Australian Medical Association

Doctors will have an opportunity to have their say on how to fix the health system at two meetings to be hosted by the AMA (NSW) in Sydney next week.

The Federal Government is considering the reports of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, the Preventative Health Taskforce, and the Draft Primary Health Care Strategy, ahead of developing its health policies for the next election.

The AMA wants to brief doctors on the recommendations in the various reports and hear back from the doctors how they think the system can be improved

AMA Federal Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, and AMA (NSW) President, Dr Brian Morton, will discuss primary care reform at a forum for doctors at the Burwood Function Centre, 7-9 Burleigh Street Burwood, from 7.00pm on Tuesday 22 September.

AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, and Dr Morton will run a forum on broader health reform at 6.30pm on Thursday 24 September at the John Loewenthal Auditorium at Westmead Hospital, cnr Hawkesbury and Darcy Roads, Westmead.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, today called for the National Primary Health Care Strategy to strengthen the role of general practitioners to ensure that Australians can have access to better primary care services.

Dr Pesce warned that any moves to water down the key leadership role of general practitioners would be a backward step.

“The Draft Strategy, released today, reinforces that Australia has a good health system, built on a solid general practitioner foundation, that is delivering good outcomes for most patients,” Dr Pesce said.

“So, in planning for the nation's future health care needs, we must build on what works - and that means keeping GPs at the centre of primary care,” Dr Pesce said.

AMA VICE PRESIDENT, DR STEVE HAMBLETON, Speech to Catholic Health Australia National Conference, Hobart, Tuesday, 18 August 2009

Improving The Bond Between Primary, Acute and Sub Acute Care 

The AMA has made a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing in response to the report released by DoHA on the outcomes of the Point of Care Testing (PoCT) trial in general practice.

The AMA's response to Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy - A Discussion Paper from the Australian Government.

AMA Position Statement: Referrals within the Profession - 2007

AMA's submission in response to the Exposure Drafts of the Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery) Bill 2007 and the Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery) (Consequential) Bill 2007 for the Access Card (August 2007).

AMA Position Statement: Connectivity - August 2007

Presentation by Dr Peter Garcia-Webb at the Australian Smart Card Summit 2007

AMA Position Statement: Private Health Insurance and Primary Care Services - 2006