Opinions

An increasing number of people are using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT for mental health and support. There are both benefits and risks associated with the use of AI for mental health. However, there are no policies or guidelines to inform the safe use of AI chatbots for mental health purposes.

Anthony Joffe, Kylie Maidment, Jill Newby

Australia’s aged care system is undergoing a necessary transformation — one that places the rights and dignity of older people front and centre. At the heart of this is the need to minimise restrictive practices, including the use of chemical restraint.

Simon Grof, Melanie Tan

Australia’s health workforce is under pressure. Wait times are growing. Burnout is rising. Yet the country is awash in policy – just not the kind that solves these problems at the root.

Stephanie M. Topp, Lana Elliott, Thu Nguyen

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, either because of a blockage (called an ischaemic stroke) or bleeding (a haemorrhagic stroke). Around 83% of strokes are ischaemic.

Lei Si, Laura Emily Downey, Thomas Gadsden

Young LGBTQ+ Australians look to social media for mental health support and a sense of community. The social media ban risks exacerbating existing mental health inequity.

Adam Poulsen, Ian B Hickie, Samuel J Hockey, Frank Iorfino, Haley M LaMonica

Spirometry testing is necessary for an accurate diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is a cornerstone of optimised COPD management. A new report from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) highlights that the people who need it most are missing out.

Lee Fong

On oncology wards, busy clinicians are often burdened by time pressure and competing demands and may struggle to implement the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) or ABC (Assess, Brief, Counsel) models for smoking cessation. However, despite various suggested models of care, implementation of cessation programs after a cancer diagnosis has been poor, with its management frequently perceived as being “out of scope” to core clinical care. But since the 2014 US Surgeon General’s (SG) report on smoking cessation, there has been increasing recognition that it is vital for improving patient outcomes.

Nouhad El-Haddad, Geoff Delaney, Shalini Vinod, Freddy Sitas

The RACGP and NAATSIHWP launch guide to advance and shape the future of culturally safe multidisciplinary care in general practice

Karl Briscoe, Karen Nicholls, Michael Wright

Market-driven health care is reshaping the GP–patient relationship, threatening the continuity, time, and trust that define general practice. This commentary examines how rising consumerism, marketing-led misinformation, and digitally fragmented care are undermining the foundations of clinical judgement, effective communication, and the evolving professional identity of general practitioners.

Shipra Sankpal