AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen provides an update on the past week at Federal AMA.
Hello, Happy Friday! Got to love a short week. I hope many of you were able to squeeze in a long weekend, and managed to squeeze out the last bit of summer fun before the year gets too serious.
I am excited and proud to share that the AMA once again had a number of members who received awards in the Australia Day Honours. My congratulations to all our members who were recognised for their exceptional contributions to medicine and to Australia. Here's the full list of AMA members honoured .
Of course, all doctors contribute untold value to Australians, and it was my pleasure to represent doctors in my appearance before the inquiry into the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 this week. This is the law that governs the regulation of medical practice, and there are a few amendments proposed regarding expanding information on the public register, a national approach to seeking reinstatement after a suspension, and protections for notifiers.
As you know, the provision of medical care requires the highest levels of trust between patients and doctors. The AMA will never condone conduct which breaches the trust the community has in their medical practitioners.
As such, while we do not oppose the Bill detailing the amendments to the National Law, I made it clear that the use of new powers MUST be done judiciously, sparingly, and proportionately.
I told the inquiry that the AMA remains concerned that the National Scheme does not do enough to support the wellbeing of health professionals. 16 of our colleagues have lost their lives to suicide while under investigation. That is 16 too many.
At the inquiry I again called on health ministers to mandate that Ahpra has a duty of care to the Registrant and in particular a duty to minimise the mental health impacts and financial effects on the practitioner subject to notification.
There has been some concerning news in QLD this week when the state government moved to ban gender-affirming hormonal treatment for transgender teens. This has been particularly distressing for the LGBTQ community and the doctors who work with them. The AMA affirms that people who identify as LGBTQIASB+ thrive in healthcare settings where they feel safe, affirmed, respected and understood. We also feel strongly about the importance of clinical autonomy and evidence-based medicine. I have been working with Nick Yim our QLD president to coordinate our response to this important issue.
On a much brighter note, I received some very welcome news late last week - the government has finally agreed to implement our recommendation to align patients' eligibility requirements for MBS Nurse Practitioner telehealth services with GPs. The established clinical relationship requirements that currently apply to GP telehealth will also apply to NP telehealth from 1 November 2025.
This closes a loophole we raised in two submissions , in a letter to the health minister, and in numerous meetings with the department. I can't tell you how important this is for ensuring patients receive adequate standards of care, and making sure continuity of care is embedded in telehealth services.
I was also informed that from 1 November 2025 the eligibility criteria for MBS GP telehealth will also be extended to include MyMedicare registration. Through this change, a patient will be eligible for MBS rebates for GP telehealth if they either meet the established clinical relationship requirement or are receiving their telehealth service from a GP at their registered MyMedicare practice. This will make it far simpler for patient and practices to determine telehealth eligibility for their regular patients.
Lastly, this week we launched our triannual Rural Health Issues Survey . The 2025 Rural Health Issues Survey is open to all doctors practising in regional, rural or remote Australia, as well as doctors who have previously worked in those areas. I would absolutely encourage all eligible doctors to participate in the survey to ensure your voices are heard on crucial issues affecting access to rural healthcare ahead of the federal election. Previous surveys have helped our advocacy for regional training positions, the establishment of the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program and reforms to the Bonded Medical Places scheme. Have your say to make sure the issues of today are front and centre.
