Vale Dr Tom Turner, GP care & medicSA
In his latest President’s update Dr John Williams pays tribute to Dr Tom Turner - the much-respected Chair of AMA SA’s History Committee who passed away this month. There’s also important information about the South Australian Government’s push to expand pharmacists’ prescribing powers.
Vale Dr Tom Turner
AMA SA lost one of our own this month – our friend and colleague Dr Tom Turner who passed away at the age of 92.
A generous and kind man, Tom was a lot of things to a lot of people - a husband, father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather. He was also a historian and a lover of food and classical music. I knew him as the spirited and passionate Chair of AMA SA’s History Committee of which he was a member for nearly 10 years.
Tom entered medical school in 1949, just before his seventeenth birthday, and went on to have a long and rewarding career in general practice and dermatology.
He joined AMA SA in 1957 (back when the organisation was still known as the British Medical Association) and remained a dedicated and engaged member up until his final days. As Chair of the AMA SA History Committee, he helped document, record and preserve the rich history of the medical profession in South Australia - that will be part of his legacy.
Tom was laid to rest at a funeral service on Monday 23 September. I’d like to extend my sincere condolences to his wife Jan and to the rest of his family and friends. He will remain an important part of AMA SA’s history, and his memory will endure.
No substitute for GP care
You might have seen the news this week that the South Australian Government has decided to expand pharmacists’ prescribing powers. On Wednesday 25 September the Health Minister Chris Picton held a press conference announcing that work is underway to significantly expand pharmacists’ scope of practice for several conditions including skin conditions, ear infections, wound management, nausea and vomiting and gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Across Australia, AMA has loudly warned about the implications of pharmacy scope creep on patients. I have conveyed my disappointment personally to Minister Picton and conducted a number of media interviews reiterating my concerns.
While pharmacies play an important role in our health system, there is no substitute to high-quality GP care. we know that general practice is the most cost-effective form of healthcare, but it has been woefully underfunded by successive governments. Instead of giving pharmacists increased prescribing powers our health decision makers should be working together to overhaul Medicare, build our GP workforce and integrate more nursing and allied health staff in general practices. The stakes are too high to take shortcuts with patient care.
medicSA: essential reading
If you haven’t yet had the chance, I’d encourage you to have a read of the Spring edition of medicSA which is out now.
The highlight for me is a comprehensive feature about cyber security which includes practical advice to keep yourself and your place of work safe. It’s essential reading for anyone working in the health sector.
There’s also a fascinating article about the dangers of gambling advertising written by addiction specialists Professor Michael Baigent and Professor Malcolm Battersby, plus an update on payroll tax and how South Australian arrangements compare with those across the country.
Work is already underway for our Summer edition. If you’d like to contribute or have any suggestions, please email editor@amasa.org.au. We’d value your input!
