Winning the election - Australian Medical Association NSW

Dr Fred Betros, AMA President Dr Saxon Smith and Dr Kean-Seng Lim face the media
Feature
Winning the election
While candidates fought to win their
seats in the NSW State Election, it
looks like the real winners were the
AMA (NSW)’s priorities for health.
The ballots have been counted and
despite a state-wide swing of more than
9 per cent toward Labor, the Coalition
has retained government with a strong
margin.
In the lead-up to the election, AMA
(NSW) lobbied both the Coalition and
Labor parties – meeting with key people
including the Health Minister, Shadow
Health Minister, the Premier, and
associated personnel from their offices.
In addition, AMA (NSW) organised a
series of meetings between grassroots
AMA members and their local politicians
(both MPs and candidates).
AMA (NSW) outlined its key goals
in the AMA (NSW) 2015 State Election
Priorities for Health. The policy papers
focused on eight specific areas:
Increasing GP involvement in the public
health system; Improving the health of
rural and regional communities in NSW;
Improving access to health services;
Improving end of life care; Improving
health funding certainty; Improving
health outcomes through public health
initiatives; Providing world-class
medical education and training; and
Increasing the involvement of medical
practitioners in decision-making.
NEW TRAINING PLACES
The first of the AMA (NSW) priorities for
health, Improving the Health of Rural
and Regional Communities in NSW,
was launched in Dubbo. AMA (NSW)
President, Dr Saxon Smith, visited
Dubbo Base Hospital to meet with local
doctors and media to highlight the goals
outlined in the policy paper. He called for
funding of $30 million over four years
to boost doctor numbers in rural and
regional NSW.
“Forty per cent of the NSW population
lives outside of Sydney and it is well
known that patients from rural and
regional areas face higher costs and
longer travel times to access medical
care,” Dr Smith said.
“Medical graduate numbers have
doubled in the last five years as part of
a plan to address the severe medical
workforce shortages in NSW and
Australia.
“We must not waste this once-ina-lifetime opportunity to provide an
20 I THE NSW DOCTOR I NON-MEMBER ISSUE I MAY/JUNE 2015
adequate medical workforce in regional
NSW,” he added.
Shortly after, the Coalition
government announced its plan to base
60 new registrar positions in outer
metropolitan and regional hospitals.
“Given time, this will help solve the
doctor shortage being experienced
in country NSW,” Dr Smith said in
response.
In the lead-up to the election, the
Coalition made several other promises
that were closely aligned with AMA
(NSW) priorities.
Key pledges included:
• Nearly $1 billion for upgrades to
Westmead Hospital, this was in
addition to several multimillion dollar
promises for other hospital upgrades
around the state
• Funding for 700 new doctors
• Prior to the election, AMA (NSW),
ASMOF and Health Minister Jillian
Skinner signed a memorandum of
understanding making feedback from
senior doctors an important part of
hospital managers’ annual reviews
Dr Colin McClintock, Dr Randall Greenberg, AMA President Dr Saxon Smith
and Dr James Yeung at Dubbo Base Hospital
In the lead-up to the election, the
Coalition pledged nearly $1 billion for
upgrades to Westmead Hospital.
• Funding the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Clinic at Westmead Hospital, taking
over from the pilot program FARE started
• Removing the co-payment on chemotherapy for public patients, as well as other
drugs for conditions such as HIV, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis,
cystic fibrosis, psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis, severe allergic asthma and rare
diseases
• The Coalition pledged not to introduce nurse-led walk-in clinics co-located at
hospitals
• Five paediatric surgeon positions for the Children’s Hospital Network and a
commitment to improve paediatric services in NSW
While the Coalition won the election, it should be noted that by election day, Labor
was also pledging nearly the same amount of money as the Coalition for Westmead
upgrades, it also pledged to remove co-payments for chemotherapy, and had
promised significant spends on hospital infrastructure. dr.
Jillian Skinner has been
reappointed as Health Minister
Going forward
Shortly after the election Premier Mike
Baird announced his cabinet. Significantly,
Jillian Skinner will retain the Health
portfolio.
“AMA (NSW) has a good working
relationship with the Minister and I look
forward to continuing to work with her
towards better health outcomes for people
in the state,” Dr Smith said.
He added, “AMA (NSW) welcomes the
news Pru Goward has taken over the
mental health portfolio.
“This also presents a good chance to
improve the health of people in NSW.
“A new minister will bring a fresh
perspective and I will be happy to work
with Ms Goward on improving mental
health services, particularly those in the
public sector,” Dr Smith said.
“It’s especially pleasing that Ms
Goward has been named the Minister
for Prevention of Domestic Violence and
Sexual Assault.
“Domestic violence is a problem that
crosses many jurisdictions – health,
law and order, and community services
to name a few – and I’m glad the
Government appears to be making this a
priority.
“I look forward to discussing with the
Minister the role doctors can play in
helping to fight this scourge,” Dr Smith
said.
AMA (NSW) looks forward to continuing
to advocate on behalf of a better health
system for doctors and patients in 2015.