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 supports MCNZ’s updated draft statement on cultural competence and cultural safety and welcomes the inclusion of a dedicated hauora Māori statement. The submission affirms the importance of culturally safe, equity-focused medical practice and recommends strengthening the statements by explicitly anchoring them in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and emphasising power imbalances, racism, bias and structural inequities in healthcare.
Description
This submission supports improved fee transparency on the Medical Costs Finder while emphasising that effectiveness will depend on careful design, appropriate safeguards, and complementary reforms including Medicare investment, workforce development, and expanded public outpatient capacity.
Topic
Access to healthcare
Description
The RACP welcomes the opportunity to submit to the Rural, Regional and Remote Medicare Inquiry. The inquiry examines how funding, workforce incentives and service models affect access, sustainability, and equity in rural Australia. The RACP provides physician perspectives on strengthening Medicare, promoting integrated care and policies that ensure fair access to health services regardless of location.
Description
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) position statement, ‘Using artificial intelligence in clinical practice’, provides a framework for the responsible adoption of AI. It outlines key principles for implementing, interacting with, and monitoring AI to achieve the ‘quintuple aim’ of healthcare while mitigating risks like algorithmic bias and medicolegal liability. The statement emphasizes that AI must support, rather than replace, physician judgment.
Description
The RACP and its Tasmanian Committee are pleased to provide further input into the Tasmanian Government’s 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy consultation. The 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy will provide an overarching framework and direction for preventive health in Tasmania over the next two decades. The RACP response praises the Strategy’s long-term vision for preventive health in Tasmania and suggests ways to strengthen the Strategy.
Description
This submission to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing highlights that current referral rules no longer match the needs of an ageing population and rising chronic disease. Key barriers include rigid validity periods, administrative burden and poor system interoperability. It recommends more flexible GP-to-specialist referrals, standardised referral information, improved MBS education, and stronger digital tools to support coordinated multidisciplinary care.
Description
The College supports the MBA’s proposed reforms to the Recency of Practice Registration Standard and recommends practical improvements to reflect modern physician practice. It calls for clearer guidance across the career continuum, a broad definition of practice including clinical care, teaching, research, leadership and policy, and protections for physicians and trainees facing barriers, extended leave or career transitions, with support for safe return to practice.
Description
RACP has a broad range of concerns including the need to change the professional title, safeguard medical training, introduce mandatory cultural safety training and equity monitoring and ensuring PAs have a narrow, prescriptive scope of practice.
Description
Our 2026 Pre-Budget Submission to the Australian Treasury outlines targeted, evidence-based measures that require Federal Government funding to strengthen the physician and trainee workforce, improve training opportunities and reduce daily practice challenges. Our submission is designed to deliver measurable benefits for communities while supporting the Federal Government’s broader reform and fiscal objectives.
Description
We welcome the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand governments’ commitment to protect children/tamariki and young people/rangatahi online. We urge stronger platform accountability and a public health approach to ensure safer social media access for all.
