PRESS RELEASE: 2024 Sidney Sax Medal recipient Dr Walid Jammal

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association has today announced it will award the 2024 Sidney Sax medal for outstanding contributions to the development and improvement of Australia’s healthcare system to Dr Walid Jammal.

‘Dr Jammal’s dedication to quality and safety in health care, along with his expertise in health system policy and reform has made him an invaluable asset to the healthcare sector, and we are pleased to recognise his decades-long commitment to strengthening primary care in Australia,’ says AHHA Board Chair, the Hon Jillian Skinner.

A well-respected leader within the healthcare system, Dr Jammal has worked with both NSW Health and the Commonwealth Government testing and developing integrated care models.

Dr Jammal also holds several notable positions, including Co-Chair of the GP Advisory Group for the NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation, Member of the Medicare Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) and is a Board Member of the Western Sydney Local Health District and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Dr Jammal is also a principal General Practitioner at the Hills Family General Practice in Western Sydney, and until recently was on the Board of the Western Sydney PHN.

Dr Jammal has played a significant role in the development of Australia’s Primary Health Care 10-year Plan as co-chair of the Primary Care Reform Steering Group under the previous government. He was a member of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce and continues as an independent advisor in the current government’s Strengthening Medicare reforms through the Implementation Oversight Committee.

‘His work in primary care and in systems policy has been of great benefit not only to improving the health of the people he cares for in Practice, but also to the community and the Australian health system as a whole. He is a strong advocate for patient-centred care, and how we can best embrace the benefits of multidisciplinary team care, digital technology and funding model reforms.’

The Sidney Sax Medal was first awarded by the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association in 1986.

Since then, over thirty-five medals have been awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the development and improvement of the Australian healthcare system in the field of health services policy, organisation, delivery and research.

Dr Sax played a key role in the development of Medibank, our first universal national health insurance scheme; along with Professor John Deeble, namesake of the Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association’s research arm, the Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research.

The 2024 Sidney Sax Medal award presentation will take place on the 15th of October at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, at a lunch presentation during the John Deeble Lecture and Panel Discussions. Tickets are available for the Sidney Sax Award Presentation Lunch and John Deeble Lecture via the AHHA website: https://ahha.asn.au/2024-sidney-sax-medal-recipient-dr-walid-jammal/