Standing up for patient safety: RACS leads a united front on MBS reform 

When proposed changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule threatened to blur scopes of practice and weaken patient safeguards, RACS moved quickly and decisively. In a powerful joint submission with the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) and The Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (CTSANZ), RACS backed the concerns raised by the Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Surgery (ANZSVS) and put patient safety squarely back on the agenda. 

The submission responds to key recommendations (15, 17, 18 and 19) in the August 2025 draft report from the Vascular Interventional Radiology Working Group (VIRWG) and the MBS Review Advisory Committee (MRAC). RACS and its co-signatories voiced serious concerns about proposals to expand the definition of consultation items 104/105 to include Interventional Radiology (IR) and Interventional Neuroradiology (INR), allow interventional radiologists to undertake self-diagnosis, and adopt theatre banding based on specialty labels rather than accredited specialty training. These shifts were advanced without meaningful engagement -creating regulatory inconsistencies and potential risks for patients. 

The joint submission makes clear that reforms of this scale must not override Australian Medical Council-recognised scopes of practice or introduce financially driven models of care that could compromise governance, informed consent, or outcomes. 

Instead, RACS has urged the Government to withdraw or delay the recommendations and return to genuine co-design with vascular surgery, radiology, general practice, and consumer representatives. The submission calls for alignment with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Surgeons) Amendment Act 2023, and AMC-recognised training frameworks. 

At its core, the advocacy aims to strengthen diagnostic stewardship, prevent low-value care, and safeguard public and private equity - particularly in rural communities where the impact would be most profound.  

This work demonstrates RACS’ ongoing commitment to standing up for high-quality surgical standards and ensuring that reform strengthens, rather than erodes, patient care. 

Read submission. 
 
Keeping care accessible: RACS at the table on specialist affordability 

When the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing calls for a national conversation on affordability, RACS makes sure the surgical voice is heard. On 20 October, RACS Executive General Manager for Fellowship Experience, Kevin Falzon, joined key health leaders at a Specialist Affordability Roundtable convened by Minister Mark Butler. Supported by detailed briefing material from the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee (HPAC), Kevin put forward RACS’ position on how to improve affordability without compromising patient understanding or clinical autonomy. 

RACS urged the government to review how the Medicare Benefits Schedule relates to indexation and loading, and reform policy settings before imposing new transparency requirements. 

The message was clear: affordability reforms must support informed consent, transparency and ethical billing practices, maintain clinician autonomy, and genuinely help patients navigate their care - not add another layer of complexity. This roundtable participation reflects RACS’ ongoing commitment to practical, evidence-based advocacy that strengthens the health system for patients and professionals alike. 

Surgeons leading the way on climate action 

As climate change increasingly shapes the future of health care, RACS is ensuring the surgical profession is part of the solution. At the fifth annual Climate change and sustainability: leadership and action from Australian doctors webinar--hosted by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA)--RACS joined medical leaders from across the country to discuss the profession’s role in driving meaningful change. 

Dr Ben Dunne, Chair of the Environmental Sustainability in Surgical Practice Working Party (ESSPWP), represented RACS and outlined the College’s current initiatives and long-term commitments to sustainability. His presentation highlighted how surgical practice can evolve to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of care. 

RACS’ contribution reflects growing momentum across the profession: a recognition that sustainability is now core to clinical leadership, innovation, and patient outcomes - and that surgeons have a critical role to play in shaping a more resilient health system. 

Watch the webinar.