WA premier backs hospital in AMA attack

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THE West Australian premier believes the Australian Medical Association is running a campaign against the new Fiona Stanley Hospital.

SOME medical staff have quit in frustration over ongoing problems with private contractor Serco, but Premier Colin Barnett says the AMA is running a campaign and continually criticising the hospital.

“They’re a lobby group and I suspect that the AMA finds today that it has less influence over public health policy than it used to,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday.

 

The premier said Fiona Stanley Hospital still had the best technology and facilities.

 

“I think the hospital is doing well and I suspect the vast majority of people who use Fiona Stanley are satisfied,” Mr Barnett said.

 

“We’ve had personal experience in our family (and the) service has been fantastic.”

 

Mr Barnett said he did not want to “pick a fight” with the AMA, but also pointed to how the group had opposed a new medical school at Curtin University.