Australian Medical Association

Doctors will have an opportunity to have their say on how to fix the health system at two meetings to be hosted by the AMA (NSW) in Sydney next week.

The Federal Government is considering the reports of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, the Preventative Health Taskforce, and the Draft Primary Health Care Strategy, ahead of developing its health policies for the next election.

The AMA wants to brief doctors on the recommendations in the various reports and hear back from the doctors how they think the system can be improved

AMA Federal Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, and AMA (NSW) President, Dr Brian Morton, will discuss primary care reform at a forum for doctors at the Burwood Function Centre, 7-9 Burleigh Street Burwood, from 7.00pm on Tuesday 22 September.

AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, and Dr Morton will run a forum on broader health reform at 6.30pm on Thursday 24 September at the John Loewenthal Auditorium at Westmead Hospital, cnr Hawkesbury and Darcy Roads, Westmead.

As part of the National Health Reform Consultation Summit at Canberra Hospital tomorrow, the AMA will present the Health Minister with the AMA Priority Investment Plan for Australia’s Health System.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, will be available to discuss the AMA plan, the health reform agenda, and the health issues of the day, at Canberra Hospital.

Dr Pesce Doorstop:

Date: Wednesday 16 September 2009

Time:  10.40am (at completion of Consultation Summit)

Venue:  Canberra Hospital, Yamba Drive, GARRAN  ACT

The AMA has congratulated the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission on its final report launched in Canberra today by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

AMA Federal President, Dr Andrew Pesce, commended the report saying it sets some ‘very, very’ ambitious targets.

“This is a comprehensive report from the NHHRC, 292 pages with 123 recommendations, so it will take some time to fully consider.

“But it is clear that it properly focuses on some critical areas in health.

The AMA provided feedback on the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission’s interim report in April 2009

The feedback is set out in the table below. The AMA President also attended a one-on-one briefing session with the Chair of the Commission in April 2009 to more fully outline the AMA's views on the Commission's interim report.

The Australian Medical Association congratulates the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission (the Commission) on its interim report released today.  We recognise that its’ task was not easy, evidenced by the 400 plus pages in the report.  The Commission has worked tirelessly within very short timeframes to deliver this extensive interim report.  It deserves credit for its work to date on this important exercise of shaping Australia’s long-term health system.

AMA Submission to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission June 2008

The attached submission has been prepared by the AMA Council of Doctors in Training (AMACDT)

The AMA congratulates Dr Christine Bennett and the other nine appointments to the Government's National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the AMA and the medical profession will support the Commission in its efforts to build a modern, responsive, affordable and equitable health system to meet the needs of all Australians, no matter their means and no matter where they live.

"Patients must come first and the solutions to the problems in the health system must be clinically-driven," Dr Capolingua said.