The AMA is urging all smokers to put their health first in 2008 by making a New Year's resolution to quit smoking for good.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that making a clean start at the beginning of the year was an ideal way to tackle the difficult goal of quitting smoking.

"Quitting is hard at the best of times, so the New Year is a great time to start before other sources of stress can distract you from your goal," Dr Capolingua said.

Teenagers and young adults should ditch the trendy sun tan this summer and choose sun safety instead, according to the AMA.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, is warning young Australians not to put themselves at risk of skin cancer this summer through unsafe tanning.

"A summer tan may look attractive in a magazine but the reality is only ugly," Dr Capolingua said.

"Anyone can develop skin cancer or melanoma. Young people shouldn't feel that they are immune to the health risks of sun exposure.

Christmas and New Year are great times to share one or two drinks with friends, but the AMA is urging people to avoid binge drinking if they want to stay clear of the emergency department this holiday season.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said many Australians associated heavy drinking with the festive season, but that people could still have a good time without putting their health at risk.

"Excess alcohol consumption is responsible for billions of dollars worth of illness and tragedy in Australia each year," Dr Capolingua said.

TIM COX: In the studio with me is Dr Rosanna Capolingua, the national President of the Australian Medical Association. Thank you for coming in. Good morning.

DR CAPOLINGUA: Good morning.

TIM COX: Well, as I said before, if this is where the rubber meets the road for health reform, and we believe it's going to be, what should be the very first thing the State and Territory leaders are discussing with Kevin Rudd and his team?

The AMA is encouraging people to give active gifts this festive season - gifts that can help friends and family get moving and participate in physical activities over the holidays.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today it can be tempting just to put your feet up and rest during the holiday season, so giving gifts that promote exercise is a great way to tempt people off the couch.

The pressure is being put on the new Government to deliver a solution to Australia's deteriorating health care system with a focus on the areas of workforce, public hospitals, and State versus Federal, according to two articles in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Editor of the Journal, Dr Martin Van Der Weyden, says Australians will expect two things of the incoming Government - plain speaking and honesty, and accountability from the new health minister and prime minister.

Emergency department overcrowding in Australia's public hospitals is creating access block with patients waiting for hours in the ED or giving up and going home, according to articles published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Access block is defined as the percentage of all patients admitted, transferred or dying in the emergency department whose total ED time exceeds eight hours.

The Government's Northern Territory Intervention, aimed at improving health and living conditions in Indigenous communities, has been met with mixed reviews in a collection of articles published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Dr William Glasson, member of the NT Emergency Response Taskforce, says that while it is still early days, he has seen how the response is already producing good outcomes.

"I believe everyone with concern for Indigenous health should continue to support this initiative. We cannot let this opportunity go," Dr Glasson says.

The Executive Council of the Federal AMA has today appointed Mr Francis Sullivan as Secretary General of the Federal AMA.

Mr Sullivan, who has been CEO of Catholic Health Australia for 14 years, will take up the position in February 2008.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, thanked Mr Kerry Gallagher for providing outstanding service and support to the AMA as Secretary General over the last five months.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today the AMA looks forward to getting acquainted with the new faces in the Coalition's health portfolio team.

Dr Capolingua said that Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing, Joe Hockey, Shadow Minister for Ageing, Margaret May, and Parliamentary Secretaries, Senator Richard Colbeck (Health) and Mark Coultan (Ageing and the Voluntary Sector), bring a mix of Ministerial experience and new blood to the portfolio.

TIM WEBSTER: If you talk to any GP around Australia they'll tell you how frustrating the current Medicare system can be. Let me tell you, after my knee replacement surgery - I've just been through this whole process - I find it extraordinary, but I'll talk about that in a minute.

But as it stands doctors get paid $33 by Medicare whether they spend six minutes or 20 minutes with the patient. Now, it doesn't matter if the patient is there for a simple check-up or if they're trying to help them with some complications with a chronic diabetes disease or anything similar.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, welcomes the Prime Minister's decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as a sign that Australia will take a leading international role in addressing the impact that climate change is having and will have on human health.

