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Andrew Pesce
The following articles have the tag Andrew Pesce
Optimism remains for NDIS, but must be Commonwealth funded
AN ARCHITECT of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) says he remains optimistic it will go ahead, but warned having anyone but the Commonwealth fund it could lead to more changes from the original plan.
Unregistered midwives need tighter controls
NO WOMAN planning a high risk home birth should be “frogmarched” to hospital, but unregistered midwives who fail to follow professional guidelines must face consequences, a senior obstetrician has warned.
Doctors dispute Medicare misuse
GPs, ophthalmologists and obstetricians have reacted angrily to being made examples of in an article by former Professional Services Review (PSR) director Dr Tony Webber, who claimed the Australian health system is leaking up to $3 billion annually.
Tobacco industry gets AMA Dirty Ashtray Award
THE tobacco industry’s “desperate and deceptive campaign” to oppose plain packaging legislation has earned it the AMA’s 2011 Dirty Ashtray Award, while the Commonwealth and WA Governments have been lauded for their efforts to combat smoking. Outgoing AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce this morning congratulated Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon on the Government’s efforts to reduce smoking rates over the past year. The endorsement will be another blow to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott who has been under sustained pressure to back the Government’s proposal for plain packaging for tobacco products. Two Liberal MPs and doctors, Andrew ...
Work with us on Medicare Locals, Roxon tells AMA
HEALTH Minister Nicola Roxon has urged incoming AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton to work with the Government on Medicare Locals and defended the “sensible recalibration” of rebates for GP mental health plans, in a speech to the association’s national conference in Brisbane today. Ms Roxon urged Dr Hambleton to “stay inside the tent” when it came to discussing Medicare Locals, following ongoing criticisms from the AMA of the rollout of the organisations. The AMA has called for the rollout to be put on hold until the exact functions Medicare Locals will have are made clearer and GP ...
Doctors paid too much for mental health role, says Minister
MENTAL Health Minister Mark Butler has claimed GPs have been overpaid for developing mental health treatment plans, following criticism from doctors’ groups over Budget measures set to slash MBS rebates for drawing up the plans. Labor committed $1.5 billion in new funds for mental health on Tuesday night but over one-third of that is to come from rationalising an existing program that provides access to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists. Under the Better Access program, GPs refer patients to these health workers for continuing care. But Mr Butler says doctors have been paid too ...
Former staffer speaks out against AMA ‘fiefdoms’
A FORMER AMA staffer has offered up a frank assessment of his former employer, claiming the association's focus on “individual fiefdoms” and high membership fees is causing membership to slide. In a letter circulated to the CEOs of the state and federal branches, Kirk Coningham, former AMA general manager of communications, said he believed doctors wanted an organisation that provided a consistent national voice for doctors, not a series of individual branches duplicating services. Both Mr Coningham and AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce declined to comment on the letter. Mr Coningham argued doctors did not want ...
Why GPs must not distance themselves from the reform agenda
GPs cannot afford to disengage with the health reform process, despite facing a raft of unpalatable reforms, profession leaders have warned. The Rudd Government reform agenda was the subject of fierce debate throughout the AMA National Conference. Addressing the conference, AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce pointed to big wins for the profession over the amendments to the Midwives and Nurse Practitioners Bill as evidence of what could be achieved by active engagement. GP super clinics and new practice nurse arrangements were challenges the AMA had yet to overcome, and the diabetes plan was “perhaps the biggest ...
Reports send GPs mixed messages on prevention
WE now have all three of the Government’s major health reform reports in the public domain, and all three contain subtle danger signs for general practice as we know it. There are great contradictions in these reports. There are proclamations that general practice is the cornerstone of primary care. There are stories from community consultations that all people want is better access to their GP. Yet, armed with all this evidence on the quality and worth of general practice, these reports all recommend that general practice be watered down in some way or other. Don’t ...