GPs who do thorough medical care, showing up for both mental health and physical health are *penalised* by the Australian Medicare system. But this story buries the lede (completely): Mark Butler is killing off Mental Health item numbers for GP patients next month 🤯 www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

GP says fees will go up at his clinic when bulk-billing incentives come in

An industry survey finds GPs are managing conditions typically handled by specialists due to high costs and only 12 per cent can afford to bulk-bill all patients.

abc.net.au

This is really sad, friends. Surely there must be a way to save it? www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/04/m...

Literary journal Meanjin to close after 85 years of publishing

Meanjin, a mainstay of Australia's cultural landscape and the nation's second-oldest literary publication, is shuttering after Melbourne University Publishing decided to cease financial support.

crikey.com.au

Thank you @gingergorman. I appreciate your brave and thoughtful words. The bullying and silencing (of brave souls who speak their conscience against violence and complicity) is ripping us apart. It's happening across all industries, including healthcare, and most stories never 'go public'.

Ginger Gorman@gingergorman.bsky.social · last yr.

My family lost a baby at Auschwitz. I can’t see how our child is any different from those being killed in Gaza. One of the most personal things I’ve ever written — about grief, conscience, and complicity. Read: thebigsmoke.com.au/2025/08/01/g...

Loved this discussion exploring family secrets, which included my esteemed colleague @ashleybarnwell.bsky.social www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

The truth behind family secrets - ABC listen

Two of the world's top models, Gigi and Bella Hadid, confirmed their family had been keeping a secret. The sisters revealed they have a younger half-sibling, after their father had a relationship with...

abc.net.au

Took a class of Narrative Medicine students to see this play, 'The Black Woman of Gippsland'. They loved every moment of this. The layered story. The fierce acting. The challenging of history. The incredible dance. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @australia.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/m...

The Black Woman of Gippsland review – in the battle to tell Australia’s history, who gets to be believed?

Melbourne Theatre CompanyThere are some excellent performances and intriguing ideas in Sunshine Super Girl director Andrea James’ new work, but it lacks drama

theguardian.com

@mariamtokhi.bsky.social you need to know that a Palestinian colleague in the West Bank, a primary care doctor and a medical educator who is still doing all she can for her patients and students was immensely heartened by this when I shared. We are in contact often. She told me she needed this.

We cannot stay silent. 1000 of my Australian colleagues are calling for government action to end the loss of life in Palestine.

If politicians really want to be 'tough on crime': - improve safe and stable housing access - improve access to primary and mental health care - support early childhood education - support family planning and parenting Policing is only the tip of the iceberg. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05...

New top cop Mike Bush to make significant changes to Victoria Police

Victoria's new police commissioner Mike Bush says he will focus on crime prevention and lifting officer morale.

abc.net.au

I remember the moment I realised that under Medicare I was being penalised for doing good Medicine, and patients were being punished for seeking it. Thanks @gpswampwarrior.bsky.social for writing this. www.medicalrepublic.com.au/medicare-mis...

Medicare misogyny, smoke and a lot of mirrors - Medical Republic

When Ged Kearney talks about the harms associated with defining the average patient as a white male, her government is doing the same with their modelling for GPs.

medicalrepublic.com.au

Wow. Curious to hear what GPs and patients think about this?👇🏾 @timsenior.bsky.social @kangaroobeach.bsky.social @lizsturgiss.bsky.social @karenmagraith.bsky.social @brookmanknight.bsky.social @racgp.bsky.social www.afr.com/politics/fed...

Private equity-backed GP chain a winner from Labor health spending

The BGH Capital-owned medical centre operator ForHealth has been a big beneficiary of the government’s increased spending on Medicare and urgent care clinics.

afr.com

This is such important reporting, and such an important conversation. Whose experiences are taken seriously? (In healthcare, in all institutions of care, in our families, in our communities...) www.smh.com.au/national/a-w...

A woman thought she had a stalker. Authorities sent her to a psych ward

This masthead has uncovered a series of disturbing cases where women say they have been disbelieved, misdiagnosed, and wrongly admitted to mental health wards. Others have been told their pain is “all...

smh.com.au

Had the opportunity to spend the day reflecting on the importance of stories in #clinicalpractice & #research at the #Narrative Meets #Medicine symposium. And I've found my next podcast created by the Narrative Network. This episode features the day's hosts: blogs.unimelb.edu.au/narrative-ne...

Yesterday people commited to healthcare, story and creativity came together for Australia's first Narrative Medicine symposium, an enriching interdisciplinary collaboration with the Faculties of Arts and Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at The University of Melbourne.

