Medical Board announces registration fee increase

The Medical Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2014-2015 at $715, limiting the increase to the national CPI. The annual renewal fee will apply from 1 August 2014 and cover the registration period for most practitioners of 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015.

For more information, please click here. 

FIFO mental health inquiry

The Education and Health Standing Committee of the WA Legislative Assembly has called an Inquiry into mental illness in fly-in, fly-out workers. The Committee will inquire into:

• The contributing factors that may lead to mental illness and suicide amongst FIFO workers
• The current legislation, regulations, policies and practices for workplace mental health in WA
• Current initiatives by government, industry and community, and recommended improvements

The Inquiry comes after nine FIFO workers working in WA’s Pilbara region have committed suicide in the last 12 months. The Inquiry will look at a range of issues including the support services that are available to FIFO workers, availability of mental health first aid facilities and the availability of on-site counselling, advisory and associated services.

The AMA (WA) supports the Inquiry, but stresses the importance of thoroughly investigating the underlying issues and identifying how we can change things. It will be important that the Inquiry investigates whether mining companies are doing enough to support the mental health needs of their employees.

For more information, please click here. 

Consultation paper on the review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme

The public consultation paper on the review of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme has been released. The Independent Review will attempt to assess the success and achievements of the National Registration & Accreditation Scheme and to ascertain the changes that are required to improve it.

It was just four years ago that sweeping changes were introduced to the regulatory system that oversees the safe practice of health professions in Australia.

The Independent Reviewer, Mr Kim Snowball, is undertaking a wide consultation process to inform and shape the recommendations he will make to the nation’s Health Ministers about how they can deliver continuous improvement to the health professions’ regulatory system.

The Association will be preparing a formal submission to the Review and welcomes comments from members. Contact Chris Kane via email or call on (08) 9273 3060.

To read the Consultation Paper, please click here. 

Decisions to withhold and withdraw life sustaining medical treatment

The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) recently published a research article examining Australian doctors’ level of knowledge of the law on withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults who lack decision-making capacity, and factors associated with a higher level of knowledge.

The report concluded that among doctors who practise in the end-of-life field, there are some significant knowledge gaps about the law on withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults who lack decision-making capacity.

Significant consequences for both patients and doctors can flow from a failure to comply with the law. The research report recommended that steps be taken to improve doctors’ legal knowledge in this area and to harmonise the laws across Australia.

To read the MJA article, please click here. 

Green light for practice nurse contribution to health assessments

AMA President, Associate Professor Brian Owler said today that the Department of Health (DoH) has finally provided satisfactory clearly-worded clarification about the role of practice nurses when undertaking health assessments.

A/Prof Owler said that the AMA raised the alarm when the Department of Human Services (DHS) issued advice in June that stipulated practice nurse time would no longer count in Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) health assessment items.

“The AMA alerted the Health Minister, DHS, and the Department of Health that this advice undermined primary health care arrangements, and was at odds with the Government’s stated objective of making the best use of the health workforce,” A/Prof Owler said.

For more information, please click here. 

Letter to A/Director General of Health Prof Stokes on the reconfiguration of WA health

The AMA (WA) has written to Acting Director General Professor Bryant Stokes about concerns raised by medical practitioners through the AMA’s Inter Hospital Liaison Committee.

The issues concern the impact of the cost of opening Fiona Stanley Hospital on the operation of other hospitals. 

A copy of the letter can be found here. 

The AMA will inform members of the response and any progress.

Update on new Midland Public hospital

The AMA (WA) has raised many issues at different levels of Government concerning the closure of Swan District Hospital and the opening of Midland Public Hospital.

A matter that has been raised by the AMA membership on many occasions is about which outpatient services will be offered by St John of God Health Care (SJOG), the private provider of the new public hospital.

A letter has been sent to the Premier on this issue, and A/DG Prof Bryant Stokes has provided a list of outpatient services to be provided. 

The AMA (WA) is also discussing with the Government and SJOG the conditions and entitlements that will apply to medical practitioners transferring to SJOG. All issues concerning outstanding entitlements have been put in writing to the A/D General of Health.

Issues concerning acceptance of entitlements and conditions to be offered to transferring medical practitioners have been put in writing to SJOG. The AMA has developed “Swan Information Bulletins” to inform members of activity on this matter, which can be found on the AMA (WA) website. 

A meeting of medical practitioners will be held at Swan District Hospital late in September. This will be a feedback meeting to enable the AMA to update members on progress with discussions with both WA Health and also SJOG and for the AMA to receive feedback from members on key issues. We will let members know the date of the meeting via emails, the website and through this newsletter.

To view the lates Swan Information Bulletin, please click here.  

Applications for the 2015 AGPT Program – second intake open Monday 8 to Friday 19 September 2014

WAGPET will be participating in the second intake for Rural Pathway applicants to the 2015 Australian General Practice Education and Training (AGPT) program.

The second intake will be open to new applicants as well as those who were not offered a training place through the first intake. Applicants who applied in the first intake will not be required to participate in the MMI and SJT components of the National Assessment Process again.

For more information about the application process, please click here.

Come take a closer look!

AMA Medical Products is the exclusive West Australian distributor for the Univet range of Magnifying Loupes and Lights. 

Italian manufactured, comfortable, ergonomic, durable, attractive, affordable and most importantly they work.

Visit our Nedlands showroom or contact our Customer Service team on (08) 9273 3660 to arrange a demonstration of this exciting new range with one of our experienced Territory Managers.
 

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