AMA opposes Medicare Locals
The AMA Federal Council, meeting in Canberra today, has voted to oppose the establishment of Medicare Locals and calls on the Government to defer the establishment of any primary health care governance organisations until there has been genuine consultation with the medical profession.
AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said the AMA has for some time been calling for consultation and more detail about the governance and operation of Medicare Locals, but those calls have been met with silence.
“The AMA cannot support primary care reforms that do not explain how they would benefit patients or communities, and which do not guarantee they would maintain and support the leadership role of GPs in primary care.
“We strongly oppose Medicare Locals as proposed and urge the Government to put a stop to their establishment to allow meaningful dialogue with the medical profession about a way ahead that is best for patient care.”
Medicare Locals – Urgency motions
1. The AMA opposes the establishment of Medicare Locals as announced by the Australian Government in the “Guidelines for the establishment and initial operation of Medicare Locals & Information for applicants wishing to apply for funding to establish a Medicare Local document.
2. The AMA calls on the Federal Government to defer the establishment of any primary health care governance organisations until there has been genuine consultation with the profession to ensure appropriate involvement of GPs and other medical practitioners.
3. The AMA calls on the Federal Government to urgently:
- consult with the medical profession;
- provide sufficient detail as to how governance organisations will be designed so as to improve the health of the community;
- adequately recognise the fundamental role of General Practitioners in primary health care delivery;
- adequately involve General Practitioners and other medical practitioners in the proposed structure and governance of primary health care governance organisations; and
- meet other key criteria set out in the November 2009 AMA policy resolution regarding Primary Health Care Organisations and the AMA Fundholding Position Statement of 2004.
4. The AMA further calls on the Federal Government to confirm the exclusion of fundholding for General Practitioner and other specialist services and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines.
18 March 2011
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