Australian Medical Association

The AMA strongly believes that strong support for health and medical research is necessary to ensure that the best and most efficient health care is available to all Australians. Australia has been falling behind other countries in its funding and strategic long-term commitments to health and medical research. This submission to the McKeon Review outlines how Australia can regain its position as a world leader in health and medical innovation.

The AMA wrote to the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia on 15 November 2011 opposing the continued dispensing proposal under the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement. Continued dispensing will represent a significant change in the professional role of pharmacists and their role within the health care team. The draft guidelines circulated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia heighten the AMA's concerns that continued dispensing will undermine the collaboration between pharmacists and medical practitioners.

The costs associated with lifestyle related disease are increasing, evidence suggests that using financial incentives and disincentives with patients can encourage preventive health behaviours.

The costs associated with lifestyle related disease are increasing. Evidence suggests that using financial incentives and disincentives with patients can encourage preventive health behaviours. This AMA background paper outlines the currently available research on when financial incentives and disincentives are likely to be effective, and when they are not.

In September 2011, the AMA hosted a summit of public health and police stakeholders to consider advice to the Australian Government on reform of alcohol taxation and pricing. A Communique was issued which outlined a consensus view on options for reform.

It is difficult for Australian families to find the right information they need to make healthy choices about the food they consume. The AMA believes that a system of Traffic Light labelling on food products can provide easy to understand nutritional information for people to make those choices. This AMA paper publication details the evidence for a Traffic Light system of labelling and its advantages compared to alternative approaches.

It is difficult for Australian families to find the right information they need to make healthy choices about the food they consume. This AMA publication outlines the case for a Traffic Light system of labelling on food products to ensure that consumers can easily recognise and compare the healthiness of food products.

The AMA President has joined with other public health leaders in urging the government to investigate options for alcohol tax reform, to reduce the potential for excess alcohol use and consequent health problems.

This AMA submission to the House of Representatives Inquiry into the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 supports legislation to remove all attractive, decorative and brand-recognisable packaging on tobacco products.

The AMA opposes Government decisions to defer listing of medicines on the PBS that have been recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). The Government is leaving itself open to accusations of political interference by ignoring the PBAC assessment and pricing process which is fair, equitable, evidence-based and transparent.

The AMA supports the development of an electronic system to record and monitor controlled drugs that can be used to help address abuse and misuse of schedule 8 drugs. A project to develop an electronic system is being funded as one of several programs under the Fifth Pharmacy Agreement. The AMA has made a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing in response to a consultation paper released as part of the development phase of the project. The submission notes that any system designed for medical practitioners must be simple, easy to operate and avoid duplication of effort.

The AMA made a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing on 13 April 2011 responding to a proposal that pharmacists could continue prescription medicines to a patient under defined circumstances. The AMA is strongly opposed to pharmacists dispensing prescription medication without a valid prescription and without reference to the patient’s treating medical practitioner. Only medical practitioners are adequately trained to make assessments about a patient’s clinical condition, the need to begin treatment with a prescription medication, and consequently to continue, adjust or cease that treatment.

The AMA supports the introduction of a system to allow medication charts in residential aged care facilities to be used as a prescription for PBS purposes. This has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of providing medical care to aged care residents and increase medication safety. A project to develop this system is being funded as one of several programs under the Fifth Pharmacy Agreement. The AMA has made a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing in response to a consultation paper released as part of the initial stages of the project. The submission attaches a list of key principles the AMA considers should form the basis of implementing the chart-based prescribing system.

Alcohol is a commonly used beverage in Australia, and can be enjoyed in sensible quantities. But alcohol is also a mind altering substance and can have harmful effects, particularly for young people. It is important that people have the right information about alcohol, so they can make the right choices when deciding to drink. This brochure provides the most recent information and research on the short-term and long-term harms associated with alcohol, as well as other risks with drinking. It also provides information on further sources of advice.

The AMA has made a submission to the Podiatry Board of Australia's consultation process on proposed revisions to their prescribing standards for podiatrists.  This submission, which is consistent with previous AMA submissions on this issue to the Podiatry Board, highlights the deficiencies in the Guidelines with respect to course content and accreditation, shared care arrangements and expansion of the national drugs list.

Doctors, particularly General Practitioners, provide preventative care to their patients on a regular basis. Doctors also coordinate the preventative care that patients need from other health care professionals, and promote health and prevention in the broader community. The AMA position statement "Doctors and Preventative Care 2010" describe these important aspects of a doctor's role.

The AMA is supportive of evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and control of infection that are appropriate for the level of risk applicable to the various healthcare settings.

A national approach must be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the relative risks. The AMA is not in support of an approach where healthcare providers are required to implement infection control guidelines that are beyond the level of risk that occurs in a particular healthcare setting, are not practical to implement, and/or for which there is no evidence to justify adherence to the guideline.

The growing number of Australians at risk of serious chronic diseases from obesity, smoking and excess alcohol use is a major health challenge facing Australia. This AMA Policy Brief, Preventing Obesity, Smoking and Excess Alcohol Use, summarises some key measures that the AMA believes should be given priority in a National Preventative Health Strategy, including support for the preventative role of doctors and implementation of a number of targeted community-level measures.

Excess alcohol use, and the harms it produces, continue to be a  major health problem in Australia. It is crucial that alcohol policy is informed by pertinent and comprehensive evidence. This AMA Information Paper provides up to date information and data on alcohol consumption and harms in Australia.

The AMA has made a submission to the Department of Health and Ageing in response to the report released by DoHA on the outcomes of the Point of Care Testing (PoCT) trial in general practice.

This submission responds to the options for prevention of obesity, smoking and harmful alcohol use that are explored in the National Preventative Health Taskforce discussion paper - Australia: The Healthiest Country by 2020. The submission emphasises the crucial role of doctors in providing preventative health care.

AMA Position Statement: Methamphetamine - 2008

Youth Health: Cannabis and your health

This submission discusses guidelines being considered by the NHMRC for low-risk alcohol consumption. The AMA agrees with the 3 draft guidelines, subject to a number of qualifications, which it argues the NHMRC should seriously consider.

AMA Position Statement: Principles in Relation to Harm Caused by Substance Use and/or Compulsive Behaviour - 2006

AMA Position Statement: Cannabis - 2006

This position statement details the harms of tobacco smoking and the measures needed to increase cessation and reduce initiation of tobacco use.

AMA Position Statement: Drugs in Sport - 2000

Youth Health: Drugs

Youth Health: Smoking