Don’t promote yourself as ‘the doll-maker’ or ‘magic hands’: AHPRA
New AHPRA guidelines warn cosmetic doctors to stop advertising with terms such as “doll-maker”, “sculptor”, “artist” or “magic hands”. Two new guidelines on non-surgical cosmetic…
Antony Scholefield
Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.
Fewer than 10% of final-year medical students want to be GPs as a first choice
Only 9.4% of final-year medical students have nominated general practice as their preferred specialty, down from 10.6% last year, with rural generalism falling too. Internal…
1100 GPs to receive ‘early intervention letters’ detailing their overseas Medicare claims
The latest Medicare compliance campaign includes 1100 “early intervention letters” showing GPs details of MBS claims they allegedly lodged while outside Australia, the RACGP says.…
GP registrars offered $40,000 to train in Queensland
Almost 600 GP registrars can get a one-off $40,000 payment this year to lessen the financial pain of leaving the hospital system, the Queensland Government…
Higher rebates for specialist attendances ‘off the table’ despite $141 average gap fee
The Minister for Health and Aged Care has shot down a suggestion he could raise rebates for non-GP specialists to stop out-of-pocket costs spiralling further…
End of an era: Govt axes Medicare items for COVID-19 vaccination after more than 30 million claims
After more than 30 million claims, more than $1 billion dollars in rebates and much controversy, the Medicare items for COVID-19 vaccination are departing. The…
Medical board chair’s message to medicinal cannabis doctors: ‘Patient demand is not an indication’
Doctors prescribing medicinal cannabis are being urged to think about differential diagnoses, monitoring and exit plans after revelations that 441,000 patients started high-THC cannabis over…
State Govt will cover the cost of pharmacist consults for 20 medical conditions including diabetes and hypertension
Victorian pharmacists with extra training will manage and prescribe S4 drugs for type 2 diabetes, hypertension and allergies through taxpayer-funded consultations, Premier Jacinta Allen says.…
Govt-run locum agency will give taxpayers ‘bang for buck’, says State Health Minister
A government-run locum agency is coming “sooner rather than later”, says the NSW Minister for Health as he grapples with a $240 million annual bill…
GP says he was told ‘nothing’ about Westfield killer’s possible psychotic symptoms
A GP says he had no information about potential signs of a psychotic relapse in his patient who ended up killing half a dozen people…
