GP Network News, Issue 11, Number 27 - 15 July 2011
AMA Survey – Mental Health Cuts; ANF Medical Centres and Clinics Claim; AMA Council of General Practice (AMACGP); Medicare Locals; Medicare Rebates for Telehealth from 1 July 2011; NSW Court of Appeal Decision; Stopped receiving your medical magazines?; Veterans’ Medicines Advice & Therapeutics Education Services (Veterans’ MATES) Topic 27; Email the AMA; Post new comment
2011 AMA Family Doctor Week: Excellence in Health Care The AMA celebrates Family Doctor Week next week, 18 to 24 July! It is a week to highlight the important and valuable role that family doctors play in providing health care to the Australian community. The AMA congratulates and applauds family doctors throughout Australia for your great work providing excellent health care to patients and communities. Please make time next week to visit the Family Doctor Week page on the AMA website to see the highlights including three great short videos profiling GPs doing amazing and diverse things in their professional and personal life. The AMA will release a number of press releases about issues affecting family doctors and the Federal AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, will give an address at the National Press Club on Wednesday 20 July. During the week the AMA will release the findings of its survey on the impact of the Government’s cuts to Medicare rebates for GP mental health services and the AMA will also launch a survey on the impact of red tape on family doctors. GP Quits Expert Panel on Mental Health In a move Dr Hambleton has described as “amazingly courageous”, Dr Christine McAuliffe has resigned from the Government Expert Advisory Group on Mental Health over the cuts to Medicare funding of GP mental health services referred to above. Dr McAuliffe is reported to have said the $405 million in cuts to GP mental health rebates were “a step backwards” and why she quit on Monday this week. Click here for the full article that appeared in the Australian Newspaper. Sign the Petition Opposing Mental Health Funding Cuts Click here to support the AMA’s campaign against these funding cuts, where you can add your name to the over 1800 signatures collected so far on the petition to have the Government reverse its May Budget decision to cut patient rebates on GP mental health items. The petition includes a template letter that you can send to your local MP. You can also click here to listen to AMA President, Dr Hambleton discussing the AMA's campaign to restore funding for the Better Access program. The AMA GP Survey – Mental Health Funding Cuts Thank you to the 763 respondents who participated in our recent GP survey on mental health funding cuts. The results will be published during Family Doctor Week and will provide vital information to support our ongoing campaign. We welcome your comments and suggestions as well. Please tell us what you think.
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