Rural and remote medicine at the forefront of AMA advocacy
In recent months, rural and remote medical workforce issues have been at the forefront of AMA advocacy. With changes to the medical rural bonded program, we have been lobbying the government for ongoing support and a match of the new 12 month return of service obligation (ROS) for all bonded students and doctors. AMACDT has taken its Regional Training Network Position Statement to health ministers, calling for support for vocational training in rural and remote Australia, and I attended a Department of Health meeting last week to discuss how health scholarships are best used to attract an enthusiastic and robust rural medical workforce.
We will also be providing input into the review of the Specialist Training Program and the Supporting Emergency Medicine Workforce Program, originally announced by the Minister for Health, the Hon Sussan Ley MP in March this year, to inform the planned reform of these programs from 2017.
Finally you might want to take a look at two new position statements released by the AMA last week. The AMA Position Statement on Combat Sport calls for a ban on 'combat sports' for people under the age of 18. The updated AMA Position Statement on Climate Change and Human Health is asking the Australian Government to show leadership to address the global health impacts of climate change.
Until next month,
Dr Danika Thiemt
Chair
