RACP's policy and advocacy wins in 2023

The RACP works with you to deliver College policy and advocacy, committing to your health policy priorities, and amplifying your calls for change. With your support, we can make a difference. This is done through submissions to inquiries, strengthening government relations, developing RACP policy statements, making RACP representations to external bodies, speaking in the media, and leading advocacy campaigns.

As we commence the new year, we are reflecting on some of the successes achieved in 2023. Your expert input and feedback were key to driving focused engagement and to achieving change and positive outcomes.

• The Australian Government committed to looking at options to improve the use of health checks in the child protection system, a significant outcome from the 2023 RACP Parliamentary Child Health Roundtable, at Parliament House, Canberra.
• The incoming Aotearoa New Zealand Government committed to RACP recommendations on the specialist workforce (see RACP’s physician workforce proposals).
• MBS subsequent physician telephone consultation items were reinstated as a result of College advocacy.
• A National Climate and Health Strategy and a National Climate Change and Sustainability Unit were established. The Hon Mark Butler publicly acknowledged the College’s successful role in advocacy for this, in addition to the Healthy Climate Future Campaign, which was led by the RACP. 
• A ban on engineered stone across Australia and an occupational exposure registry for workers as a result of years of strong advocacy.
• A wide range of RACP recommendations adopted in the 2023 Federal Budget.
• Acceptance of RACP recommendations by the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Long COVID.
• Many members were also supported to represent the RACP at Ministerial meetings, Commonwealth summits, Advisory Groups, taskforces and Government and Senate inquiries admitting RACP expert advice into evidence.

These successes and much more are available to read in detail in the P&A Annual and Quarterly Reports, on the P&A webpages, news and media releases, in the DFAC College newsletters, and President messages, as well as across College social platforms.

We encourage you to keep across the achievements of the College, and actively input to these through all College channels, or sign up to the P&A Interest Group or apply to the P&A Advocacy Group to be more directly involved.

Coming soon

We are thrilled to be introducing a new member consultation webpage during the year as part of the RACP website. This will allow the opportunity for increased and improved member engagement in an easier and more effective way.

We look forward to working with you during 2024. We will share more with you in future President messages. If at any time you have a query or want to know more about Policy and Advocacy activities, please contact policy@racp.edu.au