NEW SECRETARY GENERAL
The Executive Council of the Federal AMA has appointed Mr Francis Sullivan as Secretary General of the Federal AMA.
Mr Sullivan, who has been CEO of Catholic Health Australia for 14 years, will take up the position in February 2008.
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, has thanked Mr Kerry Gallagher for providing outstanding service and support to the AMA as Secretary General over the last five months.
GARDASIL
Following recent press reports about adverse events as a result of vaccination with Gardasil, CSL Biotherapies Pty Ltd wish to advise the following:
The reported 496 adverse events, of a 2.2 million doses administered in Australia, is very low and consistent with other vaccines.
Most of the adverse events reported are minor and short lasting, including injection site reactions.
The reported rate and types of side effects are consistent with that observed in clinical trials, which included over 26,000 people.
To date over 18 million doses of GARDASIL have been distributed worldwide, with GARDASIL available in over 80 countries.
As we do with all our medicines and vaccines, we will continue to carefully evaluate all reports of adverse events.
The benefits of GARDASIL in the prevention of cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers and pre-cancers, as well as genital warts*, are significant, and should be considered in the context of the low reports of side effects, most of which are minor.
(*due to HPV 6, 11, 16 or 18)
For further information, please contact Dr Rachel David (CSL) on 0401 775 779.
UK – PATIENTS PREFER SMALL CLINICS
Policy makers should note the results of a recent UK survey indicating that patients from smaller clinics had higher satisfaction levels then those from larger clinics.
Statistics from the Improving Practice Questionnaire (IPQ), which asked patients at 2,500 practices for their views, show that satisfaction levels are higher when a practice is smaller.
Patients of smaller clinics were more satisfied with the opening hours, telephone access, access to preferred practitioner and waiting times.
In 2006/07, UK practices with a list size below 3,000 achieved an average satisfaction score of 68%, compared to 63% for practices with 6,000 to 12,000 patients and 61% for those with more than 12,000.
The findings highlight that future plans for GP super clinics need to be carefully developed in full consultation with the profession and that bigger is not necessarily better.