The health and social systems, championed by the AMA NT, support the health and wellbeing of all Territorians.

AMA NT represents and advocates on behalf of all doctors in the Northern Territory to achieve better outcomes for our patients and community through a robust health system and workforce.

Review and improve the organisation’s governance processes

1.1. Convene a governance working group before the end of 2024, to review the current governance structure of AMA NT and present a recommendation for any potential changes to the wider council by February 2025.

1.2. Review the constitution of AMA NT with legal advice to ensure that it meets contemporary standards.

Invest in the resources of the organisation

1.3. Consider the addition of a community representative on AMA NT Council.

1.4. Invest in staff and council development to enhance organisational capacity and efficiency.

1.5.Ensure adequate infrastructure to achieve strategic goals, this includes software, office and IT infrastructure.

1.6 Ensure that a schedule for activities and events of AMA NT are laid out for each year and that this annual schedule is shared with council and members.

Future-proof income streams

2.1. Obtain financial advice about effective and ethical investment of retained funds, to provide direction by the end of 2025 about an alternative investment of money currently in the bank.

2.2 Diversify income streams to reduce reliance on membership fees.

2.3. Increase memberships with a target penetrance of 50% by 2026 and 70% by 2027.

Ensure that expenditure is effective and in line with strategic objectives

2.4. Create a sponsorship guideline which is ethical and effective (for both giving and receiving sponsorship).

2.5. Approach sponsors, with at least two confirmed by the end of 2025

2.6. Ensure sponsorships given out to other partnership organisations are done so with consideration for the vision, mission and values of AMA and provide a return on investment in achieving our strategic goals.

2.7. Produce an annual budget which is reported against at each council meeting to ensure financial strategy and transparency.

Document and implement clear processes for advocacy

3.1. Publish and annual report at the AGM of member and council demographics as compared to available medical professional demographics in the NT to work toward a more representative council.

3.2. Use the above council and member demographic survey to target under-represented groups in members. This will include

3.2.1 International medical graduates

3.2.2 Non-hospital based doctors, particularly primary care and rural generalists

3.3. Establish a social media presence with at last one post each fortnight across channels.

3.4. Refresh branding to ensure that it keeps the strong AMA image but also represents the NT, and is recognisable to members.

Incentivise joining

3.5. Run two membership joining initiatives per year (e.g. referral bonus, raffle off a free membership).

Generate ongoing engagement with membership

3.6. Explore other methods of increasing member engagement and two way communication, for example via Whatsapp, and social media or a podcast.

3.7. Two in-person member events in Darwin and Alice Springs each year.

Generate ongoing engagement with membership

4.1. Conduct an annual survey of members to identify priority areas for advocacy.

4.2. Establish a guideline or approach for advocacy which outlines an approach to reactive and proactive advocacy including who is consulted prior to speaking with media or stakeholders, how media statements are constructed.

4.3. Trial a taskforce approach to proactive advocacy, with local members and experts invited to collaborate on proactive advocacy campaigns.

Build the advocacy capability of council and staff

4.4. Expand AMA NT capabilities in advocacy throughout training +/- recruitment of professional staff.

4.5. Provide media training for members of AMA NT Council.

Track advocacy wins and communicate them to members

4.6. Develop and maintain an advocacy rubric to track issues and developments.

4.7. Improve communication of advocacy to members and facilitate two way communication to gather member feedback.

Partnership Development and Maintenance

5.1. Map current partnerships and review three monthly.

5.2. Establish relationships with other health professional representative bodies in the NT including AMSANT and ANMF.

5.3. Reach out and meet with other health stakeholders in the NT (e.g. AMSANT, Menzies, NT PHN) to establish relationships for future joint advocacy.

Operational and Advocacy Alignment

5.4. Review the agreement between AMA NT and ASMOF NT for functionality, with a recommendation to be presented to Council by April 2025.

5.5. Meet regularly with AMA Federal to articulate AMA NT strategy, and look for areas for collaboration in advocacy and operations.

Community Engagement and Awareness

5.6. Build relationships with local specialty training college branches for collaborative local and member advocacy including RACGP, ACRRM, ANZCA, CICM, ACEM, RANZCP, and RACP.

5.7. Build community awareness of AMA NT including with more regular radio interviews or segments.

The organisation’s values will be evident every day in the behaviours of the individuals.

Integrity Inclusivity Accountability Integrity underscores our dedication to ethical practice and accountability. We strive to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, honesty, and transparency in all our actions and decisions.

Inclusivity represents our belief in fostering a healthcare system and organisation that values diversity and ensures all voices are heard. We are committed to creating an environment where every individual feels respected, represented, and valued. We work to eliminate disparities and ensure that everyone, regardless of location, background, or circumstance, can receive high-quality medical care.

Accountability highlights our responsibility to deliver on our commitments to members. We are transparent in our actions, ensure measurable outcomes, and take ownership of our impact on the healthcare system.

Collaboration emphasizes our belief in the power of working together with partners, including healthcare professionals, governments, and communities. By fostering partnerships, we aim to co-create sustainable solutions for the NT’s healthcare challenges.