Doorstop - AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, Parliament House, Canberra - The formation of an expert committee to examine issues in relation to medical indemnity

As you know, the terms of reference has been laid out.  The make-up of that committee has been listed and, essentially, we're happy with the outcome of both the terms of reference and also the make-up of that committee.

It's very important that we now move forward to an outcome to really focus on the real issue, and that is preserving the medical workforce in this country.  And I'm very hopeful, as I say, with the team we have, with the expertise we have both within that committee and also the group that surrounds that committee, that we can actually deliver for the Australian public.

And I keep saying this is all about the Australian public, this is all about saying to the average Australian we want to be able to wake up tomorrow and make sure that your general practitioner or your specialist is there to serve you.  And so we are, as I said, we are confident that we can move ahead from here.

QUESTION:         Have doctors withdrawn their resignations yet?

GLASSON:          Yes, across the board, I think the profession at large are signalling to us that they are going to hold off, essentially, and wait for the outcome of this.  I can reassure them that the discussions we had today with Mr Abbott, which were extended over a couple of hours, really tried to address the root of the problem.  And I'm sure Mr Abbott is better informed as a consequence of those discussions and, as I say, I'm happy that we can actually come up with an outcome in early December.

QUESTION:         Do you think you can reach a solution without more Commonwealth money?

GLASSON:          No, obviously at the end of the day this is going to require funds.  But I suggest to you that we can probably better direct our funds.  The money that's been put up so far, really the strategy that we've been talking about today, is in fact that we may be putting the funds at the wrong part of the equation, and that we've really got to look at the structural reforms required, and then look at what financial underpinning that deserves, to make sure it's sustainable.  And make sure it delivers in decreased premiums and obviously, security to the profession across the board.

QUESTION:         Wasn't there a reference in Mr Abbott's announcement last week of this task force that there be $25 million more Commonwealth money and that there should be no further request for money coming from the medical profession?

GLASSON:          I mean, we're not starting asking forr more money.  We're actually starting to look at the model, and looking at what it needs to make it sustainable. 

So we haven't gone, sort of, as I said we've really gone asking for the structural change first and foremost, looking at what are the cost drivers in the system - what are, in fact, keeping premiums up, and seeing how we can address those cost drivers to actually bring them down.

And so in reality, at this stage, we're not quite sure whether it needs more money or not, or whether it actually just needs a re-direction of the money that's been currently committed to the system.

Thank you.

Ends