AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen provides members with an overview of the week that was at Federal AMA.
Happy Friday, and welcome to my last Rounds update for 2024! Thank you for spending the time reading each week, and for the feedback I receive whether via email, text, or in person. I really do enjoy being able to update you on the hard work we do at Federal AMA each week, and I look forward to updating you throughout 2025 - we will have a HUGE year ahead with elections, campaigns, report cards, and all of the advocacy we do on behalf of you, our members, as well as the profession as a whole and, of course, our patients.
Mental health has been in focus this past week. We launched our latest Mental Health and Wellbeing position statement at Parliament House last Friday ahead of the health ministers meeting. I told journalists that our mental health system is near impossible to navigate and our most vulnerable patients are slipping through the cracks. We need to fund an expanded workforce, including GPs and psychiatrists, and to fund longer consultations for patients who need mental healthcare. We had some great media coverage on our position statement including this piece on the ABC .
This launch dovetailed with a big series on mental health in The Australian newspapers, including reporting on research by the AMA's Prof Steve Robson and Prof Jeff Looi examining unmet need in complex mental healthcare. Our own AMA Mental Health Committee met this week with a further focus on workforce, models of care and our plans to advocate for funding in the lead-up to the federal election.
The National Doctors Health & Wellbeing Leadership Alliance met last week which comprises the AMA, Drs4Drs and many other stakeholders looking to progress the Every Doctor Every Setting Framework . This framework outlines principles and clear courses of action to ensure the mental health and wellbeing of doctors and medical students at all stages of their careers. We have the framework in place, now it is time to ensure this is implemented across the country.
There's been a lot of attention on private health this week, including on our own out-of-hospital care position statement . You might have seen the Medical Republic reporting on our position statement and my concerns that private insurers might be looking to use out-of-hospital care as a thin end of the wedge towards US-style managed care, which would be a disastrous outcome for patients and practitioners. There was also media this week on the private health insurers skirting the laws to gouge patients by using "phoenixing" practices . Add these to the pile of reasons we need a private health system authority to oversee the private health sector. Private health is an essential pillar in our overall healthcare system, but it is going to need an independent authority to make sure it works for everyone.
And finally - let me wish all of you a Merry Christmas (or however you spend the holiday season), a joyous end of year, and a safe summer. I really hope you get a bit of a break over the period, and to those of you who will be at the coalface looking after patients, my heartfelt thanks go out to you for your tireless efforts. It can be an incredibly lovely time of year but for many it can also be a tricky, if not trying time. Look after yourselves, your loved ones, your colleagues, and patients. If things are getting a bit much remember there's the 24/7 free and confidential Drs4Drs service who are only ever a phone call away.
It's been a fabulous few months for me as AMA President. I'm going to try to get away for a few days to re-energise and get set for a monster 2025. From Vice President Julian Rait and myself, thank you for being part of the AMA. We couldn't do this without you!
