This issue's theme is health inequities and justice. It features Prof Sir Michael Marmot's visit to the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, the launch of the anti-child abuse campaign Stop the Clock, the risks presented by privatising healthcare in prisons, and profiles of both A/Prof Kelvin Kong, and Dr Kerri Eagle.
PRESIDENT'S WORD Much more than a medical service Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation exemplifies the necessity for Aboriginal people to shape the services for their community to deliver better health outcomes. I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Sir Michael Marmot last September as he visited Australia to deliver the Boyer Lecture, and perform a number of [...]
FROM THE CEO Extraordinary doctors In the medical profession’s pursuit of health equity and justice, some doctors stand out for their work in caring for the community. Being the CEO of AMA (NSW) is a very fortunate job. Aside from getting to work with impressive doctors on important health issues, sometimes you can also be [...]
DIT DIARY Summer burnout Eliza Milliken describes how JMOs aren’t resigning from contracts early because they’re selfish, but because they need a break to survive the stresses of training and working. This time of year can be especially stressful for junior doctors. It’s normal to feel exhausted and in need of a break after 12 [...]
FEATURE Getting it right AMA (NSW) Councillor Sergio Diez Alvarez argues more investment is needed in medical training positions in hospitals, particularly in rural and regional areas, to address the poor geographic distribution of doctors. There has been a lot of talk recently about the state of the medical workforce and an imbalance between GPs [...]
FEATURE Chiropractors and vaccination Chiropractor Andrew Shepherd condemns anti-vax colleagues whose views endanger the community and the profession. Many chiropractors, such as myself, have publicly stood against the actions of one Melbourne chiropractic clinic which screened the anti-vaccination film Vaxxed last year. My colleagues and I are well aware of the discredited research of Andrew [...]
FEATURE Stop the Clock AMA (NSW) created the Stop the Clock campaign to raise awareness of the prevalence of child abuse, as well as highlight the resources available to those affected. TRAGICALLY, every 15 minutes in Australia, a child is abused. In 2014-15, almost 152,000 Australian children received child protection services – roughly one in [...]
FEATURE Targeting Rheumatic Heart Disease Federal AMA’s Report Card on Indigenous Health aims to completely eliminate RHD by 2031. AMA President, Dr Michael Gannon called on governments to rid Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at the launch of the AMA’s Report Card on Indigenous Health. The Report Card, which [...]
FEATURE Hope among the melee If communities and individuals are empowered it is more likely that money spent will lead to progress, write Prof Sir Michael Marmot in this account of his visit to Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation. It is easy to find accounts of Australian aboriginal health – strictly Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders – [...]
PROFILE Great expectations Associate Professor Kelvin Kong spoke with The NSW Doctor about his pathway into medicine, his mentors and his desire to see a national approach to curing ear disease. A lot of six-year-olds like to play at being a doctor, inspecting teddy bears with plastic stethoscopes and testing reflexes with a rubber hammer [...]
FEATURE The pitfalls of privatising prison healthcare Elise Buisson argues good policy should trump good politics in the debate over whether to privatise healthcare in NSW correction facilities. “Nowhere is the fragmentation of the corrections system more apparent than in the provision of health services.” - Independent Investigation into the Management and Operation of Victoria’s [...]
PROFILE Privilege, power and trust As a forensic psychiatrist and Chair of the Medical Staff Council for Justice Health, Dr Kerri Eagle supports some of the justice system’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged inmates. What led you to becoming a forensic psychiatrist? I was a lawyer working in commercial litigation – young and ambitious, a senior [...]
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Employing Casuals A double-edged sword for private practices Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of employers fall into the trap of hiring ‘casual’ employees, believing this would be less risky or more flexible for their business than a ‘permanent’ or ‘fixed term’ staffing model. Without a doubt, the casual model does have [...]
TRAVEL Looking for Robert Johnson: A journey through Mississippi AMA (NT) President, Associate Professor Robert Parker, took a journey through Mississippi in search of a blues legend. ‘I went down to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above ‘have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please’ So sang Robert Johnson [...]
GOLF EVENTS BMA Cup 2016 In what could only be described as perfect conditions for golf, the 2016 BMA Cup was held at the NSW Golf Course with an early morning shotgun start. Fifty players enjoyed the magnificent views from the fairways and the course was in pristine condition. As a championship course, NSW is [...]
GOLF EVENTS International Shield New Zealand A small but enthusiastic group of golfers contested the 2016 AMA International Shield over six rounds in October at three magnificent courses on the North Island of New Zealand. The courses were, with two rounds at each, Kinloch, Wairakei and Cape Kidnappers. Regular golfers would be well aware of [...]
The NSW Doctor is the flagship publication of the Australian Medical Association (NSW) Limited. The journal is a prime source of communication with AMA membership providing a forum for medicopolitical debate and informing members of the concerns of contemporary medicine.
The NSW Doctor has a circulation of approximately 8,000, and is published every two months. The journal is distributed exclusively to AMA members, selected media, other organisations and subscribers.
