Jan 10: With all the activity last year such as the Salaried doctors IR agreement negotiations and the membership recruitment drive, additional media and lots of issues the AMA website chalked up an amazing 40,000 unique visitors, 80,000 hits 09.

---

Contact us:

AMA Tasmania State Office
147 Davey Street
Hobart Tas 7000

Tel. 03 6223 2047
Fax. 03 6223 6469
Mob. 0409 219 368

www.amatas.com.au

ama@amatas.com.au

ABN 11 009 484 931

---

TasTalk

Read our e-magazine.