Australian Medical Association

Dr Pesce discusses the health of medical practitioners at the 6th National Doctors' Health Conference in Adelaide.

AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, addressed the National Press Club in Canberra.

Dr Pesce set out some of the priorities he will pursue as AMA President and discussed a variety of issues including: health reform; indigenous health; AMA-government relations; GP Week; GP-led care; rural health; e-health; a proposed long term care scheme for the catastrophically injured; and professional responsibility.

The Address was broadcast live on ABC Television.

"I will talk about the important issue of medical indemnity - an issue covered extensively in the media over the last 12 to 18 months, especially by the Australian Financial Review. "While the focus has been on indemnity and doctors, the problems I cover today have relevance to all the professions. "But I bet the premiums for others do not match those for obstetricians, neurosurgeons and other high-risk medical professionals," Dr Phelps said.

"National Conference is the high point of the AMA's year and is vitally important in charting the future course of the Association," Dr Phelps said. "Medical indemnity, the future of Medicare, the conditions facing our junior doctors, the medical workforce and the medical response to terrorism this is the AMA roadmap for the year ahead."

While the headlines may be dominated by Iraq, the cricket World Cup, and the State election here in New South Wales, there is one major area of concern for the Australian people that continues to bubble under the surface ready to explode onto the front pages at any minute. That area of concern is health - the health of all Australians today and into the future. Even in these troubled times, health issues do occasionally manage to break through the world news because the Australian people are starting to demand answers to the problems they know are besetting the health system - their health system.

"Once the cornerstone of every Australian community, the family doctor has been ignored, trodden on, insulted or beaten into submission or all of the above," said Dr Bill Glasson. "Not by patients, mind you, but by successive Governments of both persuasions over many, many years. "Our GPs have had the goodwill squeezed out of them and now there's nothing more to give."

"Providing the best possible environment for our kids to learn and grow is the best possible investment we can make," said Dr Bill Glasson. "The return on that investment will be better communities and a better Australia. "And, of course, we hope they'll look after us, as we get old. "An equally important investment we should be making is better health for Indigenous Australians. And Rotary is doing great work in this area. It's fantastic."

"I congratulate Australian network of healthcare providers ANHP - and Boeing on their partnership with government in the development of what is called a 'health value chain management project'," said Dr Bill Glasson.

Speech - National Launch of Carers Week 2004 Canberra, Monday 18 October 2004 AMA Vice President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal

WHERE HAVE ALL THE DOCTORS GONE? [they've gone to do other things, every one] We are all familiar with Doctor Who? We now have a new concept in primary care Doctor Where?