AMA submission on the Draft National Medical Workforce Strategy

The AMA was broadly supportive of the five priority areas and most actions outlined by the Draft Strategy. If executed well in concert with other major health reforms already underway, the Strategy should provide a solid platform to ensure that the medical workforce sustainably meets the changing health needs of Australian communities.  

Some key points of the AMA’s response included: 

• Support for the proposed establishment of an independent joint medical workforce planning and governance body, and development of a National Medical Workforce Data Strategy to underpin workforce planning into the future.   

• Support for the continued implementation of the Rural Generalist pathway, with the immediate focus on standardising credentialing.  

• Support for the development of functional and reciprocal links between tertiary, regional and rural hospitals, Aboriginal health services, universities, medical colleges, and regional training providers, and the integration of prevocational and vocational training pathways within these networks as a priority. This will ensure trainees undertaking generalist training have adequate access to relevant terms in larger urban hospitals.  

• Calls for the Strategy to review funding levers to address renumeration of GP trainees and other generalist careers, and commit to the development of a ‘single’ employer model for GPs in Training. This should be designed in consultation with the profession, to deliver equitable remuneration and employment conditions for GPs in Training while also ensuring adequate support and funding for supervising practices.