Australia signing on to the Kyoto Protocol was one of the key recommendations of the AMA's 2004 Position Statement on Climate Change and Human Health.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the AMA would work closely with Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, to simplify Medicare and provide incentives for longer consultations for patients with chronic conditions.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Ms Roxon 'wants to simplify the telephone book-sized Medicare rebate system and reward quality care by doctors'.

The AMA today released its Report Card on the health policies released by the major parties for the 2007 Federal Election.

The policies have been assessed against the policy headings and benchmarks set out in the AMA's Key Health Issues for the 2007 Federal Election document, which was released prior to the formal election campaign. Analysis is confined to policy statements made from June 2007.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said the Coalition finished ahead of Labor in what has been a difficult contest on health policy.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today the AMA welcomes the opportunity to continue a productive relationship with Nicola Roxon following her appointment as Minister for Health and Ageing.

Dr Capolingua said Ms Roxon's knowledge of the health system and familiarity with the key organisations will allow her to get off to a flying start in the portfolio.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today urged the new Government to bring forward its promised review of the Northern Territory Indigenous initiative and look to extend the successful health programs nationally to benefit all Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.

Dr Capolingua said the time was right to build on the most successful elements of the initiative and roll them out all around the nation.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the AMA welcomes new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's grassroots approach to policy development by getting his new MPs to visit schools and the homeless before heading for Canberra, and suggests they should also visit their local GP and public hospital to gain an understanding of the challenges facing the health system.

JOHN LAWS: Well, you've been seeing footage of the annual schoolies celebrations, they kicked off on the weekend, and just yesterday I was telling you about some of the television footage, of alcohol-fuelled stupidity, and that's all it is, just plain, bloody stupid.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that time was running out for the major parties to set out their 'big picture' solutions to the many problems facing rural health in Australia.

Dr Capolingua said both the Coalition and Labor had made welcome minor policy announcements, but neither side has set out a comprehensive plan to give country people the health services and hospital facilities they need and deserve.

"The evidence of a rural health system in crisis is everywhere," Dr Capolingua said.

As Schoolies Week and alcohol combine to produce tragic headlines about death and injury to young people and reports of antisocial behaviour by drunken teenagers, the AMA is calling for stronger policies to curb dangerous excess alcohol consumption.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that irresponsible alcohol consumption causes harm across all age groups in the community, but the senseless loss of young lives through alcohol abuse must be stopped as a priority.

There have been no health policies in this election campaign offering improved medical care of older Australians living in residential aged care facilities, and that's a disgrace according to the AMA.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that older Australians should not have to lose easy access to quality health care when they move from their homes to an aged care home.

Comprehensive protocols in emergency departments (EDs) can allow rapid assessment of stroke patients eligible for early-stage treatment, according to a study published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Stroke is the third most common cause of death and a major cause of disability in Australia.

GP services need to be made more attractive to teenagers who have mental health problems, according to a study in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Professor Anthony Jorm and his co-authors from ORYGEN Research Centre at The University of Melbourne found that family was the main source of help for adolescents, while only a small minority nominated GPs.

Antidepressants should not be ruled out as treatment for young people with depression, especially since recent studies have shown no connection between these medications and suicide in younger patients, according to an article in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Professor Robert Goldney, Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Adelaide, says it is important to look at all the available evidence, not just randomised clinical trials, before making assumptions about a link between antidepressants and suicidal behaviour.

The AMA is urging young people to go to their general practitioner if they have any concerns about their mental health. If they are feeling too tired, alone, sad, anxious and scared, and feeling like they cannot cope any more, the GP is there to help them.

A study published in the latest issue of the Medical Journal of Australia has revealed most adolescents would talk to their family first before going to see a GP. More young adults would see a doctor as a first port of call, and many still preferred to seek help from family.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the AMA commends the direction set by the Coalition's Plan for Better Public Hospitals and Health Care but would like to have seen more detail on implementation and funding.

