The Zap: delays in aged care reform, Urgent Care Clinics, health workforce inequities and private health insurance premiums

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) has released its Guidance Matrix which accompanies the 2023 Standards for Assessment and Accreditation of Primary Medical Programs (medical school standards). The document communicates AMC accreditation expectations for stakeholders, such as medical schools, assessment teams and reviewers. It includes ‘explanations’ of standards in plain English, examples of acceptable evidence, and expert resources. AMC also provides a User Guide and feedback form.

The Australian Government’s new Migration Strategy hopes to deliver significant reforms to our migration system and target the migration of skilled occupations that support the quality of life of all Australians. New visa classes, residency pathways, and integrity measures will improve job mobility and worker protections, thus motivating skilled professionals to move to Australia. Read more about these reforms and their potential impact on Australia’s health sector recruitment and workforce.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) will hold its AMA24 Conference at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, from August 2-4, 2024. Registrations are now open and available to members and non-members. The conference is aimed at doctors across all career stages and specialty groups. It is CPD accredited and provides an opportunity to inspire, learn, discuss topics, and network. Find out more, including how to register, keynote speakers and program details.

The latest the Internet Vacancy Index showed monthly decreases in job listings for Health and Medical ‘Professional’ categories. Yearly growth in job ad vacancies is starting to stabilise, however current volumes, across all occupation categories, remain much higher than the 10-year average, demonstrating continued workforce demand alongside the expanding population and consumer demand for health services.