GP Network News, Issue 10, Number 40 - 12 November 2010
New Format for GPNN, Positive Move by Minister on Care for People with Diabetes, Minister must clarify regulations for collaborative care, AMA welcomes review of assessment processes for IMGs, Mental Health and Life Insurance guides, new AMA Platinum Edge Credit Card – Get the Edge
You may have noticed last week we introduced the new format for GPNN. The new GPNN provides improved navigation and enables subscribers to post their comment directly to the website. We hope you take up the opportunity to provide your feedback and views in this way. Positive Move by Minister on Care for People with Diabetes AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the AMA welcomes Health Minister Nicola Roxon's revised approach to implementing a new scheme for care of people with diabetes. Dr Pesce said the Minister has consulted closely with the AMA and the profession and has now proposed a trial of the scheme so it can be properly assessed and evaluated. "The AMA supports good evidence being the basis for decisions on health policy," Dr Pesce said. "A reliable and valid trial will take the politics out of the debate and ensure that decisions on health service delivery are made based on evidence to support good patient outcomes." The AMA has agreed to be a member of the 'design group' to help put together, oversee, and evaluate the trail. Dr Pesce commended the Minister for seeking and including clinical input into this trial. Click here for more. Minister must clarify regulations for collaborative care AMA President, Dr Andew Pesce, called on the Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, to urgently clarify the intent and coverage of the new regulations for collaborative care between doctors and nurse practitioners. Dr Pesce said that claims in the media by some groups, especially Revive Clinics, that their models of care are eligible for access to Medicare and the PBS are throwing the new arrangements into disarray and confusion. The AMA supports formalised collaborative arrangements where a doctor is in a position to provide advice and medical support when required for patients being seen by nurse practitioners. This is in keeping with the spirit and intent of the legislation and is the best model of care for patients. The AMA does not support contrived arrangements that may involve correspondence with a 'remote' or 'distant' doctor who signs off on a written protocol but who cannot provide advice and direct medical support when required. The Minister must clarify the types of collobarative care arrangements that the Government intended would attract Medicare rebates. Click here for more. AMA welcomes review of assessment processes for IMGs The AMA this week welcomed the Medical Board of Australia's review of assessment processes for international medical graduates (IMGs) working in Australia. In August and again last week the AMA raised concerns with the Board about the assessment pathways. Unnecessary delays in the assessment process and the seemingly heavy reliance on the Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview are among the concerns raised. The AMA continues to fully support a robust assessment process to ensure that only competent and qualified doctors can work in Australia. However, the review is needed to ensure that there is fair and appropriate asessment arrangements that don't prejudice IMGs or the communities they work in or seek to work in. Click here for more. Mental Health and Life Insurance guides The AMA as a signatory to the Menthal Health Memorandum of Understanding between the Mental Health Sector Stakeholders (MHSS), the Investment & Financial Services Association (IFSA) and the Financial Planners Association (FPA) is pleased to make available the Mental health and life insurance: what you need to know guides. These guides, a brief and more detailed one, have been developed to inform patients with mental health conditions of their rights and obligations when seeking life insurance. GPs may wish to make these guidelines available for patients. The guidelines in PDF are attached at the bottom of this newsletter for your convenience. To order printed copies for your waiting rooms click here.
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NEW AMA Platinum Edge Credit Card – Get the Edge
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