TOP STORIES

A happy New Year?

As doctors and patients around the nation awaited the outcome of the Federal Government's latest offering on Medicare, AMA President Dr Bill Glasson remained hopeful of a positive outcome - but was firm in his determination to get a better deal for all Australians.

There is a raft of proposals flowing from the recommendations of the Abbott Review Panel, of which Dr Glasson is a key member, for Prime Minister John Howard and Cabinet  to consider.

But Dr Glasson said that three items were crucial:

• Affordability
• Security over insurance
• The IBNR levy

If these were not addressed to the satisfaction of the medical profession, doctors would continue to leave the public and private systems in droves.

Let's loosen the shackes

Dump the backward bonding policy - that's the demand to the Federal Government from AMA Vice-President Dr Mukesh Haikerwal.

He says the recent introduction of 234 unfunded bonded medical places as part of the Government's higher education reforms marks a tragic day for medical training in Australia.

The move, which comes at a time of unprecedented doctor shortages, shackles medical students to a career path not of their choosing and without any financial support or incentive.

Workers post traumatic plea

Australia Post workers want management to drop new rules forcing them to see company doctors when they are sick. 

Union official Joan Doyle said: 'We've had people with broken bones being told to go to work when their own doctor says they're not well enough.'

AMA Vice-President Dr Mukesh Haikerwal has condemned the move, saying it is offensive and questions doctors' honesty and ethics: 'If a worker has produced a valid medical certificate for sick leave, it should be accepted.'

Shadow over lifestyle report

While welcoming a major report that shows young Australians have achieved significant improvements in their health and quality of life, the AMA has warned there are still major problem areas such as obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, skin cancer and unsafe sex.

The study found that over 80 per cent of young Australians consider their quality of life to be good to excellent and that suicide and transport accident rates fell considerably between 1982-2001.

But AMA youth health spokesperson Dr Choong-Siew Yong says: 'We're worried particularly about the rate of sexually transmitted disease caused by chlamydia, which has more than tripled in the past ten years.  Because such diseases can cause infertility, this is a major long-term concern.'

INSIDE

AusMed Feature

ROLLERCOASTER YEAR ON A POLITICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND

The year 2003 had lots of 'news' for AusMed to report, including a new AMA President, new issues and new columns in the magazine.  AusMed reviews some of the highlights and lowdowns in what was another significant year for the AMA.

FROM THE VICE-PRESIDENT - Dr Mukesh Haikerwal

We're all in this together

Representing the views of more than 27,000 members since becoming Vice-President in June has been a bit like herding cats and rabbits.  The more contentious the issue, the more varied the views.

While there are formal lines of communication through AMA secretariat, your thoughts are valuable, important and certainly help form the AMA's position in advocacy efforts.  I welcome your feedback.  Keep the comments coming.

Elected members on Federal Council ultimately will make major decisions, particularly the Executive Council.  That's their job.  They are guided in this process by the committees set up by Federal Council.  These include:

• Public Health Committee
• Therapeutics Committee
• Care of Older People Committee
• Taskforce on Indigenous Health
• Medical Professional Indemnity Task Force
• Private Health Insurance Liaison
• AMA Council of General Practice
• Audit Committee
• Finance Committee
• Constitution and Policy Review Committee
• Ethics and Medico-Legal Committee
• Economics and Workforce Committee
• AMA Expert Group on Information Technology
• AMA Council of Doctors in Training
• Child and Youth Health Committee
• Fellowship Committee

These committees take an unbiased view but their debates are passionate.  They provide advice to Federal Council, or in its absence, the Executive Council.

The recommendations of the committees usually are accepted.  If not, Federal Council may seek further guidance from the whole council or external experts before referring back to the original committee.

Decisions must often be made inside a limited time frame.  When this is the case, the Executive will make a decision based on the facts available at the time.

What is clear is the Executive's accountability to the Federal Council.  No decision is taken lightly and all are made with the best interests of the profession in mind.

AMA membership comprises a diverse group of doctors: general practitioners and other specialists working full- or part-time in public facilities or private practice, often both, and students and retired doctors.

As the adage goes, you can't please all of the people all of the time.  Sometimes individual interests have to take a back seat in the interests of what is best for the whole profession.

We are a democratic organisation - unlike many.  We do listen.  We hear your concerns, we take your criticism seriously.

It has been an interesting few months.  Negotiating skills have been sharpened as we became acquainted with a new Health Minister and Shadow Health Minister - both dynamic new forces on the political scene.

The big issues this year - medical indemnity and Medicare - remain unresolved as we head to the beach to catch a few waves - very disappointing.  I was hoping the biggest challenge in the next month or so would be finding the sixpence in the Christmas pudding.

At the time of writing this column, uncertainty still fills the hearts and minds of many doctors whose indemnity contracts come up for renewal before Parliament rose for Christmas.

Medicare Plus should have made it through Parliament.  Voters should have been given 12 months to test the safety net and let the Prime Minister know what they think at the polls next year.

Small-minded petty politics have prevented the rollout of a significantly improved Medicare package - which is still not perfect.  The AMA will be providing yet another submission to the Senate Select Committee, this time underlining the benefits of the package as well as the shortfalls.  Most notably, these are the unfunded conscripted bonded medical student places and the quality agenda for general practice through the Attendance Item Review Working Group process.

This agenda has been put very firmly to Government at a senior level through the Red Tape Taskforce process.  We have demanded implementation within a year at the outside.

Rest assured all these issues will remain on the table until we are back on deck.

I look forward to working with each of you toward what is best for the profession as a whole in what will be a very full 2004.

Enjoy a safe, peaceful and relaxed festive season.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal is Vice-President of the Federal AMA.