AMA Establishes New Reference Group on Rural Health
Outgoing AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, today announced the creation of a new high-level AMA Reference Group with a specific focus on the health needs of people and communities in rural and remote Australia.
Dr Glasson said the AMA wants the Rural Reference Group (RRG) to initially spend 12 months examining the unique health problems confronting country Australians and to report back to the AMA Federal Council with recommendations, which will be passed on to Federal and State Governments.
The first task of the RRG will be to host a Rural Forum in July to seek resolution of the application by Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) to recognise rural and remote medicine as a specific medical specialty.
Attending the Forum will be the AMA, ACRRM, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA), the AMA Council of Doctors in Training, and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA).
The purpose of the forum will be to attempt to establish common ground between stakeholders and for the AMA to broker an agreement on how the RACGP and ACRRM can work together to support rural and remote doctors.
Launching the RRG during his farewell speech at the AMA National Conference, Dr Glasson said the AMA recognises that the health status of people in rural and remote areas has long been the cause of some concern.
"Rural patients have difficulties accessing health care, and they have shorter life expectancy and higher death rates," Dr Glasson said.
Over the last two days, the AMA Federal Council finalised the AMA Position Statement on Regional/Rural Workforce Initiatives as a sign of the AMA's commitment to improving the quality of health care in regional and rural areas. The RRG will work to implement these initiatives by:
- assisting the AMA to resolve differences between the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) over the delivery and recognition of training in rural and remote areas, and
- providing advice to the AMA on the development of policies and strategies to promote rural and remote health that will form the basis of a concerted campaign by the AMA over the next 12 months to raise awareness of rural and remote health issues.
The membership of the RRG - representing general practice, other specialties, and junior doctors, all with skills, experience or an interest in rural and remote medicine - will be announced next week.
28 May 2005
CONTACT: Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306