Conferences

DRS 2019 National Conference and Annual General Meeting

Our 2019 national conference and AGM will be held on 19 October 2019  at the Lithuanian Cultural Association, 45 Gladstone Rd, Highgate Hill, Brisbane.

Program:

9.00 Registration
9.25 Welcome Peter Davoren, President DRS, Queensland
9.30 – 10.15 Dr Beau Frigault, Qld Doctors for the Environment
The Consequences of Health care on the Environment and Solutions
10.15 – 10.30 Morning Tea
10.30 – 11.15 Dr Andrew Gunn
Community Disability Medicine: “Another practice in a different kitchen”
11.15 – 12.45 Policy Updates
12.45 – 1.30 Lunch
1.30 – 2.15 Ben Cohn, Australian Digital Health Agency
My Health Record, 12 Month Update
2.15 – 2.45 Policy Discussion (cont)
2.45 – 3.00 Afternoon tea
3.00 – 4.00 Annual General Meeting
(teleconference available)
4.00 Close
7.00 Dinner

Please download the flyer for registration/RSVP details.

DRS National Conference Saturday 16 September 2017

Venue: Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Victoria

Program:

Stopping the Rot or Moving On?

 

9.30 – 10.00 Registration

10.00am Welcome – Dr Tim Woodruff, President DRS Australia

10.15am Basic Income Guarantee: It’s a Health Issue – Dr Tim Woodruff

11.15am Morning Tea

11.30am: Divestment: Putting the pressure where it’s needed – Dr Harry Jennens, Founder: Healthy Futures

12.30pm Lunch

1.30pm Primary Health Networks: Are they working? – Tony McBride, Director, Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network

2.30pm Afternoon tea

3.00pm: Mental Health: Are we moving forward?: Harry Lovelock, Senior Executive Manager, Australian Psychological Society

4pm Discussion: Integrating mental health and primary health care

4.30pm Close

Registration: $40:  Please email twoodruff@bigpond.com

 

2016 DRS National Conference

The National DRS Conference was held in Perth, in late October. Saturday featured two excellent presentations on issues of enormous public health significance.

Firstly, Dr Alice McGushin (intern, Royal Perth Hospital, WA) outlined the challenges around Climate Change and Health, in particular highlighting the health implications of the Paris Agreement (which has recently been officially internationally ratified) and assessing actions and programmes organised by various Doctor and Medical Student groups. She discussed her own involvement in many of these organisations, in which she has been a leader over many years.

Secondly, Dr Raewyn Mutch (Consultant Paediatrician, Princess Margaret Hospital, WA) discussed the factors that lead to people seeking asylum, and the downstream impact of these factors (including war, conflict and discrimination) on health. She also shared her first-hand experiences in working in a Refugee Health clinic, and her experience of the impact of Australian Government policies on individuals and communities.

These presentations were followed by vigorous discussion regarding national DRS policy, including the adoption of new and/or expanded policies on Dental Health, Refugee Health, Climate Change and the Private Health system in Australia. The full suite of DRS policy can be viewed at our policy page.

Finally, Sunday saw the DRS National Annual General Meeting, in which the National Committee for 2017 was elected. Those elected were:

• President: Dr Tim Woodruff
• Secretary/Treasurer: Dr Peter Davoren
• Vice President: Dr Con Costa
• Vice-President: Dr Andrew Gunn

An enormous debt of gratitude is extended to the Perth team who organised the 2016 National DRS Conference, in particular Dr Alison Creagh, President of the DRS WA branch.

 

2016 DRS National Conference – Flyer and Report

The 2016 DRS National Conference was held in Fremantle, Western Australia on 22-23 October 2016. The venue was the Lord Forrest Room at the Federal Hotel, 23 William St, Fremantle. You can still download the conference flyer.

Guest speakers on the Saturday morning (22 October) included Dr Alice McGushin on Climate Change and Dr Raewyn Mutch on Refugee Health. A policy session on the Saturday afternoon allowed members to collectively revise some important aspects of DRS policy.

The conference dinner took place on the Saturday evening at The Raw Kitchen, 181A High Street, Fremantle.

Our Annual General Meeting took place on the Sunday morning (23 October).

The conference report is available here.

 

Previous Conference

2013 DRS National Conference

The 2013 conference was held in Melbourne 19-20th October at Ross House 247 Flinders Lane.

Speakers included:

• Richard Di Natale:
• Greens Health Spokesperson;
• Fiona Armstrong: Convenor Climate and Health Alliance, previously Chair, Australian HealthCare Reform Alliance;
• Helen Keleher, Medicare Locals;
• Freya Langham, AMSA Global Health

Registration 9.30-10am Saturday ($90 – med students $10); 9.30-10am Sunday: Annual General Meeting for members

 

2012 DRS National Conference

The Doctors Reform Society held the 2012 National Conference and AGM on 29-30 September in the State Library of Western Australia, Perth.

Conference report by Elissa Campbell.

Venue: Great Southern Room, State Library of WA, 25 Francis Street, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth.

Our conference timetable was:

Saturday September 29th

• 1000-1030 registration, tea/coffee
• 1030-1032 welcome, acknowledgement of country
• 1032-1145 Talk 1 – Melissa Sweet – “Some tips for navigating the changing media landscape”
• 1145-1300 Talk 2 – Linda Selvey – “Living in a changing climate”
• 1300-1345 lunch
• 1345-1500 Talk 3 – Dave Paul – “Changing the health workforce as a key step towards closing the gap”
• 1515-1530 afternoon tea
• 1530-1715 Policy discussion session. Alison Creagh (WA DRS president) to chair.
• 1715 finish
• Conference dinner details yet to be finalised.

Sunday September 30th

• 1015-1130 AGM
• 1130-1145 Morning tea
• 1145-1300 AGM