AMA Tasmania

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Current News

50th Anniversary Dinner 15th June 2012

11th May 2012: announcing the 50th anniversary dinner. Members are invited to the AMA Tasmania 50^th Anniversary Dinner. The Guest Speaker will be former AMA Tasmania President His Excellency The Hon Dr. Brendan Nelson Australian Ambassador to the European Union (EU), The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Belgium and Luxembourg and Special Representative to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This special evening will be held on Friday the 15^th June 2012 7:30 p.m. for 8:00 p.m. at MONA, 655 Main Road Berriedale. Cost will be $130 per person and R.S.V.P. by the 5^th June 2012 to the CEO at AMA House 147 Davey Street, Hobart on 6223 2047 or ama@amatas.com.au

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Community Health Forums a Success

1st May 2012: After the series of three community forums organised by the ANF and the AMA the political message has been sent. The Budget on the 17th May will be the test. With over 400 people attending around the state the message was well and truly articulated. Tasmania wants and needs effective health care without the currently proposed cuts.

Picture to the right is the panel in Hobart at the Town hall.

 

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Tasmanian Health Forums

11th April 2012: Next week there is a series of community forums being held around the state to discuss, in the public arena, the health sector and the effect of budget cuts are having on it and Tasmanian people. We will hear from a panel of Tasmanian doctors and nurses speaking about the real effects of the budget cuts. All members of the community are welcome to attend an important community forum to join a discussion about the current crisis in our health care system.

HOBART 6:30pm - 8:00pm Wednesday 18 April Hobart Town Hall, 50 Macquarie St Hobart

LAUNCESTON 6:30pm - 8:00pm Thursday 19 April The Tramsheds, 4 Invermay Rd Inveresk

DEVONPORT 6:30pm - 8:00pm Monday 23 April Devonport Entertainment and Convention Centre, 145-151 Rooke St Devonport

Make an effort to attend as this will be a great opportunity to be informed to advise your patients and staff about what is really happening in this state. These forums are being jointly organised by the AMA and the ANF to inform the public about the facts.

Click here for the PDF brochure

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E-health - Personally Controlled E-Health Records

 4th April 2012: AMA Federal has now released a draft guide for doctors on using the PCEHR (draft guide) (MedObs)

 Plus there are more reports of costs for GPs in setting up the PCEHR (6mins)

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Personally Controlled E-Health Records

28th March 2012: GPs will be able to claim Medicare attendance items to fund the work in creating and curating patients' e-health summaries, the Federal Government has revealed. There has been concern from doctors groups about the workload involved in GPs ensuring the information uploaded onto the shared summaries is accurate, up-to-date and fit for clinical use. In a speech on Wednesday health minister Tanya Plibersek said doctors will be able to claim level B, level C or level D items when creating the new records.

The shared health summaries will form a key part of the Personally Controlled E-health Records system being rolled out from July this year. They contain a list of patients' diagnoses, medications, adverse reactions and allergies, as well as immunisation history. Click here for "Australian Doctor".

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Overloaded RHH, not good enough

20th February 2012: The incident at the Royal Hobart Hospital over the weekend show just how close to the bone the Health Department is operation at the moment. Dr. John Davis President of the AMA in Tasmania said in response today, "Scrambling to open more bed in an ad-hoc way, bringing in more staff and asking staff to work excessive hours is unsafe."

The AMA policy for hospital occupancy is 85% leaving 15% of beds to remain operative in case of emergencies like this. Summer time is meant to be the quiet season for hospitals and this sends a very worrying message about the hospital capability to cope in the winter and the flu season. Budget cuts, health reform and hospital redevelopment are all putting undue pressure on the Royal Hobart Hospital, and although staff are to be congratulated they should have never been placed in this position.

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Savings from Private Health Means Test must go to health!

15th February 2012: AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that, should the Government succeed in getting its private health insurance means test changes through the Parliament, all savings should be ploughed back into the health system.

Dr Hambleton said that the extra funding would assist cover existing need in the system and help compensate the public hospital system for any extra demand that may occur as a result of the changes. Australia needs both a strong private sector and a well-funded public sector to deliver effective health care," Dr Hambleton said.

"Private health insurance participation rates must be maintained at current levels to maintain the viability of the private sector. "There are many disparate views of the possible impact of the means test changes. "The Government says its modelling indicates that the changes would have a modest impact on private health membership. Federal AMA analysis of that modelling draws a similar conclusion. "So we will have to look for hard evidence of the impact, not speculation.

"The AMA would be concerned if more people than estimated gave up their cover or if the measure causes people to downgrade their cover to reduce the cost of their premiums. "It is therefore vital that any savings from the measure stay in the health system. "If the changes make it through the Parliament, the Government must monitor the impact of this policy and be prepared to make adjustments if there is any significant reduction in private health insurance membership. "Our public hospitals must be properly resourced and the balance between the public and private sector must be protected," Dr Hambleton said.

