Care Factor Leading the AMA Through the Pandemic
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medicAUGUST 2020 SAVOLUME 33 NUMBER 4 Care factor Leading the AMA through the pandemic AMA'S NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM • MANAGING COVID-19 IN RURAL SA FEEDING THE PLANET • HEALING HANDS • VALE SENIOR MEMBERS Specialist radiology services in the Adelaide CBD Calvary Adelaide Hospital is the largest private medical imaging clinic in South Australia and offers a comprehensive range drjones.com.au/ of specialist radiology services without comparison. calvary-adelaide- The clinic boasts a Siemens Vida 3.0T MRI and a Siemens Sola 1.5T MRI which hospital compliments the low dose CT, X-ray, Ultrasound, Interventional Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Dental Imaging capability. All are designed to deliver the highest quality diagnostic / interventional radiology services whilst providing the best patient experience in the heart of the Adelaide CBD. Our commitment to this clinic and our referrers is to invest heavily in our staff and our sub-specialised Radiologist team to promptly arrange the diagnosis and appropriate management of your patients. Aligned with + 7 Day Service the needs of the hospital, the clinic has a strong focus, but not limited + Weekend Reporting to Neurology, Spinal, Orthopaedic, Interventional, body and Emergency + Walk-In Services (CT/X-ray) Imaging. + After Hours Appointments We look forward to working together with you to deliver the best possible medical imaging services for you and your patients. Dr Nicholas Bajic Clinic Director, drjones.com.au/online-referring Calvary Adelaide 2 | medicSA Doctor Led • Patient Focused • Quality Driven drjones.com.au Contents Australian Medical Association 5 President’s report (South Australia) Inc. Level 1, 175 Fullarton Road, 6 Being mortal – former AMA(SA) president Dr Phil Harding Dulwich SA 5065 records his own health challenge PO Box 134 North Adelaide SA 5006 9 Zooming in on the AGM Telephone: (08) 8361 0100 Facsimile: (08) 8361 0199 10 Winning ticket – new Federal AMA President and Email: [email protected] Vice President outline their vision Website: www.amasa.org.au Executive contacts 16 Healing hands – the pandemic’s lasting influence on President health workplaces Dr Chris Moy: [email protected] 19 Country practices – managing COVID-19 in rural medicSA South Australia Editorial Editor: Dr Philip Harding 20 On trial – South Australia’s advantages as a biomed Managing Editor: Karen Phillips trial site Cover image 24 Food for thought – diet guidelines for a healthy planet Brett Sheridan, Blue Razoo Advertising 28 A smashing serve – the benefits of AMA(SA) membership [email protected] Production 31 New treatments, new hope for paediatric Typeset and printed for the AMA(SA) by neurology patients Douglas Press Pty Ltd. 38 We can be heroes – leading well in a crisis ISSN 1447-9255 (Print) ISSN 2209-0096 (Digital) 40 Vale – remembering Dr Dean Southwood Disclaimer and Dr Malcolm Wheaton Neither the Australian Medical Association (South Australia) Inc nor any of its servants 46 Dispatches and agents will have any liability in any way arising from information or advice that is contained in medicSA. The statements or opinions that are expressed in the magazine reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the Australian Medical Association (South Australia) unless this is so stated. Although all accepted advertising material is expected to conform to ethical standards, such acceptance does not imply endorsement by the magazine. All matter in the magazine is covered by copyright, and must not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted 10 in any form by electronic or mechanical means, photocopying, or recording, without written permission. What's next? Images are reproduced with permission under limited license. While AMA(SA) colleagues, family and friends gathered elsewhere – at COVID-acceptable distances – AMA(SA) President Dr Chris Moy took a few moments to prepare for his vice-presidential candidate’s speech during the National Conference on 1 August. 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MJN220 06/20 (0811) 4 | medicSA REPORT Strange days are these s I write this, we in South and beyond, that was a major reason Australia can but feel like we I nominated for the position of AMA are living in a safe parallel Vice President alongside my friend President’s universe when compared to and former AMA Western Australia Aour Victorian brothers and sisters. report President, Dr Omar Khorshid. It was a Leaving to one side the causes of the strange campaign; Omar and I didn’t second wave of COVID-19 infections Dr Chris Moy meet in person once during our months which have struck Victoria, what is not of preparation. And it was an equally in dispute is the frightening rapidity in strange AMA National Conference, with which it developed and how quickly it delegates sprinkled across our nation took health services to the brink, as well connected via technology and computer as overwhelming testing and contact screens. But we were fortunate that tracing capabilities. There was almost our shared vision for a better, stronger, universal alarm at the handling of the more approachable and inclusive AMA escalating situation by the Victorian Government, which was putting not seemed to strike a chord with delegates only the Victorian community at across the country, so that Omar and risk, but the rest of Australia as well. I were successful in our respective However, this was not voiced publicly elections at the National Conference by many authorities due to a need to on 1 August. I am pleased that we can maintain the appearance of cohesion now begin the work we promised would which has served Australia well so far in be the focus of our efforts. We want to the pandemic. advocate for all AMA members, and This is where the independence can only do that if we hear from you. of the AMA became important in I’ll be doing my best to support Omar in recent weeks, as it became essential to leading your AMA. I hope you’ll let me articulate to the public the seriousness know how to do it better as we go along. of the situation and the need for I would like to thank the AMA(SA) Victorian authorities to move quickly Council and Executive Board, South to a much higher level of lockdown. Australian delegates, the AMA(SA) AMA(SA) provided support to our AMA secretariat and our wonderful CEO Victoria colleagues including in using Dr Samantha Mead for their support our media influence, culminating in an these past months. interview on national television where Meanwhile, I will continue in my I explained that it was ‘now or never’ for role as President of the AMA in this Victoria to move to Level 4 restrictions state. This role is as important to me because ‘finicking around’ had not as the national one and I have been so worked and was risking the rest of the fortunate to have presided at a time … our shared vision country. Within days of a concerted media effort by the entire AMA, Victoria when I have been able to see how you, for a better, stronger, moved to Level 4 restrictions. our members, have contributed so much more approachable Our independence, and our to the recent efforts in South Australia. willingness to stand up when it is Although a great deal of uncertainty and inclusive AMA required for patients and colleagues, remains regarding the course of the seemed to strike a seems to me to be at the core of why the COVID pandemic, what I am certain AMA has the trust of the community. about is that the community can chord with delegates It was the need to reinforce this continue to rely on their doctors and our across the country … independence, during the pandemic profession to be there for them. medicSA | 5 EDITORIAL Brain tumour masquerading as an IT problem Former AMA(SA) President Dr Philip Harding discovered the hard way that a brain tumour is one of the problems that can’t be fixed by turning the computer off and on again. hen I wrote my editorial fixes in the program settings. column for our first These made some difference but online edition in June, not to a satisfactory extent.