Brisbane GP, Dr Steve Hambleton, today officially took over as Federal President of the Australian Medical Association.

Dr Hambleton commenced full-time general practice in Queensland in 1987, and has been working at the same general practice in the Brisbane suburb of Kedron since 1988.

He was the AMA representative on the National Immunisation Committee from 2006 to 2010 and was a member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee for two years until 2009.

Dr Hambleton was a member of the Practice Incentive Program Advisory Group and has served the AMA in senior roles at State and Federal level for more than a decade.

Professor Geoffrey Dobb, an intensive care specialist from Perth, is the new Vice President.

Dr Roderick McRae, a Melbourne anaesthetist and intensive care physician, was elected Chair of Council in a three-way contest at AMA National Conference today.

Dr Peter Ford, an Adelaide GP, was returned unopposed as Treasurer.

There will be elections for the two remaining spots on the AMA Executive Council at tomorrow's Federal Council meeting in Brisbane.

Dr Hambleton today paid tribute to his predecessor, Dr Andrew Pesce, and said he would continue with the established strategy of engaging with Government on shared policy and being critical and offering better policy solutions where and when necessary.

"There is a lot of unfinished business in health reform," Dr Pesce said.

"My focus as President will be to rebuild and regenerate the engine room of health care in Australia - the medical practitioners in public and private hospitals and the GPs who serve local communities around Australia.

"We need a confident, optimistic and well-resourced medical workforce to look after the health needs of an ageing and growing population with more complex and chronic conditions.

"And we need forward-looking and practical health policies that are developed with strong expert input from the doctors who work with patients in the community every hour of every day," Dr Hambleton said.

Source:
Australian Medical Association