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The AMA took concerns regarding the whereabouts of the Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan to the media this week. Talking to show host Patricia Karvelas, AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said the AMA had seen the draft plan last year but had since heard the Government was not going to implement the reforms or make good its budget promise to put about $440 million dollars towards Voluntary Patient Enrolment, a key plank of the reforms.

“We’ve been strongly behind reform we’ve seen a draft paper that is supposed to be coming out. But as we come closer to the election, what we’re hearing from Government is, no, we’re not going to be implementing this reform; there’s no more money for health.

“And even the modest amount of money already in the budget over the last couple of years, promised at the last election – which is about $440 million dollars which sounds like a lot – but actually spread over the entire country it’s a tiny amount of money. But it’s what’s needed just to implement these reforms and even that is a step too far for the Government at the moment,” Dr Khorshid said.

As a result of the AMA’s advocacy the Government has now given a public commitment to release the plan as part of the Budget, however it has not matched this with a commitment to release the funds to implement the plan in its initial stages.

Dr Khorshid said GPs would feel by these decisions. “More than 400 organisations, including the AMA, have worked closely with the Government’s own steering committee in good faith over the past two-and-a-half years on this initiative to help reform the delivery of general practice and primary care for those with complex health needs.

“Improved access to general practice will be a key election issue for the AMA and both major parties need to clearly outline their plans to future-proof general practice and ensure it is adequately funded going forward,” he said.