First Nations doctors need support
About 30 per cent of First Nations doctors leave medicine. AMA Queensland is calling for funding in the state budget to roll out Townsville's successful Indigenous Intern Pathway across all the state Hospital and Health Services. “In National Reconciliation Week, we encourage Queensland Health to fund similar programs across the state," AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim says.
A successful program underway in Townsville for First Nations doctors should be introduced across all Queensland Hospital and Health Services (HHSs).
The AMA Queensland Budget Submission 2024-25 calls for Queensland Health to fund and implement programs such as the Townsville HHS Indigenous Intern Pathway as a priority.
“It is disgraceful that First Nations people continue to experience unacceptable differences in health outcomes compared to the general population,” AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim said.
“First Nations doctors are an essential component in eliminating this gap – yet we know about 30 per cent of Indigenous doctors leave the profession altogether.
“The Townsville HHS has taken positive action to create its mentorship program for Indigenous doctors.
“In National Reconciliation Week, we encourage Queensland Health to fund similar programs across the state.
“Our First Nations communities must receive the culturally appropriate, best practice health care they deserve.”
AMA Queensland is also calling for investment and support for programs advocated for by First Nations health organisations including the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC).
These include Mob Link, Birthing in Our Community, Surgery Pathways, Deadly Choices, and the Indigenous Hospital Network Wisdom Group.
“We are also calling on the government to reverse its decision to prohibit Aboriginal health services from owning local community pharmacies,” Dr Yim said.
“We cannot understand why the already anti-competitive pharmacy ownership laws were tightened to exclude Aboriginal health services from being able to provide multidisciplinary and culturally appropriate health care to vulnerable communities.”
The AMA Queensland Budget Submission 2024-25 can be read here.
