AMAV VICDOC Winter 2024 - Magazine - Page 31
I get to work with very intelligent and capable
people who have exceptional insights into the
system with innovative and very effective
solutions for the challenges that we face.
—
AMAV’S MEMBERS HAVE IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT
CONCERNS ABOUT THE DIRECTION THE OVERALL
SYSTEM WAS TAKING.
—
In the second half of 2022, AMA Victoria
was involved in a range of higherlevel discussions around the statewide
reform process. This was also a period
of overwhelming patient need and staff
exhaustion after COVID-19 and its
impact. This was an important and intense
time, where we were well advised by
internal AMA expertise and higherlevel committees and were able to
effect change and a refocusing.
access to GPs is becoming more difficult.
This is resulting in out-of-pocket costs
and difficulty for patients, especially
those with longer-term mental healthrelated disability and financial problems.
MOVEMENT TO AN ONGOING CONTINUITY
OF CARE MODEL WOULD HELP TO IMPROVE
PATIENT OUTCOMES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE
LONGER TERM ILLNESS.
—
While some people have a single episode
or milder mental illness, many people
have ongoing impairment and a greater
illness impact. Specialist expertise and
support should be available at all stages of
AN EFFECTIVE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC
peoples’ care to get them better and then
HOSPITAL SYSTEM AND THE PRIMARY CARE AND
help keep them better. This would also
PRIVATE SECTORS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN
demand that we ensure specialised clinical
TAKING THE BURDEN OFF THE SYSTEM.
support and effective clinical governance
for multidisciplinary teams and for GPs in
After acute treatment and stabilisation in the primary care. Ongoing funding should also
state funded public mental health system, in be directed towards increased acute beds,
most cases patients are transitioned back to
acute care and specialist tertiary services.
the general practice and private sectors.
These topics seem to be less popular
As the Medicare MBS system funding
during discussions in the current climate
didn’t keep up with inflation and rising
but are going to be even more important
costs over prior decades, access to private
with Victoria’s predicted population
psychiatrists became difficult and now
growth over the coming years.
—
VI CD O C WI NTER 2024
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