Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:

• Meeting with Secretary of Department of Health and SCV CMO
• Ahpra CEO addresses AMA Victoria Council
• Human Tissue Regulation consultation
• AMA Victoria members in the media.
   

Meeting with Secretary of Department of Health and SCV CMO

On 8 September, AMA Victoria met with Victorian Department of Health Secretary Jenny Atta and Safer Care Victoria CMO Prof Andrew Wilson.

The discussion covered shared priorities and challenges across the health system. A major topic was the government’s Local Health Service Networks (LHSNs), which form part of the broader Health Services Plan. These networks are intended to link health services across Victoria, supporting more coordinated care and better use of resources. AMA Victoria stressed the importance of doctors having a strong voice in decisions about how these networks operate and the models of care they are expected to deliver.

Digital infrastructure was another central issue. While many metro hospitals already have EMR systems, regional hospitals often rely on outdated systems or manual workarounds. The lack of a consistent, statewide EMR remains a significant barrier. There was agreement on the need for a properly funded pathway to achieve this, with the hope that LHSNs will help to demonstrate how better information sharing can improve patient care.

Workforce challenges were also discussed, including the need to protect unaccredited registrars and CMOs and ensure safe, sustainable staffing models. The upcoming Medical Workforce Taskforce (a recommendation of the Ministerial Review into Victorian Public Sector Medical Staff Workplace Systems and Employment Arrangements) and enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations were noted as processes that will shape workforce planning and support.

We also raised our GROSS (Getting Rid of Stupid Stuff) campaign, which seeks to remove unnecessary administrative burdens on doctors. There was support for reducing duplicative and low value mandatory training requirements and progressing work towards statewide credentialing, both of which would reduce red tape for doctors and health services.

The meeting also addressed proposals for pharmacy-initiated prescribing of oral contraceptives. we expressed strong opposition, emphasising that while timely access to reproductive health care is important, it must be delivered through safe, GP-led pathways.

Other topics discussed included the need for consistent emergency department security standards across Victoria, and ensuring hospital boards and executives fully understand upcoming changes to workplace health and safety laws, particularly those relating to psychological safety.

Ahpra CEO addresses AMA Victoria Council

At its 2 September meeting, AMA Victoria Council heard directly from Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner.

Members welcomed the opportunity to raise concerns and hear about Ahpra’s reform agenda. The discussion covered a range of pressing issues for the medical profession, with a strong focus on the notifications process. Council members emphasised how profoundly a notification can affect a doctor’s life and career, particularly when the process is lengthy, opaque, or punitive. In response, the CEO outlined work underway to make the notifications process fairer and less traumatic, to resolve long-standing cases more quickly, and to better triage matters that are low-level or vexatious.

Council also welcomed the CEO’s recognition of the barriers faced by IMGs, medical students, and DiTs as they enter and progress in the workforce. These barriers, which can include regulatory hurdles and high costs, were highlighted as contributors to workforce shortages. The CEO’s willingness to explore measures such as fee equity was seen as an encouraging step toward improving entry, retention, and fairness across the profession.

The discussion also touched on the Victorian Doctors Health Program, which provides trusted, confidential support for doctors in difficulty. With funding arrangements under review, AMA Victoria stressed the importance of maintaining VDHP’s local, well-established model and strengthening its capacity to respond to the needs of Victorian doctors through its existing networks and relationships.

While members appreciated the CEO’s commitment to reform and willingness to engage directly with the profession, it was communicated to the CEO that they were also mindful of past experiences where assurances of change have not led to meaningful progress. Many doctors have seen reform efforts stall or deliver only incremental improvements.

We will continue to advocate strongly to ensure these conversations translate into genuine, lasting changes that improve both the experience of practitioners and the safety of patients.
 

Human Tissue Regulation consultation

We have provided feedback on the proposed remake of the Human Tissue Regulations 2015. While welcoming the move to strengthen oversight and improve consistency across institutions, we emphasised the need to balance these benefits with practical implementation and to avoid adding unnecessary administrative burden.

The proposed changes would largely formalise existing expectations around governance, consent, and record-keeping for schools of anatomy. However, we highlighted that new reporting obligations (such as five day adverse event notifications and detailed annual reports) must be efficient and proportionate to risk.

Through our GROSS campaign, we have heard first-hand about the impact of inefficient compliance requirements. Our feedback suggested that the Department of Health consider providing standardised templates, clear guidance, and well-designed digital systems to reduce duplication and ensure resources stay focused on high-quality teaching and research, while safeguarding donor dignity and public trust.
 

AMA Victoria members in the media

Recent coverage has highlighted the many ways doctors advocate for better health, from local community services to global sustainability.

Assoc Prof Forbes McGain was recently featured in Bloomberg News for his work tackling healthcare’s reliance on single-use plastics. His research is helping hospitals rethink how they manage waste, showing that environmental responsibility and high-quality patient care can go hand in hand. Read the article.

Closer to home, Dr Ben Tomasiello has been advocating to save the Olympic Leisure Centre in Heidelberg West, a valued community space that provides safe, welcoming programs for some of Melbourne’s most vulnerable communities. Coverage by the ABC highlights the impact its closure would have. Read the story.

AMA Victoria President Dr Simon Judkins also discussed the issue on ABC Radio’s Conversation Hour (from 18:47). Listen here.