I’ve invested a lot of this time into forming good relationships with decision-makers across all levels of government so we can talk through the key issues affecting us.
It has been so rewarding and informative to get out and talk to ACEM members where you live and work. You are the College. It is not a faceless organisation but all about the members.
We’ve worked consistently on advancing equity, inclusion and Indigenous health and I’m so proud of that.
ACEM members graduate from our programs equipped and ready to deliver high-quality emergency medicine to anyone, anywhere in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It shouldn’t matter where you live or where you present, for you to get access to excellent specialist emergency care.
Introducing a core rural term from 2027 is an essential piece of this puzzle. We are a training college with the aim of ensuring that all Fellows have the full range of skills expected of an emergency physician. We ask people to do paediatrics even though they may only ever work in an adult ED. We expect people to work in a tertiary setting to gain that specific experience and in the same way we now also expect trainees to get experience in a rural setting. It’s exciting to see more people develop experience in this because that is the future of the College. That is where the majority of the new work and demand is going to be. We need to adapt to this changing face of emergency medicine.
I encourage you to get involved and join committees, branch councils and networks. We’ve got some new networks only just starting, with the aim to include even more people in the fantastic work the College does. With the new Branch Councils set to replace Faculty Boards next week, we’ve seen the highest level of interest we’ve had for years. It’s satisfying to see the renewed interest in College activities, so keep it up – you are welcome here.
These groups are a huge benefit to the College and its work. The expertise of ACEM’s retired fellows working group informed the development of our new statement on how to approach peri-retirement years safely and supported. That is also something to celebrate - after 45 years we have an increasing cohort approaching retirement, which shows our maturity as a College and as a specialty. Following our principles of inclusion we must make sure we look after this group as we do our new Fellows. Remember that we will all be there one day.
Equity and inclusion are so important because we know you get more informed decision-making and better outcomes on any subject with a broader range of views from the boardroom and beyond. We need a diversity of skills, talents and outlooks so that we can continue to maximise and leverage the amazing variety of skills found within the Fellowship.
Our new Strategy, launched earlier this year, is fully developed and in place and I’m really pleased with it. It reflects a true strategy - high-level and principles-based which allows us the flexibility to undertake new projects as they come up but with a coherent theme and goal in place.
We are well positioned to cope with future challenges for the College, including urgent care, the impact that generative Al is having on medicine, as well as safely integrating extended scope practitioners into emergency medicine and the health system more broadly.
We recently added sustainability as the fourth pillar of the ACEM Foundation. This was a massive achievement that recognises not only the importance of climate on health but also our responsibility to help make the healthcare system sustainable for future generations. We simply can’t afford to continue as we are. By being involved and making decisions ourselves, we can ensure decisions aren’t made for us.
Emergency medicine is a unique skillset, and our training sets us up to be systems thinkers. We interact with almost all of the moving parts of the complex health system we work in. We see the bigger picture and understand the challenges. By nature we are innovative and engaged. I’m really proud that we are a College full of talented ‘can do’ people.
Despite plane delays, lost luggage and the best efforts of Cyclone Alfred, I’ve travelled across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and met many of you. In Parliament House, I’ve talked to everyone who would listen (and a few who took a bit more convincing) to further the cause of emergency medicine.
While Aotearoa New Zealand has similar challenges to Australia, it also has specific needs. We have expanded our Wellington office and are in the process of improving representation from the Board down. We’ve been working with the CMC about Physician Assistant developments and provided submissions to consultations ranging from AI to Māori health equity.
A vital issue for ACEM is tackling access block. Last year there were over eight million ED presentations in Australia, and over one million in Aotearoa New Zealand, both of which are unprecedented. Demand will continue to grow especially with an ageing and growing population. It’s busy now and will just continue to get busier. We must adapt. Our Statement of Commitment on Emergency Medicine Preparedness for Population Ageing acknowledges that health systems are at a tipping point, with ED presentations by older persons across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand escalating significantly.
We are right there at the forefront, guiding governments on strategy to do this safely and appropriately. Just last month I was in Canberra again, meeting with decision-makers like Federal Aged Care Minister Sam Rae and Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White. What we see in our EDs is an indicator of where investment is needed elsewhere in our health system, so our voice is absolutely crucial here.
Simply arguing about access block from a deficit model and with no solutions is doomed to fail. We need to be strategic. I believe that there are some essential reforms needed in the aged care and mental health systems, and it doesn’t end there. We will continue with other strategies as well - that’s how you eat the dinosaur … one spoonful at a time!
One of the things I’ve learned over the years, and with the privilege of having had leadership roles, is the importance of play, humour and the belief that things will work out in the end - even if doesn’t feel like it at the time.
Most important of all is to celebrate the joy in what we do in our day-to-day work. This is why so many of us are drawn to emergency medicine. It’s not always about the big cases. Often the greatest reward is the seeing the relief in a parent’s eyes when you reassure them their child will be OK. It’s sorting out a safe discharge for a homeless person when they’ve been distressed. It’s taking someone who is terrified about undergoing a procedure, like a dislocated shoulder, and relieving them of their pain, sedating them appropriately and having them wake, fixed and comfortable and relieved.
We are experts at high-profile resus and CPR but there’s also joy in the little things. Debriefing a team, managing expectations, making people feel heard and confident in what they’re about to do. This is teaching and a core aspect of our role.
Developing skills for future generations is essential even if they don’t end up working in an ED. Teaching people how to do things safely and instilling in them the value of emergency medicine is both satisfying and indispensable. We may think nothing of certain procedures but for junior doctors it can be their first exposure. Watching an expert perform a complex task and seeing it up close for the first time can be magical. Never underestimate the impact your professionalism has on those around you, especially those learning from you. It is all the little things you do that make it amazing.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team is fantastic, stimulating and a fabulous part of our job. It's one of the things I really love about the career.
I want to thank previous president Dr Clare Skinner, who has championed a review of all our assessment pieces which will help to keep our training program contemporary and modern.
I’m pleased to be handing over to President Elect Dr Peter Allely. The College’s growth and evolution will continue over the next couple of years. We are in good hands with Peter and I’m looking forward to the next few years of his leadership.
I am proud of what we’ve achieved, and the College is in an excellent place to meet the challenges facing us. Our sustainable business model is setting up ACEM for the future.
It’s been a privilege to work closely with such an amazingly talented group of staff members. The team that sits behind us all is exceptional. They are truly working hard to advocate and develop the emergency medicine skills of us all. I have enjoyed their friendship, skill and humour over the past few years.
I’d like to say thank you to our membership for this amazing opportunity. I really value your support and the confidence you put in me to do this job. I’ve done my best and I’m humbled and grateful for your trust.
Don’t forget why we do emergency medicine. It’s all about the patient, the communities we serve and the joy of providing care as an expert.
What you do makes a difference.