Latest wins: President and CEO update June 2025
Now less than two weeks out from the state budget, we are ramping up our advocacy efforts to secure change in favour of Queensland doctors, patients and the health of our communities.
We also continue to reinforce our public health messaging on the importance of staying up to date with vaccinations, as vaccine fatigue remains one of our biggest challenges.
Advocacy efforts
Boosting vaccination rates
On Friday 30 May, Dr Yim joined Chief Health Officer Dr Heidi Carroll at Hawthorne Clinic in Brisbane to promote the importance of staying up to date with vaccinations, as flu rates spike and a new highly contagious strain of COVID-19 spreads in Australia.
Despite Queensland Health providing free influenza shots again this year, vaccination fatigue remains a real challenge.
Last year, nearly 200 people died from influenza – many of whom were unvaccinated. Concerningly, almost 20 per cent were aged between 30 and 65, a group generally considered to be at lowest risk.
We continue to promote the vaccine in the media and are supporting Queensland Health in circulating its resource kit for doctors containing key messages and materials you can use in your own communication channels. You can find it on our website.
State Budget Priorities
Now well over halfway through our budget campaign, our calls to government have been heard loud and clear, garnering strong media coverage in a variety of outlets across the state.
To date, we have called for a renewed focus on improving elective surgery outcomes, increased funding into mental health services, urgent reforms to support our health workforce, meaningful investment in First Nations, women’s and LGBTQIASB+ health services, and the prioritisation of long-term solutions with a focus on preventive health.
Our other budget priorities include, improving boosting digital integration, and ensuring more options and support for those needing end of life care.
We will continue to voice the importance of these health areas in the lead up to and beyond the state budget later this month.
Support for general practice workforce
AMA Queensland welcomes any investment in healthcare, but particularly when it prioritises workforce support in the areas and specialties most in need.
This is why we were quick to welcome the Queensland Government’s commitment to primary healthcare with the confirmation of the General Practice Trainee Incentive program announced late last month.
The $24 million investment will see more than 550 eligible doctors starting their GP training in Queensland in 2025 receive one-off payments of $40,000 and is a much-needed attraction incentive to have doctors train to be GPs in Queensland.
We have long campaigned for this GP attraction incentive to align with that offered in Victoria, and it formed part of our 2025-26 and previous years’ budget submissions.
We must support our junior doctors to work in our regional and rural areas, to care for those communities who are in desperate need of increased primary care access.
We look forward to seeing this, and other initiatives AMA Queensland has advocated for, funded in the upcoming state budget.
Queensland Health has compiled responses to a list of frequently asked questions and provided guidelines detailing their GP Trainee Incentive. You can access these on our website.
News
MOCA 7 update
Medical Officers’ Certified Agreement No 7 (MOCA 7) negotiations are still ongoing, and the expiry date for MOCA 6 is fast approaching.
In preparation for a possible escalation in negotiations, we have asked all members to ensure their details are up to date.
This includes, contact details, employment location (which hospital), classification with Queensland Health, and ASMOFQ member status.
As an ASMOFQ member, you will be supporting our work to achieve the best MOCA outcome and by providing your current details, we will be able organise meetings and co-ordinate action if and/or when needed.
Please visit the AMA Queensland Member Portal to update your details.
If you have colleagues who wish to join AMA Queensland and ASMOFQ, please refer them to this page: https://www.ama.com.au/qld/join
We also encourage you to share our ready-made social media resources with your colleagues. You can find this on our Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Healthscope collapse
The viability of the private health sector is becoming an increasing challenge, and this is only exacerbated by the news of Healthscope’s collapse.
Healthscope has advised AMA Queensland that all its hospitals remain open and operational, with no current impacts on staff, doctors or patient care.
Beyond Healthscope, private health is an essential part of Australia’s healthcare system. This situation only reinforces the need to adopt the AMA’s proposal for an independent Private Health System Authority, giving much better oversight of the sector.
Having robust private healthcare gives options to patients and reduces the burden on the public health system, while also providing extra opportunities for doctors and nurses who move between the two as a key driver of workforce retention.
We continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition for staff, doctors and patients involved, while also urging the state and federal governments to work together to ensure a sustainable private healthcare system into the future.
Toowong Private Hospital’s voluntary administration
As one of three major private psychiatric hospitals in Brisbane, Toowong Private Hospital has long been a cornerstone for veterans seeking mental health care. Its imminent closure brings significant unease for its large metropolitan patient base.
Patients are concerned about their treatment options, and doctors are scrambling to find alternatives options.
Unfortunately, acute patients that haven’t been managed before the closure will likely be admitted to public hospitals.
