Australian Medical Association

29/10/2026

Too many Australians are facing long waits for specialist care, with growing numbers delaying or forgoing treatment altogether.

Workforce shortages, inadequate public outpatient capacity, declining Medicare support, and weaknesses in private health insurance arrangements are all contributing to worsening patient access and rising out-of-pocket costs.

If the government is serious about tackling access and affordability issues in healthcare, they need to look at the structural drivers of costs across the entire system rather than searching for a single cause or a single solution.

Read more: https://www.ama.com.au/content/media-releases/Articles/2026/System-wide-issues-driving-access-and-affordability-issues.aspx

28/10/2026

We’ve been calling for stricter sunscreen regulations, and we’re glad to see the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is taking action.

Yesterday, the TGA announced it is developing reforms to strengthen sunscreen regulation in Australia.

These reforms will include more reliable and transparent SPF testing, as we called for in our submission.

Australians need confidence in sunscreens. Regulation must ensure robust, evidence-based SPF testing while keeping sun protection affordable.

While reforms progress, keep using sunscreen daily, alongside shade, clothing, hats and sunglasses.

Sunscreen remains one of our most effective tools against skin cancer.

📣 We are progressing with the development of reforms to strengthen sunscreen regulation in Australia.

Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, and sunscreen is a critical part of protecting Australians. The primary objective of the regulation of sunscreens is to ensure their quality, safety and efficacy to protect consumers from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, to reduce the incidence and impact of skin cancer.

The reforms being developed aim to strengthen consumer confidence in sunscreen performance and ensure sunscreen sponsors and manufacturers understand their regulatory obligations.

The proposed reforms have been informed by responses received from our public consultation which occurred from March to May 2026.

You can view the reforms that will be developed on our website: https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/tga-strengthening-sunscreen-regulation-improve-confidence-sun-protection-factor-spf-claims

26/10/2026

This is why fixing aged care is essential to fixing our hospitals.

Our recent Aged Care Report Card showed how delays in accessing appropriate aged care are adding to the hospital logjam and putting further pressure on already stretched emergency departments.

Read our Aged Care Report Card https://www.ama.com.au/resource?resource=327

21/10/2026

📩 Invitation to our Doctor in Training members 📩

Are you a Doctor in Training looking to build your leadership profile and expand your professional network?

The AMA is seeking expressions of interest for the AMA27 National Conference Convenor role.

This is an opportunity to help shape the future direction of the conference and ensure the perspectives of Doctors in Training are represented.

Apply today with your CV and brief EOI to [email protected]. Applications close this Sunday, 25 October.

Find out more:https://ama.com.au/Common/Uploaded%20files/Smart%20Suite/Resource%20Hub/6405949e-6fc0-4b90-8f6d-920b84e0d149/Convenor%20Position%20Description%20AMA27.pdf

19/10/2026

What’s really driving the cost of specialist medical care in Australia?

In the latest episode of The Waiting Room, hosts Dr Omar Khorshid and Dr Chris Moy are joined by AMA Vice President Associate Professor Julian Rait to unpack affordability and access to specialist care.

Together, they challenge the “greedy doctors” narrative and examine the structural pressures behind rising out-of-pocket costs, proposed fee caps, strained public hospital outpatient services and the growing complexity of patient care.

Listen now to hear what needs to change, wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/ama

14/10/2026

Whether you live in a major city, a regional centre, a rural town or a remote community, you should be able to see a doctor when you need one.

Too many rural and regional Australians still face long waits or travel vast distances for care, because short-term workforce fixes keep falling short.

Today, we released our updated Rural Workforce Initiatives position statement, calling for a nationally coordinated rural health workforce plan.

We want to see regional hospitals and practices resourced as core training hubs, flexible rural training and practical support for doctors and their families that allow them to stay and work where they want to.

Find out more: https://www.ama.com.au/content/media-releases/Articles/2026/Times-up-on-quick-fixes-AMA-calls-for-national-rural-workforce-plan.aspx

13/10/2026

A new study, led by researchers at the Deakin Centre for Global Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE - https://deakin.au/4yJrAFZ), has found that while children are online, they are being hit with digital food marketing from major unhealthy food brands up to 27 times per hour.
This is the first time researchers have been able to accurately measure the food marketing that children see on their feeds and on social media platforms. Read more about the study here: https://bit.ly/4zvxIlh
With thanks to our collaborator VicHealth

12/10/2026

Today, we joined the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists to back a motion by Andrew Wilkie MP - Independent Member for Clark, seconded by Dr Monique Ryanque Ryan MP, calling for an independent authority to oversee Australia's private health system.

The motion, introduced in federal Parliament today, notes that private hospitals perform more than two-thirds of planned surgeries in Australia, yet hundreds of thousands of Australians are downgrading their cover as its value erodes.

The AMA first called for an independent authority to oversee the sector in our Prescription for Private Health Insurance in 2020, and the need for this body is now even more urgent. Without meaningful reform of the sector, and an independent umpire to oversee that reform, Australians will continue to pay the price for a private system weighed down by outdated policy settings, inconsistent rebates, and a public hospital network under significant strain.

Find out more: https://www.ama.com.au/content/media-releases/Articles/2026/Doctors-back-call-for-independent-authority-to-fix-Australia's-private-health-system.aspx

07/10/2026

People living with severe and enduring mental illness are being left behind by care models that are fragmented, crisis-driven, and unable to provide the long-term support many patients need.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day, we have released a new position statement: Supporting Australians with severe and enduring mental illness 2026.

The position statement highlights the growing concern from clinicians that current services are failing some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

Governments must invest in care that support patients across the course of their illness.

Read our media release: https://www.ama.com.au/content/media-releases/Articles/2026/Fragmented-system-failing-people-with-severe-and-enduring-mental-illness.aspx

02/10/2026

Australia's future specialist doctors deserve the support they need to thrive.

The AMA's latest Specialist Trainee Experience Health Check provides important insights into the experiences of doctors undertaking specialist training across Australia, highlighting opportunities to strengthen trainee wellbeing, support, feedback processes and engagement in decision-making.

Strengthening the trainee experience is critical to building a sustainable specialist workforce and ensuring Australians continue to receive high-quality care.

We look forward to continuing to work with specialist medical colleges, trainees and governments to drive meaningful improvements.

Read more: https://www.ama.com.au/content/media-releases/Articles/2026/More-support-needed-for-Australias-future-specialist-doctors.aspx