Issues and Positions

Public Hospital Reform

Tasmanian patients do not necessarily get best value for the money spent on the State hospital systemand have poorer access to hospital and medical services than other Australians. There is clearly a need for better planning with more medical input and less bureaucracy. Every dollar spent on unnecessary bureaucracy is a dollar that is not available for patient care. In other words, more beds not desks.

Submission (October 2008) - pdf file

Royal Hobart Hospital - Funding and Performance

Royal Hobart Hospital - Funding and Performance (November 2005)

Substitution for Doctors Hobart

Substitution for Doctors (November 2005)

Health Workforce Impact Statements

The AMA notes that it is common practice for Government decisions to require an environmental impact statement. The AMA calls for all Government decisions on health to require a health workforce impact statement.

Health Workforce Impact Statements

Position Statement – Proposed Tamar Valley Pulp Mill

The Tasmanian Branch of the AMA has examined the (draft) Gunns' Integrated Impact Statement and in summary concludes: AMA Tasmania has significant concerns about the potential for adverse health effects resulting from the proposed Pulp Mill.

Read full statement here (pdf file)

Pulp Mill Assessment Bill 2007

'AMA Tasmania is an organisation representing 500 medical practitioners in Tasmania. We are concerned about improving the health of Tasmanians and have a track record of influencing legislation to achieve that end. For example; seat belt legislation, air pollution in the Tamar Valley, agricultural chemical pollution in drinking water, banning of smoking in pubs and clubs and most recently the banning of smoking in cars where children are present.'

Read Dr Michael Aizen's full brief to the members of the Upper House (pdf file)

Health Workforce Impact Statements

The Tasmanian Government introduced 'Better Hospitals Program one and two' address significant deficiencies in the Hospital system in Tasmania. deficiencies are in the number and location of specialist doctors as well as the the hospital infrastructure. Previous Government policy decisions were taken for the wrong reasons and without sufficient regard to the health needs of Tasmania.

Proposed pulp mill

Pulp Mill and Health (pdf file)

Submission

Submission from the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Medical Association

Re: Draft Guidelines for Integrated Impact Statement (IIS) for Proposed Kraft Pulp Mill in Northern Tasmania (pdf file)