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Doctors’ role in aged care workforce to be considered following AMA advocacy

Following ongoing lobbying from the AMA, the doctor’s role will be considered as part of the aged care sector workforce. The Senate Community Affairs References Committee has adopted several of the AMA’s recommendations to the Inquiry into the future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce.

AMA Vice President, Dr Tony Bartone, said the AMA welcomed the adoption of their recommendations.

“The AMA has long argued that doctors should be regarded as an integral part of the aged care workforce, particularly in residential aged care, in the same way that medical practitioners are an integral part of the hospital workforce,” Dr Bartone said.

“GPs, as the coordinators of care, prevent more expensive downstream costs, including visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions.”

“There is still more work to be done, particularly around reviewing Medicare items for GP consultations with aged care residents or patients living in the community who are immobile. This would also include telehealth and after-hours access to care,” Dr Bartone said.

“But the Committee’s recommendations are a promising start to developing a national aged care workforce strategy.”

The Committee has made 19 recommendations, including that the National Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce should consider the role of medical and allied health practitioners in aged care.

Full media release

Read the Committee’s Report.

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