Policy and Advocacy Library
The library is the culmination of the collaborative work of RACP members and comprises a comprehensive range of evidence-based, published RACP position statements, policies and submissions.
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Description
The RACP submitted feedback to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee on the Regulatory Standards Bill. The RACP opposes the Regulatory Standards Bill, highlighting the potential for adverse impacts on public health, health outcomes for Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi presented by the provisions of the Bill.
Description
Our submission to the Productivity Commission urges it to recommend implementation of key reforms needed to modernise My Health Record, strengthen medicine access, support physician wellbeing, ensure safe AI integration, and expand efforts to reduce low-value care. It also encourages better collaborative funding and commissioning of health care services for physician care integration and more investment in primary and secondary prevention to reduce pressure on our hospitals.
Description
Our response to the Ahpra National Prescribing Competencies Framework review commends overall framework alignment with quality use of medicines principles, while urging better support for doctors and patients by more clearly addressing real-world prescribing complexities. This includes in areas like off-label prescribing, shared decision-making, and clinical judgment in uncertain or emerging evidence settings. We recommend more detailed guidance that reflects the ethical and practical responsibilities of advanced prescribing in physician care. Further engagement with the RACP is urged to ensure the framework stays relevant to evolving clinical scenarios. Strengthening these aspects would enhance its utility and better equip doctors to make informed, safe prescribing decisions in busy practice environments.
Description
The RACP submission in response to Tasmania’s 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy Discussion Paper welcomes this important investment in creating a healthier and more equitable future for all Tasmanians. The submission recommends that the Strategy focus on system-wide change through a Health in All Policies approach, apply a strong health equity lens, address the social determinants of health, reflect Tasmania’s specific jurisdictional and workforce context, dedicate at least 5% of the health budget to prevention, and encompass the full continuum of preventive health.
Description
The RACP submitted feedback to the Health Select Committee on the Medicines Amendment Bill. The RACP supports a number of measures outlined in the Medicines Amendment Bill, including the new medicines verification pathway, but has a number of concerns about proposed expansion of prescribing unapproved medicines. Initiatives to improve access to medicines need to be part of a broader range of activities to ensure necessary access to specialist care.
Description
This submission provides feedback to the Tasmanian Government’s proposed changes to interstate prescribing, which would allow Tasmanian pharmacists to dispense certain prescriptions that currently they cannot dispense.
The submission expresses cautious support for the proposal to allow Tasmanian pharmacists to dispense medicines prescribed by out of state prescribers. It notes concerns related to opioids, stimulants, care coordination and follow up, telehealth, workforce, and the need for proper resourcing of Tasmanian services to meet demand.
Description
The RACP’s Māori Health Committee with input from Policy and Advocacy and Professional Practice provided feedback to Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health on its consultation on regulatory settings related to the health workforce. The College strongly opposed proposals to reduce cultural requirements in hiring decisions highlighting that cultural aspects of care impact clinical care. The RACP called for thorough consultation with physicians before considering regulating Physician Assistant roles. The RACP also highlighted suggestions to improve expediting the recognition of qualifications for Overseas Trained Physicians and the importance of focusing on retention.
Description
The RACP submitted to Hīkina Whakatutuki | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in April on their proposed Government Procurement Rules 5th edition, 2025. The College noted its concern regarding the failure to mention of climate change within the Procurement Plan and the removal of Living Wage requirements.
Description
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) provided evidence in a submission to He Pou a Rangi | Climate Change Commission to contribute to the upcoming National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA) 2026. The NCCRA is produced every six years, identifies the most significant risks – assessing their nature, severity and the need for co-ordinated actions to respond. This work is part of the Climate Change Commission’s core role to independently assess the risks that Aotearoa faces from the current and future effects of climate change.
Description
This submission responds to the NSW Special Commission of lnquiry into Healthcare Funding: Issues Paper 3/2024 – Funding Models and the Way NSW Health Funds Health Services in NSW. The RACP considers that the issues outlined in the Issues Paper are of critical importance to both the future of healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of patients across NSW. The RACP remains committed to supporting the development of a robust and equitable healthcare funding system in NSW. The RACP emphasises that there is a need to ensure funding reform delivers a more efficient, equitable, and patient-centred approach to healthcare delivery in NSW. The RACP submission refers to specific proposals for what is needed to improve the interface of Federal and NSW jurisdictional planning for improved, more efficient, more cost-effective and timely service provision to patients.
