Positive feedback on general practice nurses

The AMA has been lobbying strongly for greater support for general practice nurses, including a recent letter from AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, to Health Minister Roxon. The AMA wants the Government to provide greater support for GP practice nurses by:

• expanding PIP subsidies to employ practice nurses,
• improving MBS arrangements to recognise a broader range of work that GPs can delegate to practice nurses, and
• expanding the Government’s Bringing Nurses back into the Workforce incentive program to include nurses working in general practices.

Dr Pesce says that feedback from the Minister has been positive. The Minister recognises the important role that practice nurses play in the delivery of high quality primary care services through general practice. The Minister acknowledges that the AMA’s views on the role of practice nurses in improving access to care fits with the Government’s broader health reform agenda – not just as an interim measure, but as a longer term solution to some of the problems impacting on the delivery of primary health care in general practice

Dr Pesce says that while the Minister is not in a position to outline more specific proposals at the moment, it is quite clear that improved arrangements to support GP practice nurses are well and truly on the Government’s radar.

The AMA has for many years promoted the case for an expanded role for nurses in general practice – as part of a holistic team-based approach that provides well-coordinated, high quality patient care.

AMA welcomes new body to combat rheumatic heart disease

AMA Vice President and Chair of the AMA Taskforce on Indigenous Health, Dr Steve Hambleton, said this week that RHDAustralia was an important first step towards eradicating rheumatic heart disease among Indigenous people. The Government has provided RHDAustralia with $2.5 million over four years to combat rheumatic heart disease, which is a major killer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

For several years, the AMA has been calling for a coordinated national effort to eradicate rheumatic heart disease among Indigenous people. Dr Hambleton said that acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease can be prevented if the right screening, management and notification processes – and follow up – are put in place.

Now that this initiative has commenced with RHDAustralia, the AMA would like the Government to continue to build on the momentum by implementing the $11.2 million Rheumatic Fever Strategy that was promised prior to the 2007 election.  Read more  

Members recognised in Australia Day honours list

The AMA congratulates Dr Keith Lipshut OAM (Wangaratta Vic) and Dr John McKee OAM (Bega NSW) who were recognised in the Australia Day 2010 honours list for service to medicine in the areas of general practice and primary health care, as well as service to the community.

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