Presidents of Australia’s specialist Medical Colleges met for the 153rd meeting of Council on Thursday 17th June 2021 as chaired by Dr Kym Jenkins. An acknowledgement of Country occurred.
Global COVID Update: more than 176,924,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported including approximately 3,829,300 deaths. In Australia there have been 30,302 cases of COVID-19 in Australia including 910 deaths. Of the 11 newly confirmed cases two were locally acquired. With 19,512,600 tests conducted, Presidents noted 6,219,300 vaccine doses have been administered.
Australian Department of Health Update: Dr Andrew Singer AM focussed on the advice provided by ATAGI on new evidence demonstrating a higher risk of ‘thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome’ (TTS) in the 50-59 age group. Presidents support the ATAGI advice that people of any age without contraindications who have had their first dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca without any serious adverse events should receive a second dose of the same vaccine. The evidence indicates a substantially lower rate of TTS following a second COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca dose in the United Kingdom (Coronavirus vaccine – weekly summary of Yellow Card reporting – GOV.UK ). However, concerns held by GPs regarding the complexity of the stratified vaccine rollout requires a stronger public health media strategy through various kinds of media.
National Medical Workforce Update: a final version is ready for consultation in August with stakeholders, with efforts likely to focus on settling on the implementation strategy.
CPMC Training Review Project Update: Under the auspices of the Education & Medical Workforce Subcommittee the team has completed the literature review, reports one and two and in draft the final report on policy recommendations. Project will conclude end June 2021.
Primary Care Update: Dr Karen Price RACGP President reported on progress establishing the rural diploma of anaesthetic medicine; staging of bringing education and training back into the Colleges; deregulation legislation regarding provision of CPD and strategic and operational planning including exam status.
CPMC discussed concerns held with the ACCC pre-determination for health fund buying group Honeysuckle Health-NIB. The amendments to the National Law to include an Independent Accreditation Committee without formal representation from the medical profession and the discussions with Health and AHPRA where concerns have been raised were discussed.
Presidents meet monthly, next meeting 15the July at 6pm Sydney time.
Contact: Ms Angela Magarry, ceo@cpmc.edu.au +61437 227 422
CPMC acknowledges and pays respects to, the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and communities where our Australian-based colleagues live and work and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. The CPMC membership includes many binational Colleges. CPMC recognises the special status of nga iwi Maori as tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand and is committed to meeting its obligations as Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners.