President’s update – The Health Debate, record ramping, election recommendations
In his latest President’s Update Associate Professor Peter Subramaniam announces a members-only health debate that will give you a chance to hear directly from both major parties ahead of the election. There’s also an update on AMA SA’s pre-election recommendations and the conversations shaping our advocacy.
Before sharing my update on AMA SA’s advocacy, I want to acknowledge the deep shock, sadness and anger felt across Australia following the senseless mass shooting at Bondi Beach.
The loss of innocent lives in this targeted act of violence is devastating. Our thoughts are with the victims, the survivors and their families. The AMA stands with our Jewish colleagues and the wider Jewish community at this time of profound grief.
Sunday’s attack revealed the worst of humanity, but also some of the best. Healthcare workers, first responders and members of the public acted with heroism, courage, compassion and professionalism in the most confronting circumstances. We know that many will carry the weight of these events for some time to come. The AMA SA extends our gratitude, our deepest respect and offers them support in any way we can provide it.
Moments like this test us as a society. While emotions are raw, it is important that we focus on what we can do for each other, how we care for one another, and how we – as doctors and as members of the wider community – can support those who are hurting and grieving. It is a time help bind and heal wounds rather than deepen divisions.
As doctors, we have a responsibility not only to treat injury and illness, but also to play our part in promoting calm, compassion and unity.
The Health Debate
Next year, ahead of the state election, AMA SA will host The Health Debate. This exclusive event will bring together Health Minister Chris Picton and his Opposition counterpart to outline the policies that will shape South Australian healthcare for the next four years and beyond.
We’ve created this debate for you – to give you the opportunity to hear the leaders’ vision first-hand and assess their election commitments against the expectations of South Australian doctors and our patients.
We want you to shape the conversation. Members will be able to submit questions in advance, ensuring you have a say in shaping the discussion.
Places are limited, so register your interest now to secure your spot and help us make this an event that truly reflects the priorities of South Australia’s medical community.
We’ll share more details about dates and venue early in the new year.
Ramping and the election
One of the key topics we’ll address at the debate – and one that will weigh heavily on voters’ minds on polling day – is ambulance ramping.
AMA SA has crunched the numbers, and 2025 has already set a record for ramping. By the end of November, 48,466 hours had been lost to ramping – an historic high with a month still to go. For comparison, patients spent 47,380 hours waiting on the ramp in 2024 and 40,474 hours in 2023.
We doctors know that ramping is a symptom of deeper issues in our health system, including gaps in community care that leave patients sicker and increase hospital pressures.
That’s why we’ve begun announcing a series of pre-election recommendations to strengthen community care, including:
• Increase out-of-hours GP care by offering incentives that help cover additional staff and operational costs
• Provide block funding to support GPs caring for patients in residential aged care, ensuring continuity of care and reducing unnecessary hospital transfers
• Abolish payroll tax on doctors to reduce patient costs and remove barriers to care
• Support rural health by incentivising specialists to operate regionally and deliver care where patients live
• Strengthen community mental health services, including increased funding for mobile teams and a 24/7 clinical crisis line
We’re calling on all sides of politics to adopt these recommendations. The Liberal Party has already announced it will abolish payroll tax on GPs and offer grants to GPs who open out of hours. We’re urging the Labor Party to follow suit and adopt our other recommendations too.
We stand ready to work with all sides of politics in the lead-up to polling day and beyond.
Informed advocacy
Our advocacy ahead of the election is informed by ongoing engagement with health stakeholders.
Recently, I met with Diabetes SA CEO Catherine Hughes to discuss a joint focus on youth type 2 diabetes – an emerging challenge with serious implications for future hospital demand and ramping. We explored ways to support at-risk teenagers through schools, GPs and potential corporate partnerships, reinforcing AMA SA’s message that real system relief starts with prevention and community care.
I also met with ophthalmologist Dr Swati Sinkar during consulting sessions in the Riverland. We discussed improving timely access to sight-saving treatment for macular degeneration and strengthening specialist care for regional South Australians. Delays in intravitreal therapy remain a preventable cause of vision loss, while stretched visiting specialist capacity forces many patients to travel long distances for essential care.
These discussions reinforce our commitment to practical solutions that improve access, strengthen prevention, and reduce pressure on hospitals – priorities we’ll continue to champion ahead of the election. I welcome your input too. Please email me at president@amasa.org.au.