With an election just over a week away, AMA South Australia has laid out where politicians need to act in boosting the state’s healthcare.
With early voting beginning tomorrow, the push for reforms to attract international medical graduates to South Australia has been brought to centre stage by a coalition of state health groups.
The South Australian AMA has vouched for the essential role that IMGs play in Australian healthcare.
“Overseas trained doctors are the backbone of our health system,” AMA SA president Associate Professor Peter Subramaniam said.
“Without them, our hospitals would grind to a halt and the number of GPs would be halved.
“Despite their vital contributions – and the wealth of knowledge and experience they bring – many are forced to battle outdated and onerous red tape, and a lack of structured support that leaves some feeling completely alone.”
AMA SA has laid out the following key commitments for potential elected officials:
- Cutting registration red tape and removing administrative duplication in recruiting and securing IMGs for appointments in South Australia.
- Developing and implementing relocation programs, including social and cultural supports, especially in regional areas.
- Investing in GP training grants.
- Supporting a streamlined and nationally consistent process for IMGs to achieve registration.
The state medical association has maintained that the reforms are not indicative of an intent to water down standards for practice.
“What AMA SA is calling for are common-sense, achievable steps to support doctors who are trained to Australian standards and want to live and work here,” Professor Subramaniam said.
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The RACGP expressed support for similar reforms as part of its South Australia 2026 state election policy platform.
The RACGP’s proposal included $800,000 to develop peer support and relocation programs for IMGs along with $2.8 million per year in grants to encourage internationally trained GPs to live and work in the state.
“We know that overseas trained doctors are far more likely to go to eastern states than they are to South Australia, which is a shame, because South Australia is amazing and a great place to settle,” RACGP SA chair Dr Sian Goodson told The Medical Republic back in February.
“In South Australia, we have less GPS per capita than the national average.
“We just need to get the word out, the Liberals have committed to that funding, we really want to see the Labour Party commit to it too, because I think it’s a really sensible, practical solution to some of the workforce issues.
“Having a connected community and a supportive network, an opportunity to link with peers, would go a long way to helping people to really hit the ground running and settle in and want to stay in our state.”
