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AMA Victoria to meet with Gippsland doctors
18 October 2010.
AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley will meet with Gippsland doctors tomorrow (Tuesday 19 October) to discuss the association’s November election priorities and canvass local doctors’ views on improving access to quality health care in the region.
"AMA Victoria has already put a number of health proposals to the Brumby Government and Baillieu opposition to improve health care in regional Victoria.
"Both parties have made some commitments to improve Victorians’ health care access but we are yet to see a plan from either side on how our system will cope with the growing, ageing population."
Last month AMA Victoria called on the major parties to commit to a rural medical workforce rescue package to alleviate doctor shortages in Gippsland’s surrounding districts and other rural areas to ensure the provision of after-hours medical care.
To attract and retain doctors in rural areas, AMA Victoria’s rural rescue package recommends:
Payments for general practitioners for out-of-hours telephone consultations with hospitals to improve access to information and care.
Rural relocation allowances for general practitioners and specialists, including recognising long service leave entitlements from other states, to aid recruitment.
More doctors to help provide a reasonable on-call ratio and ensure comprehensive after-hours care.
Dr Hemley said preventive health would also be on tomorrow tonight’s meeting agenda. "Victoria has traditionally been a leader in implementing anti-smoking measures but now the state risks lagging behind.
"The next Victorian Government must commit to the next phase in anti-tobacco measures. The next phase should include a ban on smoking in alfresco dining areas.
"A ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas would strengthen the message to the community that smoking is no longer viewed as normal, but is an unnecessary and unhealthy habit."
Dr Hemley said he looked forward to hearing local doctors’ perspectives on potential health care improvements. "Doctors in Gippsland play an important role in shaping AMA Victoria’s regional and rural health initiatives," he said.
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