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Federal Government warns Tasmania on Health.

10th February 2012: BY LORETTA JOHNSTON The Examiner - THE federal government has said it will be all over the Tasmanian government ''like a rash'' as it scrutinises the state's health spending. Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said yesterday the federal government would require much closer oversight of the state government's management of the health system. ''This withdrawal of effort in elective surgery is very bad for the people of Tasmania,'' she said.

Denison independent MHR Andrew Wilkie yesterday again called for a federal takeover of public hospitals, saying such a takeover was inevitable and that Tasmania was the best place to trial the reform. But Ms Plibersek said the federal government was not contemplating a takeover of the hospital system in Tasmania or any other state or territory. Click here for the online article.

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Tributes to Professor Allan Carmichael OAM

31st January 2012: It is with sadness we at the AMA note the passing of Professor Allan Carmichael member of the AMA in Tasmania and till recently the Head of the Faculty of Health Science and Dean of the Medical School.

Allan was an accomplished educator, administrator and paediatrician his legacy lives on in the many people he has helped in Tasmania since his arrival in 1992. The Board, President and members of the AMA send heartfelt condolences to Beryl, his wife and his family and friends. We will all miss his temperate character and wisdom.

The tributes laid upon Allan last year at his retirement by the then Vice Chancellor Daryl Le Grew showed testimony to the amazing work Allan had done in first rescuing and then growing the Medical School at the University of Tasmania. Our State Health system owes a lot to Allan and he will be sadly missed.

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AMA Events in 2012

25th January 2012: The AMA's 50th anniversary and AGM is being held this year, currently scheduled for Saturday the 14th April in Launceston the meeting will celebrate the AMA's achievements and history. A dinner will be held that evening, more details to follow shortly.

The second Tasmanian Health Conference is on Saturday the 21st July at the C3 Convention Centre South Hobart. Themes, agendas and registration details will all be available soon.

The annual AMA Parliamentary Dinner is on the 25th September 2012. Keep this in your diary.

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Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year.

23rd December 2011: The Board, Members and staff of the AMA wish you all a Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2012. We are looking forward to a VERY BIG year, it's our 50th. The AGM and Dinner will be in Launceston in April, the 2nd Tasmanian Health Conference will be on the 21st July in South Hobart and the Parliamentary Dinner will be held again in September.

Our office will be closed Friday 23rd December at 12.30pm to 9am on Tuesday the 3rd January 2012. Have a safe time and we'll see you in the New Year.

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New Federal Health Minister

12th December 2011: National AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the AMA welcomes the appointment of Tanya Plibersek as Minister for Health.

Dr Hambleton said that Ms Plibersek's Ministerial experience in Housing, Human Services, and the Status of Women, along with her commitment to social equity and social justice, makes her well equipped to take on the demands and challenges of the Health portfolio.

"The AMA looks forward to a close working relationship with the new Minister," Dr Hambleton said. http://ama.com.au/node/7412

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New Ministry and Structure will help!

12 December 2011: Dr. John Davis, President of the AMA in Tasmania, commented today on the Review of Governance Arrangements for the Department of Health and Human Services paper. Dr. Davis said, "This paper confirms our statements of the past where we have criticised the top heavy nature of the DHHS".  

"A smaller and more efficient Ministry is welcomed however the proof of efficiency gains will remain in the implementation of these recommendations", he said. These changes are in line with the National Health Reforms and the introduction of Activity Based funding. Also, data management and standardization will be welcomed and increase efficiencies in the sector. Click here for the full release.

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Wilkie tricked so that Labor gets Government.

5th December 2011:  Last year after the Federal Election Andrew Wilkie had been elected as the new member for Denison and found himself in a position where his support would determine who formed Government and who became Prime Minister.  

Mr Wilkie negotiated funds for the redevelopment of Royal Hobart Hospital selecting the ALP's $340 million over the $1 billion offered by the opposition. But he was tricked. The funds Mr Wilkie negotiated were not new additional money but simply "early" access to our already due GST entitlement! The funds Mr Wilkie achieved, in order for Ms Gillard to become Prime Minister, were nothing more than an advance on our "pocket money" from Canberra. Premier Lara Giddings agrees, in Parliament last month she said, "the reality is, it is not additional, it is just a matter of when we get the funding".  

At the time these funds were allocated there was talk of a submission having to be lodged and approval gained however there was never any mention that the money was to come from Tasmania's own future GST revenue. Mr Wilkie was tricked; the Tasmanian government were complicit (they signed up) and the Prime Minister took power by default.

Click here for the full media release.

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