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Advocacy at RACS RACS has a strong history of advocacy across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to effecting positive change in healthcare and the broader community by adopting informed and principled positions on issues of public health. We regularly advocate for these positions across several different mediums— including the media, public campaigns, and by negotiating directly or providing written submissions to both government and non-government agencies. Over the past two months, some of the advocacy work the College has undertaken includes: Environmental advocacy Joint letter RACS has joined with 10 other medical colleges to co-sign a letter to Australian political leaders highlighting the risks of climate change, and warning of the underpreparedness of the Australian healthcare
system to deal with these risks. The letter is available here: bit.ly/3PLU1gm The letter follows a report (bit. ly/3x0cRZX) that was developed in 2021. The comprehensive report was commissioned by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and prepared by the Monash Sustainable Development Institute. Members of the RACS Environmental Sustainability in Surgical Practice Working Party (ESSPWP) played a key advisory role in the report’s development. Presentations In 2022, the ESSPWP has increasingly sought opportunities to engage with RACS members and promote environmental sustainability as an advocacy priority. Earlier this year the ESSPWP hosted a webinar, which can be viewed on the RACS website.
At the ASC, members of the ESSPWP participated in a scientific session on 'Climate Change and Surgery.’ Among the speakers in this session was ESSPWP Chair, Professor David Fletcher. He highlighted the history and some of the recent actions taken by the Working Party, including a contribution to the RACS Australian Federal election statement: bit.ly/3wXJV4D Another member of the working party, Dr Maria-Pia Bernardi has been invited to speak at the ACT Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in August and will deliver a presentation on behalf of the ESSPWP. To register for the ASM please visit the conference website: bit.ly/3lSDvxm Transparent patient outcomes RACS recently provided a submission to the Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Transparent Patient Outcomes) Bill 2021. We consulted with our Fellowship within our governance
