AMA COUNCIL OF GENERAL PRACTICE
The AMA Council of General Practice (AMACGP) met over the weekend of 16/17 February in Melbourne for a productive round of talks.
The Saturday session of the AMACGP meeting is open to other stakeholders and provides and excellent forum for the development of consensus views on GP issues. Attendees included representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, the General Practice Students Network, the Australian Medical Students Association, the AMA Council of Doctors in Training and the AMA Rural Reference Group.
With a new Government in place, some hot GP topics were on the table for discussion over the weekend including GP MRI referral, MBS Simplification, GP Services to Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) and GP SuperClinics.
GP SUPER CLINICS
There is no doubt that GPs are concerned about the potential impact of GP Super Clinics on local general practice infrastructure if the wrong model is implemented. GP Super Clinics must enhance local infrastructure by building on the work of local GPs.
AMACGP members emphasised the need for strong local GP involvement in the development of GP Super Clinics and the need to ensure that GPs retain clinical autonomy and the right to set their own fees. The AMA is currently preparing a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing about the proposed requirements for the GP Super Clinics tendering process.
SIMPLIFIED MEDICARE
The AMACGP is keen to see the Government move forward with its commitment to simplify GP consultation items in the Medicare Schedule. AMACGP confirmed the need for a consultation structure that will reinforce good quality clinical practice. Ways to simplify Chronic Disease Management items to include other aspects such as team care arrangements and preventative screening were also considered.
AGED CARE
Aged care remains a key concern for the AMACGP, with members highlighting the need for the Government to improve funding for RACF visits. The AMACGP agreed to move forward with a survey on GP visits to RACFs to look at that preparedness of GPs to visit RACFs and identify barriers to such visits.
GP MRI REFERRAL
AMACGP discussed the decision earlier this year to review the former Government’s policy allowing limited GP MRI referral. AMACGP members agreed that the model proposed by the former Government was too restrictive and that better patient outcomes could be achieved by allowing GP MRI referral for a wider range of conditions. The AMA will work with the Department of Health and Ageing by providing strong clinical input into the review process.