Australian Medical Association - Tasmania

30/03/2026

Today is National Doctors’ Day, a chance to recognise the contribution doctors make to patients, families and communities across Tasmania.

Doctors enter the profession after many years of education and training, grounded in patient care, clinical judgement and teamwork. For many, the day-to-day reality now includes caring for patients in a health system under sustained pressure while still delivering high-quality care, every day.

National Doctors’ Day is a moment to recognise that professionalism, care and commitment.

AMA Tasmania is proud to stand with doctors across all specialties and career stages. We’ll keep advocating for a strong, sustainable health system with primary care and general practice at its centre, and hospitals that are there when patients need them.

To our AMA Tasmania members and to doctors across Tasmania: thank you.

Join AMA Tasmania: https://lnkd.in/ghsVi8KF

29/03/2026

Celebrating Women's History Month

Dr Helen McArdle grew up in an Irish family where tradition quietly set expectations, and where being the second child — and a girl — came with its own conventions.

But her father, also a doctor, never shared those limits. He encouraged her to aim high, supported her ambitions without hesitation, and made it clear that gender should never define capability.

At home, the message was simple: “Women could do anything men could, more often than not with a little better organisation to boot.”

With her family's backing, Dr McArdle followed her father and brother into medicine and was encouraged to develop not only as a clinician but also as a leader.

Read more about Dr McArdle’s inspiring story here👉🔗 https://www.ama.com.au/articles/ama-celebrates-womens-history-month-2026

29/03/2026

It was great to be in the north of the state last week, stepping away from online meetings and spending time with members in person.

Just as important as the challenges are the solutions. These conversations, sharing what’s working, what’s not, and where we can focus our efforts, are what shape our advocacy and strengthen our profession.

A reminder our Southern Division Dinner is coming up at Shipwrights Arms Hotel.

Nominations for Executive positions are now open. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved, we’d really encourage you to put your hand up.

25/03/2026

Drop by to see Lara at Mersey cafeteria. She’s there today until 11.30. Drs4Drs Tasmania

25/03/2026

We love getting out and meeting members, and being continuously inspired by your dedication to delivering state-of-the-art health services in Tasmania.

25/03/2026

A CPD Plan is not just a plan—it’s a roadmap into the future. Your CPD plan sets the course for the year ahead, ensuring every learning opportunity aligns with your professional goals. Your plan should align with your registered scope of practice and reflect areas where you want to develop or deepen your expertise.

Most importantly, it also helps you stay compliant and meet the Standard*.

Find out how to meet the Standard* by reading the AMA CPD Home Program Guide here -

23/03/2026

MEDIA: Chronic underfunding is driving delays, equipment failures and staffing pressures—leaving some patients to receive treatment in unsuitable spaces. Clinicians are trained to manage complexity, but capacity constraints are a system issue influenced by funding and planning. The AMA remains extremely concerned that Tasmanians could miss out on clinical trials and new treatments without funding that covers the true cost of delivering them, and is calling on state and federal governments to work together on funding, capacity and accountability as the Tasmanian Cancer Strategy is finalised.

The cancer treatment service in southern Tasmania, anchored by the Royal Hobart Hospital’s oncology unit, has no capacity to manage surges in demand, Australian Medical Association Tasmania president Michael Lumsden-Steel has warned as cancer rates surge.

20/03/2026

The AMA Tasmania has proudly championed the Single Employer Model, and its proven success speaks for itself. With 30 applications for just three available positions in 2026, now is the perfect time to expand the SEM, ensuring that even more Tasmanians can benefit from enhanced general practice and greater training opportunities across the state.

Tasmania will see more trainee doctors working in local clinics and rural communities following the Albanese Government’s announcement of more than $1 billion to deliver more doctors to more communities across the country.

20/03/2026

Yesterday on ABC Hobart, Kylie spoke with AMA Tasmania President, Dr Michael Lumsden Steel about our health systems heavy reliance on locum doctors to keep services running. Michael’s message was that while locums can be an important short term back up, using them as a routine workforce plan is costly, unstable, and can undermine the continuity and teamwork that underpins safe patient care.

You can count on ABC Hobart Drive to bring you the day's news and insights.

15/03/2026

12/03/2026

12/03/2026

Australia’s public hospitals are the backbone of our health system. They are where Australians turn in moments of crisis and vulnerability. But year after year, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) Public Hospital Report Card shows a system under.

Tasmania’s public hospitals are under sustained, backbreaking pressure and the latest results confirm what doctors and patients experience every day.

Performance has declined across every key measure, with emergency departments again the worst‑performing nationally and surgery waits continuing to grow. This is not a short‑term dip. It reflects a system operating beyond capacity, without the workforce, infrastructure or long‑term planning needed to meet demand.

Funding increases are welcome, but money alone will not fix this. Without tackling access block, workforce shortages and delayed discharges, patient flow will not improve. Real reform, deliberate long‑term planning and clinically led solutions are essential.

The system cannot keep running on goodwill alone.

👉 Read the full report and what must change:

https://www.ama.com.au/sites/default/files/2026-03/AMA_Public_Hospital_Report_Card_2026_0.pdf