Your Family Doctor: Excellence in Health Care
AMA Family Doctor Week - 18-24 July 2011
AMA Family Doctor Week 2011 – a celebration of the central role played by local family doctors in delivering high quality health care in local communities all around Australia – commences tomorrow.
The theme for this year’s Family Doctor Week is Your Family Doctor: Excellence in Health Care.
AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that family doctors are highly trained and highly skilled to provide excellent health care to people through all stages of life.
“Maintaining regular contact with a trusted GP is good for our health and the health of our families,” Dr Hambleton said.
“GPs are the highest trained general health professionals, needing 10-15 years training before being qualified to practise.
“This week, the AMA is reminding the community of the importance of having a family doctor.
“AMA research has found that 88 per cent of people have a regular family doctor, and people who have an ongoing relationship with a family doctor are shown to have better health outcomes.
“Family Doctor Week is an important time for all Australians to recognise and celebrate the excellent health care we receive from our family doctors,” Dr Hambleton said.
Dr Hambleton will be addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, 20 July, to outline the AMA’s views on the health system and health reform.
Each day this week, the AMA will highlight the issues affecting family doctors and urge governments to provide greater support for family doctors to allow them to continue serving local communities.
The Family Doctor Week page on the AMA website will be updated regularly with information and videos profiling GPs at work in different places and different ways.
The videos have been produced by the AMA with the support of Australian General Practice Training (AGPT).
17 July 2011
CONTACT: John Flannery 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761
Geraldine Kurukchi 02 6270 5467 / 0427 209 753
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