AMA Queensland Council Communiqué
Dear Members
The AMA Queensland Council met on 19 March 2021. The Council welcomed new Councillor Dr Vikas Moudgil, Greater Brisbane Area Representative, appointed to the casual vacancy position following the resignation of Dr Paul Bryan. The Council thanks Dr Bryan for his contributions to the work of AMA Queensland.
AMA Queensland Foundation
Guest Dr Steve Hambleton, President, AMA Queensland Foundation provided an update to Council regarding the revised AMA Queensland Foundation Constitution. The new Constitution promotes the close relationship between AMA Queensland Foundation and AMA Queensland, ensuring that both organisations continue working closely in the future.
Visiting Medical Offices (VMO) Committee
The Council approved the revised AMA Queensland VMO Committee Terms of Reference. The VMO Committee has been established to provide expert advice and recommendations to Council on matters relating to VMOs working as GP and non-GP specialists in public hospitals.
Extended Scope of Practice Working Group
AMA Queensland Extended Scope of Practice Working Group Chair, Dr Nick Yim, noted that over the last 12 months there has been an increase in medical task substitution. AMA Queensland has written to Minister D’Ath outlining AMA Queensland’s position and concerns that task substitution will result in increased risk to public safety, a reduced standard of quality care and lead to reduced confidence in the health system. Specific examples were highlighted including ENT specialist referrals being seen by an audiologist, endoscopy and colonoscopy performed by nurses, mid-wife led maternity serviced without obstetrician oversight in rural and remote communities, physiotherapists prescribing S4 and S8 medications in emergency departments and pharmacists prescribing antibiotics for UTI without clinical assessment and diagnostic support. Click here for our Position Statement on Task Substitution.
COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout
State Clinical Director Queensland COVID-19 Vaccination Program Dr Bav Manoharan presented an update to Council. Queensland Health is sitting at 4000 vaccinations a day with 37,000 vaccinations in total to date. Currently, there are 20 hospitals actively delivering vaccines with more coming on line each day. The majority of vaccinations are Pfizer vaccines and all phase 1a vaccinations are due to be completed very soon.
AMA Queensland Council of General Practice Chair Dr Maria Boulton, informed Council that GP clinics have been incredibly busy with over 4,000 clinics joining the vaccine rollout in Australia. Funding is marginal but GPs want to support communities with this. COVID-19 vaccination website released phone numbers of clinics participating in the vaccination roll out resulting in a number of clinics receiving huge numbers of phone calls as a result. It is important to advise patients to be patient and that the slow start is due to slow receipt of vaccine stock.
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
CEO Dr Brett Dale reported on key activities and the many areas that AMA Queensland has supported, promoted and advocated for the medical profession in Queensland including:
• Stakeholder engagement – AMA Queensland continues to have regular access to relevant stakeholders to discuss policy issues and commitment to ongoing meetings.
• Member engagement – This has increased significantly but group events aimed at the recruitment of new interns has been impacted by COVID lockdowns.
• Dinner for the Profession – Planning has commenced for AMA Queensland’s gala night which will be held on 16 July 2021 to align with the President’s inauguration. Click here for more information and to get your tickets.
• Voluntary Assisted Dying – AMA Queensland is preparing a further submission re the VAD legislation, based on members’ views gained through the VAD survey undertaken in late 2020. Click here to view the results.
• Maternity Care – AMA Queensland has written to Minister D’Ath outlining the current issues facing maternity care especially in rural and remote Queensland; including managed care and midwife-led models of care, and the Maternity Care at Home trial.
• Palliative Care and Aged Care - AMA Queensland is working with Palliative Care Queensland and the Senior Directors Palliative Care Group to increase the level of funding to address the huge unmet need across the state.
• Environmental Sustainability – AMA Queensland is advocating for the Queensland Government to review the air pollution standards and establish a Climate Change Act in Queensland (similar to the Victorian Government) and supported by WHO.
• First Nations HHS – AMA Queensland is working with relevant stakeholders on a project to increase access for first nations people to dialysis, cancer treatments, gastroenterology, ENT, ophthalmology, women’s health and oral health using a coordinated care model which is safe and culturally appropriate.
• Task Substitution – AMA Queensland has delivered a detailed brief to the Health Minister outlining examples of where task substitution is occurring in the public hospital system and the implications for patients, for the health system and for doctors.
• Industrial Relations – AMA Queensland is working with ASMOFQ to provide increased industrial relations support to joint members with the appointment of another Industrial Relations Officer.
For more information, please head to our website to access AMA Queensland media statements, position statements and AMA Queensland submissions.
President’s Report
President Prof Chris Perry has continued to advocate on numerous issues impacting the profession through his regular meetings with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, senior members of Queensland Health and other relevant stakeholders.
Much progress has been achieved and more work continues across many advocacy areas including:
• COVID19 vaccination rollout particularly through general practice
• Working to define Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) and Senior Medical Officer (SMO)
• The recommendations arising from the Aged Care Royal Commission
• Further submissions on proposed Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation in Queensland
• Relaying concerns raised regarding ieMR software used in Queensland Hospitals
• Working with Doctors’ Health in Queensland to support the wellbeing of doctors
AMA Queensland is frequently sought out for comment by multiple media outlets, keeping the President and the AMA Queensland media team incredibly busy and active over the recent months.
Councillor Reports
Councillors are encouraged to provide reports to Council particularly if there are issues of relevance within their specific representative groups that would be of interest to Council and would inform discussions. Thank you to the following Councillors who provided reports.
• Dr Maria Boulton, Greater Brisbane Representative
• Dr Dilip Dhupelia, Immediate Past President
• Dr Hasthika Ellepola, International Medical Graduate Representative
• A/Prof Geoffrey Hawson, Senior Doctor Craft Group Representative
• Dr Fiona Raciti, General Practice Representative
• Dr Nick Yim, General Practice Representative
AMA Queensland Council is your representative body. Please feel free to contact me or any of your representative Councillors on any issues that you would like raised at Council.
Regards,
Dr Eleanor Chew
Chair, AMA Queensland Council