Let us know your views in Election 2010

The AMA has called for health policy to be the top priority in this Federal election. Each week the AMA President will give his views on the different health policies of the major parties throughout the 2010 election.

Please join in the conversation on health and let us know your views. You can comment via the President’s blog on the AMA website.

Support Family Doctors petition

The AMA is running a patient petition urging the major parties to produce policies that preserve and promote general practice as the quality front line in primary care. The signed petitions we have collected will be sent to both major parties. The AMA will continue the petition after the election.

Petitions can be downloaded here.

Support Family Doctors campaign materials

The AMA's Support Family Doctors poster and Support Family Doctors brochure are available for medical practices. You may choose to print the Support Family Doctors poster and brochures in colour in your practice or you can order copies by emailing memberservices@ama.com.au with your name and address. Links to the Support Family Doctors campaign materials are below:

• Family medicine is running out of time! – poster
• Family medicine is running out of time! – brochure

General practice lobby kit

The AMA has prepared a kit for GPs who want to lobby parliamentarians to bring issues affecting GPs and their patients to their attention. The kit is intended to be useful during and after the election campaign and will be updated from time to time.  Find out more

Primary Care Infrastructure Grants Scheme - AMA guide

The Department of Health and Ageing is calling for applications under the Primary Care Infrastructure Grants Scheme. Grants up to $500,000 for capital works are available for existing general practices to expand or upgrade space for GPs, nurses or allied health professionals and to train new doctors. Applications close on 20 August 2010.

The AMA has prepared a guide for members who are considering applying for funds under the scheme.  Find out more

Healthy kids check needs stronger evidence base

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said on Wednesday that the AMA supports the principle that parents should be given greater incentive to take personal responsibility for making sure that their children have a healthy start to life, but the Healthy Kids Check, in its current form, is not the right way to achieve this outcome.

Dr Pesce said the Healthy Kids Check needs to be redesigned in consultation with the medical profession to ensure that it targets the right risk factors in children at the right age and that there is an evidence base for this approach.  Read more

AMA calls for proper indexation of the MBS and no further cuts to medicare rebates

The AMA this week called on the major parties to commit to proper indexation of the MBS and to promise to increase Medicare patient rebates, not cut them.

Dr Pesce said that Medicare rebates are set by the Government and are paid to patients to assist them with the cost of professional medical care and treatment, but the current rebates do not reflect the realistic cost of providing medical services.  Read more

AMA calls for action on Indigenous health

Dr Pesce said on Tuesday that it was unacceptable that the major parties were yet to make significant policy announcements to address the health needs of Indigenous Australians. Dr Pesce said Indigenous health must be a priority in this election, not an afterthought.  Read more