AMA Budget Submission focuses on General Practice
The AMA has called on the Federal Government to significantly increase recurrent spending on health to properly meet current and future demand for quality care and services in the Australian health system.
Releasing the AMA’s Pre-Budget submission for the 2020-21 Federal Budget, AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, said that the AMA wants the Government to lift spending from its current level of 9.3 per cent to a level in line with comparable countries.
In releasing the submission, Dr Bartone said that “The cornerstone of our health system is general practice.
“The role of primary care, especially general practice, must be built up and properly supported to underpin and coordinate service provision across the whole health system.
“Quality general practice has significantly, progressively, and systematically been under-resourced and underfunded for more than a decade.”
Specifically, in relation to general practice the AMA submission calls on the Government to:
- Progressively extend the over 70’s voluntary enrolment program that is scheduled to commence on 1 July this year;
- Increase MBS rebates for services in aged care facilities;
- Improve MBS arrangements for GP after hours services provided in rooms;
- Fund wound care services in general practice;
- Provide funding to support longer consultations;
- Fund dedicated mental health services in general practice; and
- Improve working conditions for GP registrars.
Read the full media release here.
Download the AMA’s 2020-21 Pre-Budget Submission here.