An open letter to federal election candidates, on the importance of clean air - it comes as the @WHO Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health is held this week in Colombia www.croakey.org/an-open-lett... #AusPol #CleanAir

An open letter to federal election candidates, on the importance of clean air

Introduction by Croakey: The burning of fossil fuels is driving air pollution, which is estimated to kill an estimated seven

croakey.org

"International humanitarian law in its current form cannot be relied upon... Medical associations and specialty societies must lead advocacy efforts to ensure that hospitals, health care workers, and patients are protected and not viewed as military targets." onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...

Well, this is a disappointing turn of events. What happened to reducing conflicts of interest, improving quality and real, multidisciplinary collaboration? www.ama.com.au/qld/news/Pha...

Pharmacy prescribing made permanent without adequate evidence

The Queensland Government’s decision to make pharmacy prescribing ‘business as usual’ without evidence is disappointing and dangerous.

ama.com.au

Want a little taste of the work we are doing in Narrative Medicine? Thanks #rcheducation for taking a leap with poetry and medicine in the same podcast! Lmk if you listen ❤️ open.spotify.com/episode/7wNy...

Narrative Medicine - Part 1 – What stories shape your life?

The Education Hub - Teach Think Treat · Episode

open.spotify.com

UPDATE—Mahmoud's attorney says they do NOT know where he is. They were first told he was sent to an ICE facility in Elizabeth, NJ. But when his 8-month-pregnant wife tried to visit him, she was told he's not there. They've received reports he may be sent as far away as Louisiana.

Prem Thakker ツ@premthakker.bsky.social · last yr.

NEWS: Last night, the Department of Homeland Security detained a Palestinian who helped lead the Columbia encampment. Agents told him his visa was revoked. He said he had a green card. They were confused—then said that was revoked too. His attorney demanded a warrant. Agents hung up instead.

Happy International Women's Day. May we challenge the systems that undervalue us, overwork us and keep us "lesser than". And may one day, Medicare pay me as much as the taciturn man-doc in the room next door. #genderpaygap #medicare #medsky #slowmedicine @racgp.bsky.social

On the pledges for Medicare. (And a shout out to the Greens who have also committed to supporting primary care by salarying GPs in areas of need.) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Should Australia’s GPs and patients be excited about the Medicare pledge? Yes and no | Mariam Tokhi

A commitment to universal healthcare is welcome. But we need to ensure doctors can provide good medicine, not just fast medicine

theguardian.com

THIS is the sort of thing you’re supposed to spend billions on.

GP visits to become free for most under $8.5b Labor Medicare promise

Labor says nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion Medicare election funding promise, to be announced by the prime minister on Sunday.

abc.net.au

Albanese’s bulk billing pledge renews the promise at the heart of Medicare www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Albanese’s bulk billing pledge renews the promise at the heart of Medicare | Bill Bowtell

Forty years ago Bob Hawke made access to healthcare a right, not a privilege. After decades of depradations, Labor’s reforms are putting Medicare back on track

theguardian.com

GPs and patients of Australia, are you excited or worried, hopeful or hopeless about just-promised Medicare reform?🧐 www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

Coalition vows to match Labor's $8.5 billion Medicare pledge

The Coalition will back in Labor's Medicare funding boost, committing to spend $9 billion to support GPs if they are elected at this year's federal election.

abc.net.au

Good to see the importance of medical oxygen being given some air time-- its a lifesaving medication: something we often take for granted in Australia, but not available or accessible in so many health settings around the world. //www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/health/medical-oxygen-shortage.html

An Invisible Medical Shortage: Oxygen

Oxygen is vital to many medical procedures. But a safe, affordable supply is severely lacking around the world, according to a new report.

nytimes.com

We believe in the power of quality #primarycare, considering the psychological, social, and economic dimensions of health, to reduce social inequities. Explore our aims and scope and submit your manuscript today! Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/40T8uO3 #medsky #familymedicinesky #internalmedicinesky

This is progress. Good call from the Australian Labor government. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...

Labor pledges $573 million for women's health, including long-term contraceptives

The election pitch also includes new measures for women in menopause, including efforts to lift support and care provided by GPs.

abc.net.au

A lot has happened since we published this article but it remains relevant: www.croakey.org/chaos-confus...

Chaos, confusion and uncertainty: a dangerous recipe for global health

The speed and scale of the Trump Administration’s assault on health and scientific governance and related institutions, programs and services

croakey.org

the value of primary care and narrative medicine both!!

Mariam Tokhi@mariamtokhi.bsky.social · 2y ago

This is such a beautiful article about the value of relationship and time in primary care. It's an American piece, but speaks to many of the issues we face in Australia, too. #primarycare #slowmedicine #medicare www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

A medical administration manager at John Hunter Hospital has called its junior doctors a ‘workforce of clinical marshmallows’. This is completely unacceptable. Junior doctors are overworked, underpaid, and as this instance clearly shows: undervalued. NSW doctors deserve better!

I've deleted the post calling in all #clinicalmarshmallows because I was educated that the email screenshot was too identifying. May we all stay soft and joyful enough to support each other's well-being