Wanted: GP hit squad to be ‘deployed at a moment’s notice’ to rescue struggling practices
A team of 10 GPs employed by the Tasmanian Government will be “deployed at a moment’s notice” to rescue struggling practices under a radical election…
Antony Scholefield
Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.
Medical Must-See: Pregnant patient’s diagnosis a rare pain in the butt
Identifying the rare cause of a pregnant patient’s back and buttock pain was, well, a pain in the butt for her doctors. The woman, carrying twins, presented at…
Revealed: 16 antibiotics pharmacists will prescribe in Qld’s next trial
Cefalexin and mupirocin are just two of the antibiotics that Queensland pharmacists will prescribe under the state’s expanded pharmacy prescribing pilot this year. Pharmacists will…
Prescribing protocols for Vic pharmacists treating skin conditions finally revealed
The Victorian Government has finally named shingles and psoriasis as the skin conditions that pharmacists will start treating in March as part of its pharmacy…
Most medical tests sold directly to patients ‘lack clear benefits’ — even the ones costing $1900
Direct-to-patient medical tests are a growing business, but Australian researchers are warning that most tests achieve nothing. A University of Wollongong study found 484 direct-to-consumer…
Officials say Veterans’ MATES program axed after ‘losing confidence’ of patients
Department of Veterans’ Affairs officials only learnt second-hand that a program to address polypharmacy among veterans had lost ethics approval, its secretary has told a…
‘Many of us have been defamed by fellow doctors we thought were friends’
Dr Jennifer Martinez’s problems started with comments posted in a private social media group and ended with her being publicly accused of anti-Semitism. She is…
Have tripled incentives boosted the bulk-billing rate in your area? Find out here
The impact of tripling bulk-billing rates last November has been clear, at least according to Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler. For GPs,…
Man died of perforated oesophagus after ingesting kambo frog poison, inquest hears
A 46-year-old man died of a perforated oesophagus after consuming the plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca and frog-based poison kambo at a retreat in northern NSW two…
Medicare in trouble for spending $4000 on urgent care teddy bears
Bureaucrats have been forced to defend their decision to spend $4000 of taxpayer cash on teddy bears to promote Medicare’s GP urgent care clinics. …