System wide, we already don’t have enough hospital beds for this to happen. This closure will only exacerbate the issue, putting pressure on our already stretched public hospital system.
While this is a complex issue with many stakeholders, patients must not be left to bear the consequences.
The administrators informed us in mid-May that they are working with hospital staff and other stakeholders to minimise patient disruptions. We will continue to update members as we know more.
Campaigns
Board and Council election
Hervey Bay GP and incumbent President Dr Nick Yim has been re-elected by fellow doctors to serve a second term as AMA Queensland President.
He was officially reappointed to the role at the AMA Queensland AGM on Friday 30 May.
Vice President Dr Emilia Dauway will also serve a second term after being elected unopposed, along with Dr Eleanor Chew OAM as Board Chair.
One new Board member, Prof Paul Griffin, has been elected, as well as seven new Council members, including student representatives.
There were no eligible nominees for the Full-time Salaried Medical Practitioner Representative or Downs and West Area Representative positions. These positions are currently being advertised as casual vacancies.
If you’re interested in representing your fellow doctors on AMA Queensland Board or Council, we encourage you to apply. More information can be found on our website here.
Four Queensland medical students awarded scholarships
AMA Queensland Foundation has awarded $10,000 scholarships to four Queensland medical students to support them in continuing their medical studies and pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors.
Rheannon Griffin, Alexandra Green and Noah Steel are this year’s Medical Student Scholarships recipients.
A fourth student Ann Vincent was awarded a scholarship supported by the Indian Medical Association Queensland under the Foundation’s Sponsor one Student Program.
“Without financial support, some medical students experience hardship significant enough to threaten their ability to complete their studies, and this is a need the Foundation seeks to fill with our scholarship program," AMA Queensland Foundation Chair Dr Dhupelia said.
The Foundation is hoping to offer three or more Medical Student Scholarships in 2026 with your support.
Donations are currently open through its annual End of Financial Year tax appeal where all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
AMA Queensland honour awards
Four notable AMA Queensland members were honoured at this year’s Dinner for the Profession on Friday 20 May.
Central Queensland GP Dr Mary Dunne, who has served the town of Woorabinda for nearly 30 years, was honoured with the Gold Medal.
The AMA Queensland Excellence in Healthcare Award went to breast cancer specialist Prof Sunil Lakhani, the Rural Health Medal to Dr Matt Masel and the Doctor in Training Medal to Dr Elise Witter.
We congratulate these doctors on their phenomenal achievements throughout their careers so far.
King’s Birthday honours
Two AMA Queensland members have been recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday honours for their significant service to medicine, their profession and the community.
Long-time AMA Queensland member Associate Professor David Rimmer received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to rural and remote medicine – a critically important area of health that has historically been underserved.
Dr Carol Douglas received the Public Service Medal for her outstanding public service in palliative medicine – a result of her devotion to improving end-of-life care for patients, families and carers across the country.
Clive Berghofer AM was also recognised for his distinguished service to the community and has been appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
Congratulations to our members and the many healthcare professionals for their well-deserved recognition.
We are deeply thankful for every doctor who continues to strive for better health outcomes for all Queenslanders.
Events
JDC wrap up
More than 200 medical students and junior doctors joined us in Hervey Bay for this year's Junior Doctor Conference.
Early arrivers gathered at The Beach House Hotel to meet the Hervey Bay medical community on Friday night before starting the conference early Saturday morning.
Delegates were welcomed to country by Aunty Karen Hall, before welcomes from the Committee of Doctors in Training and the Fraser Coast Regional Council.
The highlight of the day was the ‘speed dating the specialities’ session, offering each specialty just 15 minutes to win over delegates.
Sunday was the chance to get hands on, with delegates getting the chance to do USS guided cannulation, airway skills and ward call simulation before it was time to head to the beach for a bit of rest and relaxation, or a turn on the stand-up paddleboards or kayaks.
Thank you to our partners and sponsors for making this event possible, and to the more than 200 students and doctors for taking the time to attend. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.
Upcoming events
Are you based in North Queensland? Townsville doctors, we have the perfect weekend of networking and insightful discussion planned for you this July. Join us, your colleagues and other local doctors for our Member networking event on a Friday evening, before celebrating women supporting fellow women and our male allies at our Women in Medicine Breakfast.
Join AMA Queensland and the Australian Senior Active Doctors Association (ASADA) for our engaging and inspiring one-day Senior Doctor Conference tailored to senior active and retired doctors this August.
Are you thinking about travelling overseas this year? Join us for our Annual Conference 2025 in Vancouver, Canada to earn CPD points and learn key issues facing the profession while immersed in a unique tourism destination.
We can't wait to see you at one of our 2025 events!
