AMA President launches a new Vision for Australia’s Health at National Press Club
While in Canberra this week, Dr Omar Khorshid gave his first address to the NPC and presented a comprehensive plan of reform for Australia’s health system plan, showing the AMA is ‘serious about leading reform’.
The AMA’s Vision for Australia’s Health was launched during Dr Omar Khorshid’s first address to the National Press Club. The speech was broadcast live on ABC Television and can be replayed on ABC IView.
The Vision represents a clear blueprint for all governments and players in the sector, built around five pillars of detailed policy reform: (1) General Practice (2) Public Hospitals (3) Private Health (4) A Health System for All (5) A Health System for the Future.
The Vision draws upon the expertise of the AMA’s broad member base, with the AMA uniquely positioned to identify and understand systemic issues in the healthcare system that cut across preventative health; General Practice; public and private healthcare.
In his speech, delivered at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Dr Khorshid said the Vision was “a detailed policy-based strategy” and said the AMA was “serious about leading reform”.
“Health reform outside of COVID has been put on hold – I want to restart that conversation with our Vision document,” he said.
During his speech, Dr Khorshid outlined the AMA’s initial priorities for campaigning. These are: Introducing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages; Working with the Aboriginal Community-Controlled health sector to understand workforce needs, and increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the medical workforce; Rebuilding the value and sustainability of private practice in Australia; and implementing urgent reforms to how public hospitals are funded..
Dr Khorshid also released the AMA’s new paper on taxing sugary drinks (see related story.)
