AMA Rural Health Forum Postponed To Allow More Groups To Discuss Broader Agenda
The AMA's Rural Reference Group (RRG) has postponed its Rural Forum, set down for next week in Sydney, to prepare a broader agenda and to allow more groups with an interest in improving rural health services to attend a re-scheduled Forum at a later date.
AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said there has been great interest in the Forum and the RRG is keen to get the views of key stakeholders such as Federal and State politicians with rural electorates, farmers, local councils, groups like the CWA, and small business.
"The intended focus of the Forum was to discuss the application by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) for recognition of rural and remote medicine as a specific specialty and to examine ways by which rural and remote doctors can be better supported," Dr Haikerwal said.
"It was disappointing that ACRRM had declined to attend because of the medical specialty issue. We hope they will participate in a rescheduled Forum to discuss the broader problems because they play an important role.
"The AMA's intention now is to broaden the agenda for the Forum and allow a wider range of stakeholders to contribute.
"The AMA's Rural Reference Group was formed to provide greater support for rural and remote doctors and to work with governments to find ways to ensure country Australians continue to have access to quality health services.
"There are lots of good grassroots ideas out there to fix rural health and they are coming from many diverse groups and individuals, not just doctors, with invaluable local knowledge. The RRG wants to tap into this knowledge by getting a committed crowd full of ideas and opinions to the Forum.
"A more detailed agenda for the Forum will be prepared by the RRG at its first face-to-face meeting. In the meantime, the AMA remains hopeful that the passionate debate about the ACRRM rural specialty will be sorted out before the re-scheduled Rural Forum," Dr Haikerwal said.
The AMARRG members are:
Dr David Rivett (Chair) Bateman's Bay, NSW GP
Dr Henry Hicks Wagga Wagga, NSW Surgeon
Dr Aniello Iannuzzi Coonabarabran, NSW GP
Dr Ross Maxwell Dalby, Queensland GP
Dr David Meadows Darwin, NT GP
Dr Paula Kitto Alice Springs, NT Doctor In Training
Dr Parbodh Gogna Beverley, WA GP
Dr Peter Rischbieth Murray Bridge, SA GP
Dr Matthew McConnell Payneham, SA Doctor In Training
Dr Sam Lees Leongatha, Vic GP
Dr Michael Aizen Launceston, Tas GP