AMA: WIDEN NATIONAL IMMUNISATION REGISTER
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, has welcomed the announcement of a new national register of human papilloma virus vaccinations but says the $23.5 million in Federal funding earmarked for the project could be used to develop and implement a whole-of-life immunisation register.
Dr Capolingua says that the National Human Papilloma Virus Register is an important part of the fight against cervical cancer, which will help remind girls and women when they need vaccine updates, and collect data on the program’s effectiveness. The HPV register is a great addition, but the Federal Government needs to take action on a register that would maintain complete records. Dr Capolingua says it would be convenient for patients and doctors, and ensure that patients are up to date and covered with immunisations, as well as reducing unnecessary duplication of vaccinations. For doctors, a national whole-of-life register would provide total data to complement their patient records, and for patients, they would know that wherever and whenever in Australia they have had an immunisation, it would be recorded.
Find out more here.
INFORMATION PACKS ON CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT (CDM) MEDICARE ITEMS
Medicare Australia is sending information packs on CDM Medicare items to GP practice staff. The packs include quick reference guides, information sheets for GP practice managers and brochures for patients. Medicare Australia says that the information reinforces key Medicare requirements and will assist health care professionals to prepare comprehensive and Medicare-compliant care plan documents.
The quick references guides are available from Medicare Australia. More information is available by phoning (07) 3121 5095.
ACC GRANTS AUTHORISATION TO AMA NSW
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a determination granting authorisation to a collective bargaining arrangement put forward by the Australian Medical Association (NSW).
Under the arrangement, AMA NSW is authorised to negotiate collectively with NSW Health and public health organisations, including area health services, on the terms of contracts for visiting medical officers in the NSW public hospital system.
The ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said that "the ACCC considers the proposed collective arrangement may result in public benefit in the form of enhanced representation of VMOs in dealings with NSW Health".
AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE NETWORK CRITICISED FROM WITHIN
The Age (13/8/2008) has reported that the AGPN has been attacked by the head of one of its largest divisions – GP Links Wide Bay in Queensland – for supporting changes to the roles of GPs and allied health professionals that are being considered by the Australian Government. In a letter to the AGPN, the Chairman of the Division, Dr Paul Neeskens, criticised the Network’s submission to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission which endorsed expanded roles and limited prescribing rights for allied health professionals.
Dr Neeskens also expressed concern that the Network was considering support for government funding to individual Divisions, which would see more doctors paid wages on a fee-for-service basis at the local level. He was also reported as criticising the introduction of specialist teams for managing chronic disease. Dr Neeskens expressed disappointment that the Divisions were not consulted on the Networks’s submission.