The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has reinforced its position as the peak body for general practice in Australia with the opening of an office in Canberra.
Speaking at the National Press Club launch event today, RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel said the role of the RACGP was to inform and advise on contemporary and evidence based health policies that would ultimately improve the health outcomes of all Australians.
“If the RACGP is to successfully raise the levels of health literacy amongst the public, press and political decision makers, a robust Canberra presence is absolutely vital,” Dr Seidel said.
Dr Seidel used his speech at the launch event to propose the establishment of an independent Medicare Authority, which would incorporate the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) review and therefore make that review continuous and permanent.
“The government’s review of the MBS is a positive initiative and one long overdue. We know this could be a very successful reform for our health system,” Dr Seidel said.
“Medicare rebates should reflect the true value of a service to the patient and the community at large and the actual service should be meaningful, evidence based and clinically indicated.
“Today we call on the Government to implement permanent reforms aimed at supporting continuous review of MBS item numbers, whereby the current MBS review is rolled into a new independent Medicare Authority.
“Contemporary health systems are flexible and adaptable, and there needs to be a nimble process that can respond to new evidence and changing circumstances within a reasonable timeframe.
“Current arrangements for reviewing and approving MBS item numbers and auditing Medicare compliance are cumbersome, overly bureaucratic, and piecemeal.”
Adopting a similar framework to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, the Independent Medicare Authority would routinely review MBS item numbers, introduce new item numbers in a timely fashion, foster clinical innovation and maintain efficiency and fairness.
“We’ve got to bring those branches together. Fragmentation here has the same detrimental effect as fragmentation in the delivery in health care,” Dr Seidel said.
Dr Seidel said the RACGP would always remain politically agnostic and advocate for the public interest, not profits.
“As an academic medical college we are calling for a commitment to evidence based health policies. It should not be that difficult," Dr Seidel said.
“We should keep politics right out of health care. Because there is no Labor, Liberal, National, Green approach of looking after patients.
“The basis of our advocacy will always be evidence and patient experience. The logical, common sense argument needs to prevail. Not the cheque book.
“That's what the community expects. That’s what voters expect and that’s what will improve the health of our nation – and that can only ever be in all our interest.
“We have held several positive meetings with Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt since his appointment in January, as well as other senior ministers and advisors, and now the RACGP will continue to build on the relationships already established in Canberra.
“Health is essential to advance Australia fair. This is what the RACGP and our 35,000 members advocate for, and this is why we are opening our office in the nation’s capital today.”