‘Minor ailments’ not always minor

AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said this week that calls by the self-medication industry for pharmacists to treat so-called ‘minor ailments’ such as coughs, colds, sore throats and back pain instead of doctors could put people with these ailments at risk of more serious health problems.

Dr Hambleton said that minor ailments are not always minor – respiratory tract infections and back pain are often precursors to more serious conditions and require proper diagnosis.

The AMA supports people having greater education and awareness about their health and pursuing self management when it is safe to do so, but much of that education and awareness should come from their GP in the first instance. Making pharmacists the first point of contact for ailments, whether considered minor or not, is ill-advised.

Dr Hambleton said that the AMA is currently lobbying the Government to extend Medicare support for general practice nurses to perform more work on behalf of GPs within general practice. Expanding the role of general practice nurses will help ensure that patients with minor ailments receive timely diagnosis and follow-up care – including education and awareness – in the general practice setting. Read more

New health assessment items – using practice nurses

We been contacted by members who are concerned that the new health assessments items due to take effect from 1 May 2010 will not cover any time spent by practice nurses assisting GPs to undertake the assessment. The AMA is working with the Department of Health and Ageing on the supporting explanatory notes for these items. The explanatory notes will make it clear that practices nurses will continue to be able to assist GPs with performing the health check, and that this time will be considered as being part of the assessment.

Aged care planning and investment needed to meet growing demand

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said this week that urgent planning and investment is needed to meet the health and care needs of an ageing and growing Australian population. One of the missing pieces in the aged care debate of recent days has been the need for accessible medical care for older Australians in residential aged care facilities.

Dr Pesce said that access to medical care for older Australians in residential aged care today is limited. The health needs of older Australians are becoming more complex and numerous, so access to general practice services in particular is crucial.

The AMA wants access to ongoing medical care to be a specific accreditation standard for aged care providers. To address the growing medical care needs in aged care, GPs and their practice nurses and geriatricians and other medical specialists need to be supported to provide more regular ongoing care for their older patients in aged care facilities and in the community.  Among the AMA proposals are:

• allowing GPs to use general practice nurses to assist in the delivery of medical care in aged care facilities,
• accreditation arrangements that more closely monitor and guarantee that aged care residents receive medical care and supervision on an ongoing basis, and
• MBS items that better reflect the complexity of providing ongoing medical care to residents of aged care facilities.

Dr Pesce said the AMA’s concerns around medical care for older Australians are just part of a growing broader crisis in aged care. Australia needs a long-term strategy and significant investment to prepare for the huge demand on aged care services over the next few decades.  Read more