Providing Better Solutions

When the Government announced its policy on care for patients with diabetes, the AMA whacked it and whacked it hard. We vehemently opposed it – not just because it was put together without proper consultation with the profession, but mainly because it was blatantly bad policy.

The response to the policy from GPs – including to Australian Doctor – has been overwhelmingly negative.

In medico-politics it is always easy to oppose and be negative for the sake of opposing and being negative – especially when something needs to be opposed. Like the diabetes plan, for example.

It is much harder, however, to present an alternative view – a better policy. But this is something the AMA does on a regular basis.

Last year we released our Priority Investment Plan for Australia’s Health System. The AMA Plan set out achievable affordable reforms that were alternatives to those being put about by the NHHRC and other groups.

We know for a fact that the Prime Minister read our Plan and much of it is reflected in the Government’s reform agenda. We had influence in announcements about local decision-making, clinical input and medical training, for instance.

We have also had an impact through ensuring the Government has not pursued some of the more radical recommendations of its various committees, perhaps most notably to do with independent nurse practitioners, fundholding models, and the form and function of Primary Health Care Organisations.

We now hope to force a rethink about the diabetes plan and the way we are doing this is with a plan of our own. The AMA has offered the Government a better way to care for patients with chronic and complex care needs.

The difference between our plan and the Government’s plan is that ours is based on what doctors and patients want. Our plan is based on actual service delivery and the need for continuity of care from the patient’s usual doctor.

The Government’s plan is about the relationship between the patient and a medical practice. The AMA plan is about the relationship between a patient and a medical practitioner – their usual medical practitioner.

The Government’s plan involves capping the funding available for patient care. The AMA plan is all about providing the appropriate level of care for the individual patient based on their individual care needs.

One of the biggest surprises of the Government plan is that it takes the patient outside Medicare. Our plan ensures that patients do not lose their entitlement to a Medicare rebate and that funding arrangements do not interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.

Our plan builds on what works. I think this has to be the golden rule of health reform.

We are calling on the Government to have another look at this policy and admit its failings. Our position is backed up by good policy – our policy. It is a policy based on the reality of providing care for diabetes patients. It is a medical solution, not a bureaucratic or budget solution.

Our position is backed up by our recent national survey of general practice patients. Most Australians want a usual family doctor and people are very satisfied or satisfied with the medical care they receive.

AMA policy is based on this important relationship. And that is why we have launched our Support Family Doctors campaign.

We want to ensure that governments and the public remain aware of the importance of family doctors to the Australian health system and to the local communities they serve.

Every time the Government rolls out a policy on primary care – such as the ill-informed diabetes plan – we will put it to the ‘family doctor’ test. Is it good for family doctors and their patients or is it bad for family doctors and their patients?

Our survey shows overwhelmingly that family doctors are trusted and valued by the Australian people. This survey result carries extra potency in an election year.