President’s update: Focusing on policies, not politics
In his latest President’s Update, A/Prof Peter Subramaniam outlines AMA SA’s focus in the final week of the election campaign. He also updates members on the organisation’s work to strengthen community mental health care and better support international medical graduates.
As you may have seen, the second‑last week of the election campaign has been dominated by a political storm after the Government shared an email with the media in the context of ambulance ramping and hospital care. The email was presented as a response to a family’s public account of their loved one’s final hours. It later emerged that the email had been attributed to the wrong patient.
I’ve been asked for comment through the media, and my position has been clear: when patient stories are politicised, they distract from the real task of fixing the system. Patients and families speak out because they want better care and better outcomes – not to see their experiences used to praise or attack governments.
With just nine days to go until polling day, AMA SA’s focus remains firmly on the policies behind the politics. The AMA’s Public Hospital Report Card, released today, shows South Australia’s emergency departments performed well below the national average during the 2024–25 financial year, while surgery waiting times continue to worsen. These are the issues that demand political attention. Voters deserve more than political point-scoring, and AMA SA will continue to use its public platform to keep the focus on what matters most to patients and doctors.
Mental health gaps
One issue that demands urgent attention is the well‑documented gap between the prevalence of mental illness and the availability of community‑based support in South Australia. The 2024 South Australian Mental Health Services Plan estimates that one in five South Australians experiences a mental health condition each year, yet fewer than half access treatment.
Workforce shortages are making it increasingly difficult for GPs and psychiatrists to access multidisciplinary mental health teams. The interface between GP‑led primary mental health care and community mental health services remains poorly coordinated, and there are insufficient services to support early discharge or prevent escalation to hospital admission.
Throughout this election campaign – and for many years prior – AMA SA has consistently called for workforce planning and targeted investment to ensure mental healthcare can be delivered effectively in the community. To date, neither Labor nor the Liberal Party has committed to the level of planning and investment required.
Last week, I raised these concerns with SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros, Chair of South Australia’s Health Services Parliamentary Select Committee. It was encouraging that she heard our concerns and has since expressed public support for our recommendations.
AMA SA is calling for:
- the establishment of a funded community mental health workforce strategy
- expansion of mobile crisis response teams
- strengthening of the existing mental health triage line
- the introduction of Mental Health Navigators – nurses or allied health professionals to help patients coordinate access to community mental health services
Ultimately, the success of any reform must be measured by whether patients can access timely, appropriate care.
Importantly, this work extends beyond engagement with politicians. AMA SA is also working closely with non‑political stakeholders across the mental health system. Last week, CEO Simon Jones and I met with Mental Health Commissioner Taimi Allan, and later today I will meet with the Executive Director of the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia, Geoff Harris, and the Executive Director of Lived Experience Australia, Professor Sharon Lawn. This is a crisis that demands sustained attention beyond polling day, and AMA SA is committed to seeing this through.
Supporting IMGs
This week, through the media, and at the urgent request of AMA SA’s Council and Committee of General Practice, we shone a light on the vital role international medical graduates (IMGs) play in South Australia’s health system – and the barriers they too often face.
Ahead of the election, AMA SA is calling for urgent action to cut unnecessary registration red tape, reduce administrative duplication, and streamline processes so appropriately qualified doctors can get to work sooner. This is particularly critical in regional and rural communities, where workforce shortages are most acute. We are also advocating for stronger relocation and social supports to help IMGs and their families settle and build sustainable careers in South Australia.
Our proposals are backed by a broad coalition of cultural and ethnic doctors’ groups, including the South Australian Indian Medical Association (SAIMA), Australian Chinese Medical Association of South Australia (ACMA SA), Pakistani Medical Association of South Australia (PMASA), Bangladeshi Medical Society of South Australia (BAMSSA), South Australian Sri Lankan Doctors Association (SASDA), and the African Australian Heart Health Initiative (AAHHI). I thank these organisations – and the doctors who lead them – for their support.
You can read more about our advocacy and proposals below.
I welcome your correspondence. Please contact me at president@amasa.org.au.