Dr Capolingua said the aged care package of $248.4 million over four years was well targeted and should go some way towards setting the aged care sector up for improved access to aged care places. It would also ease bed block in the public hospital system, she said.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the health of Indigenous Australians has been forgotten in this election campaign.

Dr Capolingua said that the health challenges facing Indigenous Australians require national solutions with significant funding commitments.

"Our national goal must be to close the 17-year gap in life expectancy between Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders and the rest of the Australian population," Dr Capolingua said.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today it was surprising that health was not prominent in either of this week's major party campaign launches despite highly respected polls indicating that health would be a major factor in influencing more than a quarter of all voters on 24 November.

Dr Capolingua said it was disappointing that health hardly rated a mention in both Leaders' speeches, although Mr Rudd did briefly did re-announce Labor's hospitals, cancer and dental policies.

'The Cost of Muscular Dystrophy' - Speech by Chair of the AMA Public Health Committee, A/Prof Dr John Gullotta, at the launch of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's report The Cost of Muscular Dystrophy.

DR CAPOLINGUA: The AMA today calls on and challenges the Coalition and Labor for more beds. We want to see beds being opened, new public hospital beds to take the pressure off what we're seeing now, and to treat the patients that need those beds.

QUESTION: How have you come up with this figure of 3,750? Did you - I mean, have you done an audit on all the hospitals and how did you sort of ...?

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today called on both the Coalition and Labor to acknowledge that Australia needs more public hospital beds and that current hospital occupancy in the major public hospitals is no longer tenable.

"We need at least 3,750 new public hospital beds just in the five big States to achieve safe bed occupancy levels of 85 per cent," Dr Capolingua said.

"This addresses safety and will ease bed block.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today urged the major parties to copy the AMA's rural health policies to give country Australians some hope that the next Federal Government will resolve the widespread crisis confronting rural health services.

Dr Capolingua said there has been relative silence on rural health this election campaign while rural and regional communities watch the range and quality of their health services further erode.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today called on the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader to announce strong tobacco control policies and restore national political leadership in the war against smoking.

Dr Capolingua said smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death and disease in Australia, and stronger action is needed to prevent the 16,000 deaths and the widespread chronic disease and ill-health that hit the Australian community every year.

"Doctors are seeing the destructive effects of cigarette smoking on patients every day," Dr Capolingua said.

Australian men are exposed to a disturbing number of media messages promoting prostate cancer screening, despite limited support for screening from health groups, according to a study published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

Prof Simon Chapman and his co-authors from the School of Public Health at The University of Sydney say much media coverage on prostate cancer screening includes inaccurate information, which ignores scientific evidence and the general lack of expert agency support.

Road safety initiatives may have been successful in lowering child mortality rates in car crashes, but this may have caused an increase in non-fatal injuries, according to injury researchers in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

The study found hospitalisations of child motor vehicle passengers under the age of 16 for injuries sustained in a car crash showed no significant decline between 1998 and 2005.

Australia's ageing population, the growing burden of chronic illness, and a shrinking medical workforce are all hot topics for the coming election, according to a review of health policy in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.

In the lead up to the federal election for 2007, the Journal has published articles from the Minister and Shadow Minister for Health and from leading health policy experts.

A Government Scheme to attract young doctors to work in rural areas has failed to realise its potential, with less than half the funds allocated to the HECS Reimbursement Scheme being spent in 2006-07.

The scheme offers doctors working in rural and remote areas an opportunity to claim back one fifth of their HECS fees for each year of service in these areas.

The budget for the scheme is around $5.95 million a year, but Medicare Australia's latest annual report shows that only $2.7 million was spent.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that the Coalition's Family Emergency Medical Centres policy is a sound response to community need for better access to GP services, especially after hours.

The Government is promising $433 million over five years to fund Family Emergency Medical Centres and expanded after hours services by all GPs.