President’s Update – your debate feedback, parties split on pharmacy scope, supporting junior doctors

The AMA SA Health Debate on Wednesday, 11 February, gave members an opportunity to hear directly from Health Minister Chris Picton and Shadow Minister Heidi Girolamo about their competing visions for health, their responses to the questions doctors are asking, and their plans for the state’s health system. Your feedback made it clear how important this conversation was.

At the end of the debate, we asked attendees to vote online for the party they believed was best prepared to manage the health system. The overwhelming majority of respondents answered ‘Labor’.

That does not necessarily mean that members were satisfied with everything the Health Minster put on the table. A recurring theme in the feedback was the lack of substance – from both sides. Members told us they heard ‘vague promises’, a ‘lack of commitment’ and ‘good ideas, but little detail.’ One member noted that Labor focused too much on its past record rather than outlining what it intends to deliver if re‑elected.

These comments reflect my view. As moderator I asked for timelines, targets and measurable outcomes. But on key issues like ramping, workforce planning, community and crisis mental health services and elective surgery, neither politician was able to clearly explain what they aim to achieve, when improvements will begin, or how success will be measured. It raised the question: how confident are both parties that their policies would deliver the improvements the health system needs?

The Minister was not able to provide me with a convincing argument for the government’s imposition on pay roll tax on medical practices and the Shadow Minister was very light on detail on the Opposition’s plans to solve ramping. 

With just over a month until polling day, time is running out for both parties to provide the clarity doctors and the broader public expect. In the lead‑up to 21 March, AMA SA will continue to ask the questions that will forensically examine the parties positions on health and hold both parties to account.

I want to thank all those who attended the debate, especially those who helped shape the discussion by sending us questions and suggested topics. Events like this provide you, our members, with direct access to decision‑makers, and many guests appreciated the opportunity to speak with both the Minister and Shadow Minister afterwards. This level of access is one of the benefits of being part of AMA SA. We thank both leaders for their time and for the value they place on their relationship with our members. I especially want to thank Minister Chris Picton for his presence and his willingness to engage with the AMA SA and its members and supporters after a very difficult personal time for him and his family. 

Pharmacy scope

A significant issue that emerged during the debate was pharmacy scope of practice. There was a clear divergence between the two parties on this matter.

Last week, Labor announced that it will expand the range of medical conditions that pharmacists will now be able to treat. Labor also committed to expanding funding so an additional 120 pharmacists can undertake postgraduate training to deliver these services.

During the debate, I asked Minister Picton how he can guarantee that pharmacists’ training will be adequate, and how the government would ensure appropriate clinical governance and risk management for pharmacists treating medical conditions – like what GPs and other doctors have to adhere to.  I was unable to elicit those details. The Minister stated that the postgraduate training program would be supervised without explaining what that supervision would involve. 

I also asked Ms Girolamo to clarify the Liberal Party’s position. She told attendees: ‘We’ve got a different approach to Labor. We want to make sure people can access a GP to ensure patients receive that continuity of care.’  

This response is welcomed by AMA SA, as it appears to directly address the central problem – access to GP care.  We are keen to learn more detail about the Liberal Party’s position on this ahead of the election.

As I have told several media outlets in the days since the debate, pharmacists are an integral part of the healthcare system – but they are not, and cannot be, considered a substitute for highly trained doctors. GPs, like other specialists, spend 12 years or more developing the clinical expertise required to diagnose and manage medical issues in a world where diagnostics and therapeutics change – often rapidly. That is why we are mandated to do annual continuous professional development.  That depth of training and clinical judgment cannot be replicated in 12 months of additional study.

Ultimately, our position is guided by the need for the clinical oversight required to ensure patient safety. A GP’s comprehensive medical training enables them to look beyond the obvious, consider complex histories, and ensure that one health issue is not masking another.

AMA SA continues to call on Labor to heed our advice and support GPs to deliver the comprehensive, continuous care that only doctors can safely provide. Any new models of care must include robust risk‑monitoring mechanisms, strong clinical oversight, structured escalation pathways, and transparent evaluation.

Beyond the election 

The election isn’t our only focus! Vice President Dr Louis Papillion and the team at AMA SA really enjoyed engaging with our junior doctors at the Specialty Insights function on Wednesday night. The speed‑mentoring format gave attendees the opportunity to meet experienced doctors from a wide range of fields and to ask questions about career progression, lifestyle, and the challenges and rewards of different specialties. We look forward to spending more time with our Doctors in Training.

CEO Simon Jones has settled in well and, together with our wonderful team, is working hard behind the scenes to improve our offerings for you, our members, beyond our advocacy platforms. Please know we are always working creatively and positively to ensure we deliver the best value we can for our members and the profession.

Thank you for your support and, as always, I look forward to hearing from you: president@masa.org.au