Australian Medical Association

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, today congratulated Prime Minister Julia Gillard on securing a minority Labor Government and urged her to put the health reform process at the top of her second term agenda.

Dr Pesce said that the health system and the health workforce remain under enormous pressure and in great need of the new funding and resources from the COAG Agreement and recent election promises.

Transcript: AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, with Richard Aedy, Life Matters, ABC Radio National, Tuesday 17 August 2010

Subject: Election health policy; Collaboration between obstetricians and midwives

The AMA welcomes today’s commitment from Labor that, if elected, it would invest heavily in telemedicine to support and enhance health services as a part of a modern health system.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said the investment would assist doctors to better use communications technology to provide services to patients who would otherwise have limited or no access to these services.

“This is a recognition of the need to embrace communications technology to modernise our health system,” Dr Pesce said.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today 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.

Transcript: Media Doorstop, AMA NSW House, St Leonards, Sydney, Thursday 5 August 2010

Subjects: Coalition Health Policy; NSW local health networks

ANDREW PESCE: Thanks for coming.  Well there's been a lot of comment that there hasn't been enough health debate in the election so far, but I think it's going to change after today.

The AMA welcomes the Coalition’s health policy, which will stimulate debate and bring the health policy bidding war alive in this election campaign.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the Coalition has made some strong commitments on hospital beds, support for GPs, and clinician involvement in hospital governance arrangements through community boards, all of which are consistent with AMA policy.

The AMA today called on all parties to support the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products in Australia and to publicly condemn the reported tobacco industry advertising campaign against this groundbreaking public health initiative.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said that Australia is set to lead the world with strong anti-smoking measures that will save lives and improve the health of the population, and urged all parties and politicians to get behind the plain packaging plan.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the Greens National Health Plan includes some positive public health initiatives but has little to say about the major issues affecting our public hospitals, medical workforce, or general practice and primary care.

Dr Pesce said that the Greens’ policies on cigarettes, alcohol, food labelling, junk food and obesity are very similar to the positions held by the AMA.

“The proposed 1.5 per cent levy on junk food and alcohol advertising would be a welcome first step but any revenue raised from the levy must be used for alcohol and obesity education, prevention and treatment programs,” Dr Pesce said.

Transcript:     AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, with David Speers and panel,  Australian Agenda, SKY News,  Sunday 1 August 2010

[Transcript courtesy of SKY News]

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that the AMA welcomes the Coalition’s commitment to provide incentives to free up more beds for residential aged care, but is disappointed that the medical care needs of older Australians have been ignored in today’s policy announcement.

Dr Pesce said that the Coalition policy has failed to support the medical care needs of people being cared for in aged care facilities.

“We know that older Australians have significant medical service needs, and these are not being adequately met in our aged care facilities,” Dr Pesce said.